1911 drop test?

[Quicksilver GT]

Maybe on this forum, maybe in an article somewhere else on the Web, I read a few months ago something I'd like to read again: A guy decided to find out what actually happened when you drop a 1911 on its nose with a round in the chamber.

As I recall, he used a beater of a gun (naturally), and something like 23 feet of PVC pipe as a guide. Inside the gun was a primed, empty case. After the drop, not too surprisingly, the primer showed no sign of indentation from the firing pin.

All this comes to mind now that I have just bought a Series 80 1911 with a firing-pin block, which I strongly suspect is pointless.

Anybody else recall this test?

[TommyC]

I seem to recall something similar, but don't remember specifics.

[TriumphGT6]

http://yarchive.net/gun/pistol/1911_inertial_discharge.html

[Quicksilver GT]

Yep -- that's it!

I was wrong about the height of the drop test, but I doubt that the pistol would fire even if dropped from 50 feet.

[Joni Lynn]

Sounds like the 'What If' lawyers are getting some time in the design and ruination department now. Safeties and locks galore. None of which address the problem.