5 of the Scariest Gun Defects Caught on Video
Daniel Xu 11.23.15
Defects in firearms are not common. The vast majority of the time, when a malfunction happens it is usually due to user error—but sometimes it’s not. Gun defects are scary precisely because they can happen to anybody and often occur without warning. With that in mind, make sure you observe basic firearm safety at all times. Doing so can often mitigate the consequences of the defects shown in the videos in this article.
1. Winchester SXP
It is not every day when you receive a defective shotgun from one of the oldest and most respected gun makers in America. It’s also not every day when you single-handedly start a recall just days after uploading a YouTube video to show off the defect. That’s exactly what happened to this man when he demonstrated how the Winchester SXP was capable of firing with the safety engaged, without pulling the trigger. Winchester immediately informed their customers that a small batch of the shotguns was prone to this type of malfunction and issued a recall.
You can read more here.
2. Taurus semiautos dropped
Earlier this year Taurus agreed to a $30 million settlement in a class action lawsuit over defective triggers. In court documents, plaintiffs in the lawsuit claimed that the affected firearms were capable of firing when dropped, regardless of whether the safety was engaged. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs say that the gun maker has known about these problems since at least 2007, and in 2013 the São Paulo State Military Police also recalled 98,000 Taurus 24/7 pistols after it was discovered that the guns could be fired without pulling the trigger.
You can read more about it here.
This includes nine models: the PT-609, PT-640, PT-42/7, PT-111 Millennium, PT-132 Millennium, PT-138 Millennium, PT-140 Millennium, PT-145 Millennium, and PT-745 Millennium.
3. Taurus semiautos shaken
Read what we said about the São Paulo State Military Police recalling more than 98,000 PT 24/7 pistols? This may have something to do with it.
4. Remington Model 700
The incredibly popular Remington 700 series has been accused many times before of being prone to unintentional discharges, and some have even filed lawsuits against the company for causing avoidable injuries or deaths. One of the most recent—and highly controversial—topics of focus was the company’s X-Mark-Pro trigger, which some say could be fired without pulling the trigger. Remington announced a voluntary recall last year.
5. Type 94 Nambu
This is technically not a defect as it comes with practically every Type 94 Nambu made, but it is a relatively dangerous oversight that puts its users in danger. Development on this 8mm pistol first started in 1929 and it entered production in 1935—just in time for the Second World War. This oddly-shaped gun is considered by many to be one of the worst designed pistols in history.
The Nambu can be fired unintentionally by pressing the exposed sear bar. This has lead to the pistol earning the nickname of “suicide pistol,” and it was widely mocked by Allied soldiers while it was still in service. At least the sear bar was not super-easy to actually press down on due to its narrow shape.
https://youtu.be/tb1o4asc7go
