AD or ND - a poll for everyone

[A-J]

People seem to be in 2 camps here. Some like the word "accident" while others, myself included, call them negligent.

Accident implies that the discharge was (for all intents and purposes) unavoidable.

Negligent implies that the person failed to act properly, resulting in the discharge.

My view is very hard line - in all my years of shooting and being around firearms, never once has one "gone off" all on its own.

Where do you stand?

[explorerdude]

I think there are accidents and there is negligence.

[odysseus]

An actual accidental discharge is rare, and mostly in the form of a mechanical failure while firing the weapon, like the classic soft primer double fire on some semi auto rifles back long ago. Most all others are within the realm of some form of negligent discharge, even some mechanical failures are when someone has improperly modified their weapon, and it goes bang when they don't want it to. It's mostly an operator issue, of doing something wrong that they shouldn't which is negligence.

[Curley Red]

There is no such things as an accidental discharge. Plain and simple. If the gun goes off on it's own due to assembly or modifications, then it was negligence on the part of the builder.

Guns do not go off by accident. If you believe they do then you might as well believe in bogey monsters.

[AleksandreCz]

If the gun goes of due to failure of its mechanical parts Its accidental. If the Gun goes because you did something stupid including improper reasembly its negligent.

[Supertac916]

Need to add another poll option..

"I don't care what you call it. Just use the matter between your ears and always follow fundamental safety rules"

[chickenfried]

winner winner chicken dinner.

Need to add another poll option..

"I don't care what you call it. Just use the matter between your ears and always follow fundamental safety rules"

For argument's sake http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accident

Definition of ACCIDENT

1
a : an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance
b : lack of intention or necessity : chance <met by accident rather than by design>
2
a : an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance
b : an unexpected and medically important bodily event especially when injurious <a cerebrovascular accident>
c : an unexpected happening causing loss or injury which is not due to any fault or misconduct on the part of the person injured but for which legal relief may be sought
...

[ClarenceBoddicker]

All unintended firearms discharges are NDs unless it's one of those exceeding rare instances of a mechanical failure.

[A-J]

As you said, for argument's sake http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/negligent:

Definition of NEGLIGENCE


1

a: the quality or state of being negligent

b: failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances

[NoHeavyHitter]

I see it as two different things...

"Accidental discharge" is when the gun is on target and the shooter is readying the shot - but inadvertently lets the shot go before perfect alignment is achieved. The accidental discharge is what results in a "flyer".

"Negligent discharge" is when a shot is fired that was not pointed at the target and the finger should not have been near the trigger.

[Untamed1972]

There is such a thing called "cook off" which can cause a chambered round to discharge all on its own (most commonly seen with FA/semi auto rifles that have gotten very hot due to extended perios of rapid fire). This would seem to classify as an AD......and good reason to stick to the remaining 3 safety rules are always followed and strict attention paid to muzzle control.

I suppose something like dropping the bolt with a stuck firing pin or something like of a mechanical nature would classify as an AD also, again the reason you always follow the safety rules and watch your muzzle.

Aside from that nearly everything else would fall into the ND category.

[elsolo]

It got trendy a few years back to switch the term from accidental discharge to negligent discharge, to put an increased emphasis on safety and point out that it might have been an accident, but there was negligence involved.

Since that is just in gun-circles and not used properly by everybody, we will still hear news stories about "accidental discharges" that were clearly negligent on all accounts.

It's really not much different than any other time the name of something is changed to add/remove a mental association with a term.

[shy 7th]

Poll fail: missing choice "ADs and NDs are two different things"

Accidental is when: you're ready to shoot, finger on the trigger and someone behind you, not watching where they are going, bumps into you and you shoot the ceiling.

Negligent is when: the above happens, but instead, you turn your body around to see who bumped you, finger still on the trigger, and then shoot the ceiling.



Accidental is when: you're trying to lower the hammer of a revolver, while still pointing the gun safely down range, and it slips and discharges.

Negligent is when: you do the above, but are not pointing the gun safely downrange.



Accidental is when: this girl double taps the S&W500 because the recoil is so strong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4OE78spknk

Negligent is when: the guy handed her the revolver with more than one cylinder loaded.



Accidental is when: through no fault of your own, the gun is discharged.

Negligent is when: the gun is discharged because you are not acting safely.

[boltmopar]

All unintended firearms discharges are NDs unless it's one of those exceeding rare instances of a mechanical failure.

This

Finger should never be on trigger until you are ready to fire.

[Powerkraut]

Mechanical failure is the only case of an AD, and even then only if the 4 rules were being observed at the time of discharge. An AD that hits yoir buddy because of poor muzzle discipline is still an ND.