Garand Thumb Pistol Drop Test

[Ben]

Garand Thumb did a pistol drop test with a bunch of guns, safeties off where applicable.

Executive summary: The $2500 Staccato and the $4000 Nighthawk 1911 and 2011 failed when dropped on the muzzle. They beat the crap out of the Sig P320 and it never went off. I'm not positive, but I'm thinking the failed guns were series 70 configuration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMTe87kATmU

[MechAg94]

I saw that.  I think Dan Wesson uses the series 70 trigger also.

It was nice to see that most of the newer pistol designs did not go off. 

[dogmush]

Stacatto's are definitely Series 70.  I've never had a Nighthawk apart to check.

What I found interesting was they didn't go off when dropped with the safety on.  I have no idea what could be happening with the thumb safety to impede the firing pin.  When they did go off, the hammer hadn't dropped, so it's not like blocking the sear should help.  It's interesting.

I'd also like to know what happened internally to the CZ.

[230RN]

Years ago I had a small Sterling .22 auto where the firing pin groove in the slide was large enough that if dropped upside down, the firing pin could slip off the sear from inertia and strike the cartridge.

I experimented considerably with this gun after some "incidents" which indicated a problem. E.g, double taps and a full mag dump where 5 bullets went way, way high in the air and came down I know not where, but there were no "I kooda bin kilt" reports in the newspapers.

I'm not sure, but I think I sawed that gun in half and discarded it.  In any case, it's gone, gone, gone.

This was the model (not the actual gun I had)

[Ben]

I'd also like to know what happened internally to the CZ.

Yeah, turning it into a DAO gun was interesting. You could tell from his facial expression he wasn't happy about it, since he'd apparently had it at Cajun Gun Works for a year for all the upgrades. Guess he's got another year before he shoots it again. 

Honestly, I winced watching every single gun hit concrete. Even the Dagger, which is supposed to be a beater gun.