Portland(OR) officer sues Glock for millions

Oregonlive ^ | 2/8/06 | Ashbel S. Green

[DuckFan4ever]

A Portland Police officer who was injured while firing a handgun has filed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against the manufacturers of the gun and the ammunition.

Officer Florin B. Pirv was taking a qualification test in March 2004 with a .45 caliber Glock 21 when the “breech/cartridge feed ramp fractured, causing backward propulsion of hot gases, hot air, and shrapnel to be blown into Pirv’s face, body, and hands,” according to the suit.

The lawsuit names Glock and two ammunition-makers, Federal Cartridge Company and Alliant Technosystems, also known as ATK. Glock is based in Georgia. The ammunition-makers are based in Minnesota.

None returned phone calls and emails seeking comment.

Pirv was one of two Portland officers injured while firing .45-caliber Glocks in March 2004, prompting Portland Police Chief Derrick Foxworth to order the recall of the weapons carried by 230 officers.

The bureau replaced them with 9mm Glocks.

Pirv’s suit seeks $50,000 in compensatory damages, $3 million for pain and suffering and $50 million in punitive damages.

Pirv is assigned to a patrol shift, according to a Portland Police spokeswoman.

[Eaker]

making a confusing to operate, plastic POS in the first place.

Glocks confuse you?

Can you figure out a revolver?

[Terabitten]

Glock should be sued on general principle for making a confusing to operate, plastic POS in the first place.

There are lots of valid criticisms against Glocks, but "confusing to operate" ain't one of 'em. How can it be confusing to operate when the only "control" on the firearm is the trigger?

1. Put bullets in magazine.
2. Put magazine in gun.
3. Work the slide one time.
4. Squeeze trigger, gun goes bang.

Pretty simple.

[Squantos]

As a proud lifetime member of the gun of the month club I can honestly state that +P ammo is more risk to the shooter than the agressor. Just using CorBon flavored ammo I broke a SIG 220 45ACP and I cracked a frame on one of my 1911A1's.

I don't use +P in any of my handguns per that period of experimenting with +P ammo ......I use a 45 or a 44 special for personal defense and rely on the big bore at 750 to 900 fps CCI Gold Dot Hollowpoints for all my CHL rigs.

Three of my coworkers over the years had shootings involving the 44 and 45 and all were GDHP bullets. One side to the story resulted........theirs !

[Travis McGee]

If the guy modified the gun in any way or used ammunition not approved by the manufacturer, he will lose the case. The user manual is specific about what is permitted. Most manufacturers specifically disavow any responsibility for use of reloaded ammunition.

That is a perfect nutshell.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

I agree completely.

But I've heard clip/mag used so interchangebly I don't know the difference.

[Eaker]

I guess I should have sued Springfield.

I bet this puss wasn't hurt as badly as I was.

The lack of knowledge on this thread concerning Glocks is amazing.

One poster said that Glocks "confuse" him.

[yarddog]

Hey Glocks are confusing to me. Why doesn't it go off when I pull that lever in the trigger? You mean I have to pull it and the trigger too?

I spent nearly an hour trying to take the safety off, never did figure it out. Next I spent two hours trying to cock the hammer, never found that one either.

I think them guns were made by Nazis to confuse us.

[Jonah Hex]

You did make sure the end with the big hole innit was pointing away from you, right?

;-)

[Travis McGee]

Now wait a minute, I'm confused. After #2....???

(Just kidding.)

[Travis McGee]

#122 has me all flumuxed. After Step #2, what's that "slide" thing he's talking about? Seems awful complicated.

[yarddog]

You did make sure the end with the big hole innit was pointing away from you, right?

Of course I know which end the cartridges come out of, you think I'm dumb or something?

[Jonah Hex]

Of course I know which end the cartridges come out of, you think I'm dumb or something?

Of course you do! But do you know which end the bullet comes out?

;-)

[yarddog]

I figured I would catch you on that one. Most people think it is bullets that come out the barrel.

I have seen many drawings in the paper and they all show cartridges coming out the barrel.

[Jonah Hex]

Ahhh... :-)

[Terabitten]

Okay, okay:

2 (modified): Pull back on the top thingie for a couple inches, then let it go (just the top thingie, not the whole gun).

Better?


:)

[Celtic Conservative]

Glocks can have kB! problems, but if this is the incident I recall, the Portland PD was using +P ammo, which (surprise!) the Glock manual warns against.

RTFM, ya dumbs***s.

I heard about this one too, and the ordnance guys in My department said almost immediately Misuse/hot loads. (we use the model 22, BTW, and shoot pretty standard loads through them, so no kB!)

CC

[ExSoldier]

I don't use super hot loads unless they're pushing a light projectile. I use at times a Glaser or a 68gr MagSafe load in my 45 or sometimes I'll load my 40 with RBCD

[CFC__VRWC]

I know Alliant manufactures smokeless powder - I have part of a pound of Reloder 7 at home for relaoding for my Marlin 1895. I don't know if they make assembled cartridges. I'm guessing that Federal uses Alliant powder in their ammo.

[Eaker]

LOL!!!

I am so glad you added the proviso!

[Celtic Conservative]

I, myself, don't trust plastic guns.

The frame is plastic (with steel inserts). The barrel is billet steel. The accident was caused by fragmentation of the feed ramp, which is an integral part of the barrel Assy. Many semiauto firearms (plastic or not) feature billet steel barrels.

CC