About guns.......
 

Recently, Alec Baldwin accidently shot someone on the movie set and it killed her. I'm sure you have all heard.

Now he has had an interview where he states he never pulled the trigger on the gun.

As you know, my knowledge about guns is not great, but, even as uninformed as I am I can't believe a gun can shoot without pulling the trigger.

What am I missing here? Is there something about guns shooting without pulling the trigger that I don't understand or is Alec Baldwin just saying anything to avoid responsibility?

In truth the revolver in question in proper working condition needs the trigger pulled back to fire. Holding the trigger back then cocking the hammer back and releasing will fire the weapon. Think of the ""fanning"" of a six shooter seen in western movie gun fights.

The possibility of a defective weapon is also a reason. The catch on the hammer from safe, load cock to full being defective or a worn action allowing for the hammer to fall unexpectedly. A very very light pull to no locking of the hammer.

Also noted the firing pin sits exposed with the hammer down. If a live round is under the hammer it can fire the round!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LigAFOlhC8

Go to around 13 minutes....

Thanks, Oerets, that information was very helpful.

The gun in question was a single-action, six-shot revolver (.45 Long Colt).

The only way it could have fired would have been some kind of action on Alec Baldwin's part.

He could have held the trigger all the way back after pulling it once, and then worked the hammer to make it fire. Or he could have dropped the gun accidently, which can cause it to discharge.

The hammer can release on it own if defective......
Unlatch...

Firing pin will hit the primer on any drop, no safety on the old style.

Why a unloaded empty cylinder was always used when carried.


Know a shooter who dropped one, hammer hit ground and sent a round thru his knee............................

Everything you said was true.

I want to add, someone would have to pull the hammer back for it to release, a human action.

Barring supernatural intervention, of course, which doesn't make for a good legal defense these days.

My take.....

Lawyer speaking now for Alex right now.....doubt....!


I'm thinking he should be silent.

I can't believe he did that interview on tv! It doesn't take a legal expert to know that was the dumb thing to do. His words will come back to haunt him, likely in a court room.

Alex was pointing the gun at people. We know that from where the bullet went. Only question is how involved he was in making it shoot. The answer is certainly some, unless the gun was handed to him with the hammer cocked and then somehow went off unintentionally.

Proper gun safety would involve guns always being passed open so the recipient can inspect the load status, and if passed closed, you open it to check for yourself. But I understand that is not 'standard film industry practice.' :(

BTW, movie sets seem in many pics and videos I've seen to have non-existent trigger discipline. That is, unless you intend the gun to shoot, your finger should never be inside the trigger guard. Another basic safety rule that could prevent harm if followed. But actors are not trained in gun safety and are always seen handling guns on sets with their fingers on triggers, even when no filming is taking place.

If a film requires a finger to been seen on a trigger, all the more reason for the load status of the weapon to be constantly verified.