Dwight J. lives in Locust Grove, Georgia.
One day he was getting dressed before leaving home. He put his holstered Sig Sauer P320 onto his belt and then put on his button-down shirt.
Then, as he leaned across his bed to grab his wallet the pistol fired.
The bullet went through his right buttock and into his left ankle.
“I heard ‘bang!’” said Dwight. “I looked down and saw blood.”
His wife heard the gunshot from down the hall and screamed.
His wife called 911 while Dwight stumbled toward the door, leaving a trail of blood.
According to Dwight, he never once touched the trigger of the pistol.
The reality is that the Sig Sauer P320 is one of the most popular handguns in the U.S. and is the standard-issue sidearm for every branch of the U.S. Military.
Hundreds of thousands of P320s have been sold to law enforcement and civilians in the U.S.
However, at least 100 people have alleged that their P320 fired when the trigger was not pulled.
Over 80 people were injured in these accidental discharges.
One firearms expert said, “The number and frequency of injuries are strongly suggestive of a design flaw versus a human performance error.”
The incidents involving the P320 have occurred at homes, offices, casinos, schools, and in parking lots.
Several of the incidents were captured on video.
The videos show that the guns fired when the victim’s hands were nowhere near the gun or trigger.
Sig Sauer has denied that the P320 was able to fire without the trigger being pulled.
They say there have been incidents with other firearms that show the situation with Sig Sauer is not uncommon.
The company said unintentional discharges are instead the result of improper or unsafe handling.
Now, these days there are many ways that people can secure weapons.
Many gun owners use safety devices like trigger locks or cables to prevent children from accessing guns and mishandling or accidentally firing them.
When you are deciding how to best secure your weapons here are a few things to know about trigger locks and cables.
What is a trigger lock?:
A trigger lock is one of the most basic forms of gun safety
It’s a lock that fits over the trigger and the trigger guard. It’s designed to prevent the gun from being fired.
Most trigger locks are two pieces and have a bar that slides through the gun’s trigger.
The locks are meant for unloaded guns and are an inexpensive option for safety.
Benefits of a trigger lock:
The biggest benefits of a trigger lock is that they are inexpensive and fit any weapon no matter the size.
You can find them on Amazon for about $10, and some police departments even give them away for free.
Many gun manufacturers include a trigger lock with the purchase of a firearm.
While trigger locks do a good job of preventing a child from accessing the trigger of the gun, they can still get their hands on the gun itself.
Drawbacks to a trigger lock:
A trigger lock is designed to be used on an unloaded firearm.
The problem is that if you install a trigger lock on a loaded firearm the lock is very close to the trigger.
So, if the trigger lock is installed without the gun firing, it still may fire when removing it –leading to an accidental discharge.
Additionally, the gun itself is still accessible.
So, if you have a gun such as the P320 that allegedly fires without the trigger being pulled then a trigger lock wouldn’t do any good.
Lastly, removing a trigger lock is not very fast.
So, if you need your gun in an emergency, a trigger lock is definitely going to slow you down.
What is a cable lock?:
A cable lock is a cable that goes through the weapon and prevents it from firing by blocking the barrel.
The cable is typically covered in rubber to prevent damaging the firearm.
To install it you have to thread the cable into the barrel, chamber, or magazine and then into the padlock.
Benefits of a cable lock:
A cable lock is not gun specific.
These types of locks can be purchased for about $5 and are often included when you buy a firearm.
Cable locks do a good job of preventing the firearm from being loaded or fired since the lock can go through the barrel and magazine.
If you own a lot of guns, cable locks are going to be the budget-friendly way to secure the firearms.
Drawbacks to a cable lock:
A cable lock might stop a child, but it won’t stop a criminal with time.
Any lock can eventually be picked, and the cable could also be cut with the right amount of time and tools.
Also, a cable lock won’t work with every gun.
For instance, a shotgun is too big for most cable locks.
Like a trigger lock, a cable is going to take time to remove during an emergency.
First, you have to unlock it, then you have to remove it from the barrel or magazine-well that it’s in.
At the end of the day, I don’t think a trigger lock, or a cable lock should be your only form of securing your firearm.
Because, while they can work as a basic safety feature, with time and effort, these locking devices can be defeated.
A criminal could just take the firearm with them and deal with the locks at home when they have all the time in the world.
In my opinion, a gun safe is a better option than trigger locks or cables, because a safe secures the entire weapon.
Plus, you can open a gun safe in seconds compared to the minutes it might take to remove a trigger or cable lock.
