Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Warning For Gun Cranks

I had a weird and scary incident occur today, I thought I would share it for what is worth.

As my primary concealed carry weapon, I have been using a FEG PA-63. It is a double action semi-automatic that looks and functions like a Walter PPK. It is chambered for the 9 mm Makorov caliber. It shoots well and is reliable since I replaced the weapon's original springs with Wolf replacements.

Today, I was getting ready to head to town and had placed the PA-63 on the dresser in the bedroom while changing out my pants. One of my cats, Missy was in the "Love me, Love me NOW mode. I didn't pay too much attention to her when she got up on the dresser but them there was a loud bang and she un-assed the area of operations. Missy had knocked the pistol off the dresser and it had gone off. When I examined the pistol, there was still a shell casing in the chamber, a bullet hole in the ceiling and a divot in the floor from where the hammer struck the floor when the pistol fell. Luckily there were no injuries. (the cat may have lost one of it's nine lives, but seems to have recovered well)

Since this is a double action weapon, I carried it with a round in the chamber, hammer down safety off. (All of my previous double action auto loaders were safe carried in this manner)

I don't know if this was a result of a design flaw in the weapon, or if there is something wrong with MY individual weapon, but rest assured I will be carrying it with the safety on, or I will be carrying my Glock 23 from now on. So be warned if you have one of these weapons.

7 comments:

Kate (Cathy Johnson) said...

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh!

Glad Missy was ok. ;-)

Michael W. said...

Yeah, I was glad that all the babies (Sissy, Wesley, Maggie, Rudi) and most importantly me were OK. (grin)

Geodkyt said...

Not design "flaw" -- it's a design "feature". [grin] It's found on the Walther PP & PPK series (the guns your PA is a copy of) and the P38/P1 service pistols.

With the safety off, the hammer can directly contact the firing pin if whacked. It's really the same as most Smith and Wesson revolvers before they started copying Taurus's improved hammer set up sometime in the 1990's. (Pretty fiunny considering how many die-hard S&W fans insisted that Taurus just made shoddy junk copies of S&W's and Berettas.)

'Course, a cocked and locked 1911 variant wouldn't have that problem. . . [BSEG]

Rick R.

Michael W. said...

Or a glock..............

Robin said...

or a Sig;)

Glenn B said...

Cats are evil.

Michael W. said...

Ah SIG, the higher priced spread.....-grin-