Safe to carry AR15 with round chambered?

[Vulcanese]

As most of you probably know, some handguns like Glocks and Series 80 1911s incorporate a firing pin blocking device that is disengaged when the trigger is pulled in order to avoid a discharge if the gun is dropped, struck, etc. Does the AR15 design have such a device that makes it safe to carry with a round chambered?

[DriBak]

WTF?

[Razoreye]

Originally posted by DriBak
WTF? He speaks of a drop safety. I haven't been able to dissect an AR yet so I don't know. I'm sure some of these guys will chime in soon.

[El Duderino]

The AR firing pin floats. Dropping it won't create enough speed/inertia for it to AD. Even when chambering a round it's pretty normal to see a slight dent on the primer. Nothing to worry about.

<img src=http://www.ar15.com/content/guides/parts/boltCarrier.gif>

[AR15Armory Neil]

I am not worried about having a round chambered, I keep constant check on all my firearms and look for worn parts which are replaced immediately after I find them.
Do I keep my AR with a round in it? No
Would I be worried about accidental discharge if I did? No
I would be hesitant unless in a war time situation to have one chambered and just throwing my rifle around, that is just basic firearm safety.

[Razoreye]

Originally posted by AR15Armory Neil
I am not worried about having a round chambered, I keep constant check on all my firearms and look for worn parts which are replaced immediately after I find them.
Do I keep my AR with a round in it? No
Would I be worried about accidental discharge if I did? No
I would be hesitant unless in a war time situation to have one chambered and just throwing my rifle around, that is just basic firearm safety. QFMFT. Any mechanical device can fail, common sense to watch what you're doing even with a safety. Once you become lax or depend on something mechanical you let down your guard for when the SHTF.

[Dark_Knight7096]

Razoreye:

Let me guess? White Devil, White Devil?

LOL

[Razoreye]

Originally posted by Dark_Knight7096
Razoreye:

Let me guess? White Devil, White Devil?

LOL :clown: :rollsmiley: :clown:

I figured that describes me well enough!


"DO NOT TOUCH THE DO'!!"

[Stickman]

Safe to carry AR15 with round chambered?

Carry for what? For combat, or perceived need, the answer is yes, it is plenty safe.


Take a look at how its done with the military. Load up when its time to patrol, unload when you get back to camp.

[thetoastmaster]

Yes, ARs are plenty safe to run "hot" or "live" all the time.

[Veritas]

Originally posted by Vulcanese
As most of you probably know, some handguns like Glocks and Series 80 1911s incorporate a firing pin blocking device that is disengaged when the trigger is pulled in order to avoid a discharge if the gun is dropped, struck, etc. Does the AR15 design have such a device that makes it safe to carry with a round chambered?

many firearms do not have a physical 'drop safety.' And many of those firearmes are 100% safe to carry with a loaded chamber, just safe as many of those that do have a drop safety.

Adding extra parts does not necessarily make a gun safer, especially if one relies upon that part... rather than the part between your ears.

Adding parts to a firearm at the advice of an attorney also does not make a firearm safer.

Same goes for those goofy mag disconnects.

[jonathon]

Perfectly safe to have one in the pipe in the AR...

I have one that is always loaded, 30+1 rounds, as it is my "go to" gun. Unloaded only for transport.

[demusn79]

DOD throws them around loaded during testing if they fire they fail! :cool:

[Sapperstang]

It'll be fine geez.

[MrMurphy]

Some M4s and M16s have fired when dropped over in the sandbox.

I carry an M4 every day for the USAF and it's full mag emtpy chamber unless the situation demands it. I have no problem with that, cop shotguns are generally carried same way for the same reason (I've seen a cruiser that became a convertible when an 870 chambered with safety on fired after dropping several feet (the whole car) off a railroad embankment.... not good).

In combat sure loaded chamber safety on,but otherwise it only takes a second to yank and go.

[isuzu]

My XM16E1 in the Philippines has an empty chamber and the hammer is down. That way, the hammer spring can rest.

[dport]

Interestingly the HK416 has a drop safety.

[thetoastmaster]

Originally posted by dport
Interestingly the HK416 has a drop safety.

Yeah, HK rifles are drop safe, and about 15 pound triggers to show for it...

[dport]

Originally posted by thetoastmaster
Yeah, HK rifles are drop safe, and about 15 pound triggers to show for it...
When I shot a 10" 416 I did not notice an excessively heavy trigger.

I also don't think it is necessary, just interesting.

[thetoastmaster]

Originally posted by dport
When I shot a 10" 416 I did not notice an excessively heavy trigger.

I also don't think it is necessary, just interesting.

I understand that the Bundeswehr insisted on a heavy trigger as part of the drop safety. *shrugs*

[army_eod]

Take one to Iraq and then tell me what you think. Of course it is as safe as the user. They are COMBAT type guns.

[dport]

Originally posted by thetoastmaster
I understand that the Bundeswehr insisted on a heavy trigger as part of the drop safety. *shrugs*
The 416 wasn't developed for th Bundeswehr.
And the trigger wasn't excessively heavy.

[thetoastmaster]

No, I was refering to the G3, specifically.

[Richard K]

"cop shotguns are generally carried same way"

I would discipline any of my people having a shotgun in a car in that condition. Any dept. I know of carries them "cruiser ready" ie. dry fired on an empty chamber so the slide can be immediately jacked without having to activate the slide release.

[Alaskapopo]

Its best to keep the chamber empty when the weapon is being stored or carried off your body (gun rack in cruiser safe at home ext) if your carring the gun on your person and expecting trouble then its best to go hot.
Pat

[TimP]

Originally posted by jonathon
Perfectly safe to have one in the pipe in the AR...

I have one that is always loaded, 30+1 rounds, as it is my "go to" gun. Unloaded only for transport.

You might want to think about taking 1 or 2 rds out of that mag. Sometimes you can run into a feeding problem running a gun 30+1. Not all guns do, but some have a habit of dragging the bolt accross the top of the full mag, and not feed the top round in the mag.

Hopefully you dont have that problem. Hope it helps
Tim

[NoGo]

An associated concern to the "Is it safe to keep/ carry an AR with a round chambered" question (Yes it is safe, as long as you keep your finger off the safety lever and trigger), is-

"Is it legal in the scenario of concern"?

At home, yes (In Oklahoma).

In your car/ truck, no (In Oklahoma).
With CC licence, I can have a rifle/ shotgun with mag inserted/loaded but no round in the chamber. No CC license, guns have to be completely unloaded and physically seperated from the ammo/ loaded mags.

Walking through the woods, yes if with current hunting license and during the appropriate season allowing such caliber for use.

Walking down the street, probably no.

[Mnukedude]

AR15's have no drop safety device to block the firing pin. It floats freely within the bolt carrier. AR's are generally drop safe, but it is possible for them to discharge if dropped on a hot chamber. The most likely way for this to happen would be if the loaded weapon were dropped so that the muzzle forcibly strikes something hard enough that the additional inertia from the firing pin detonates the primer. This would be particularly likely with a round that had been already chambered a number of times.

That said, unless you are in the habit of ramming your muzzle into things like you were bayoneting them, this isn't going to happen.