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To: hoosiermama
The cartridge was still in the chamber and several freepers have confirmed that it would automatically discharge unless some thing kept it from working.

The problem with your statement is that after firing no cartridge would be in the chamber if the slide was prevented from operating. Possibly the empty casing would be or it could have been ejected but the next cartridge in the magazine was not loaded.

The gun was reportedly found in the condition of having no live cartridge in the chamber and all remaining cartridges still in the magazine. That had to be due to incomplete cycling of the slide/bolt mechanism which can be the result of something interfering with its operation such as a hand on the slide or the barrel pushed up against an object ... such as a chest. More likely a hand on the slide. Pushing the barrel against an object can prevent a semi-auto pistol from firing at all.

Another problem with your terminology is that "discharge" means "fire" and a semi-auto does not and would not "automatically discharge" a round except for an extremely unlikely mechanical malfunction. That is not what has been reported to have happened. What seems to have been prevented, somehow, was the automatic re-loading of the chamber with a fresh round not a discharge.

As for the make or model of the gun virtually all semi-auto pistols operate in the same fashion regarding the issues described above.

17 posted on 03/29/2012 3:25:52 PM PDT by TigersEye (Life is about choices. Your choices. Make good ones.)
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To: TigersEye
'The gun was reportedly found in the condition of having no live cartridge in the chamber and all remaining cartridges still in the magazine.'

Any idea who said that? It was never in any released police reports that I know of.

20 posted on 03/29/2012 3:54:33 PM PDT by Theoria (Rush Limbaugh: Ron Paul sounds like an Islamic terrorist)
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To: TigersEye
Thanks for the education...Have fired a shot gun a few times, but am ignorant of most guns.

Went back and read the police report. The gun was in the holster in waist band when officer took it. Is that normal too? Would it have been attached or “movable”?

(I suppose that would depend on the type of holster)

Was told by one freeper if it was still in holster when fired Z would have been shot in leg. ???

If I were being hit and having my head hit on ground I'd keep my hands up to fight off the blows or push assailant away. Not at my waist.
OTOH TM’s hands/arms were under his body not above his head.

Appreciate the links to the thread with discussion. It helped a lot.

23 posted on 03/29/2012 4:03:50 PM PDT by hoosiermama (Stand with God and Sarah, the Gipper and Newt will be standing next to you.)
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