Gun safety is extremely important. Students are typically told to treat every gun as if it is loaded at all times. They are told to keep their finger off the trigger until right before the shot. They’re instructed to use the gun as safely as possible in all settings.
But what if the gun itself undermines all those safety efforts? Is it possible for a gun to simply fire on its own, leading to injury or even death?
Unfortunately, it does happen. It never should, but defective products can be found in any space, and firearms are no exception.
For example, Remington is one of the largest and most well-respected gun makers in the United States. Even so, they have seen allegation for years that their Model 700 rifle can fire without anyone pulling the trigger. For instance, someone could be pulling a gun out of a case from the back seat of a truck and it could fire spontaneously, striking that person. While the majority of rifles never malfunction this way, the allegations are common enough that there have been class-action lawsuits against Remington.
Defective products are fairly common. It’s just not as big of an issue when the defective product is a computer keyboard or a guitar. When it’s something like a firearm, the stakes go up dramatically. Guns are not even supposed to fire if you drop them, much less for no reason at all. Something like this is a serious hazard for hunters and gun owners everywhere.
If you lose a loved one in an accident, make sure you know what options you have.