Be Ever Vigilant!
Posted on 02/08/2006 9:23:25 PM PST by 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.
Very similar thing happened to my LEO uncle, claiming two of his fingers. I don't recall any $50 million suit, though.
"...the breech/cartridge feed ramp fractured..."
The barrel split. Plastic had nothing to do with it.
Makes sense. My training and familiarity is with the standard length Models 17 and 22.
CC
I got a Remington .45 auto back in the late 60's as part of an estate sale, along with a couple Walther PP's.
I mildly accurized the .45: I installed Micro adjustable sights, Micro barrel bushing, lapped it in, shaped and polished the feed ramp, enlarged the ejection port, tightened the slide, added a heavier recoil spring, changed the trigger and a couple of other things that slipped my CRS mind. I later gave it to good friend and he still shoots it. :)
Be Ever Vigilant!
Archy, What are the markings on the slide?
sigh
During WWI there was plenty of .45acp ammo to go around, but a distinct shortage of Browning's 1911.
Department of War officials approached Colt and S&W, to urge them to make 1911s for the war effort. Colt and S&W explained that the capacity to make revolvers did not roll over into an ability to make semi-automatic pistols.
An ingenious gun smith (who's name I refuse to look up), came up with the idea of half moonclips which held 3 rounds of .45 each. Two half moon clips would reload a .45 revolver.
The moonclips are necesary since the .45 acp round is rimless. With no rims for the revolver extractor to push against, it would be difficult to get the empties out and reload the revolver. The clips allow purchase for the extractor to do its job and as a bonus, the clips speed the process of loading fresh rounds.
The full moon clip which held 6 rounds was a later innovation after the war. I've read somewhere that with the half moon clips, the rounds would fit in the ammo pouchs of the time.
With practice, an accomplished pistoleer could reload the moonclip revolver as fast or faster than an automatic magazine.
Don't most wheel guns have to have the cylinders machined to accept those clips?
GLOCKs are the simplest guns to operate. Simple is what is required when you're a little stressed out because there's a bad guy coming at you with intent to kill.
To fans of the 1911, keep in mind that GLOCK 21 owners get 14 tries to shoot something without a reload. You get 8. ;-)
I have operated both 9mm and .45 GLOCKs. The difference in recoil between them is very slight, and there ain't much recoil to either of them. To say that a woman can't handle a .45 is just wrong. I read an article somewhere where a female police officer specificially referred to her Glock .45 when filling a bad guy full of lead.
Every gun manual I have ever seen is VERY clear about the types of ammo that are appropriate to use in the weapon, and to use an unapproved cartridge type is asking for trouble.
The item about the ported barrel with non-ported slide is VERY interesting to me. I had not heard about that before. I'll be curious to see how it all works out.
What hasn't been brought up so far is the whole lethality controversy. I don't know exactly where I heard about it, but it's important to view the issue within this context:
Portland is anti-gun Moscow on the Willamette. The Portland Police have been under close scrutiny over the past sevearal years for some questionable (i.e. lethal) shootings of suspects. [WARNING - SPECULATION ALERT] I think I remember reading some local commentary about how the Department was essentially just looking for an excuse to get rid of their .45s because the round was TOO LETHAL. While there is some debate about the lethality of the .45 relative to the 9mm, I certainly wouldn't be too happy if I was a police officer and my department wanted to make me less lethal.
When you - police, military or civilian - point a gun at somebody, it should be with the understanding that you are prepared to kill that person, not simply wound them. And with all of the meth problems in Portland, I would want all the lethality I can get, right when I need it.
Right you are. I've often thought about picking up some autorim brass. I've never found the moonclips to be the pain some say they are. I own around a hundred clips now. I'll crank out around 500 rounds, then go watch TV and put them in the clips.
I do compete in IDPA matches with my 625 and would be at a severe disadvantage without the moonclips.
I also think that Jerry Miculek is a god
On behalf of all FReepers who didn't know the history, I thank you.
You sir, are welcome.
I actually like telling the story, just not typing it. I should save it somewhere if I had any sense.
No, they don't.
Or worse, they carry in condition three; chamber clear, hammer down.
My choice is my Kimber Ultra Carry in condition 1.
I've done a little research on that and I would agree.
I'm not a pistol person, I've had rifles around all my life but
never any handguns. I started firing Eaker's Glock and did so for
a few years, while also firing Sigs and S&Ws and others.
At the end of the story, I bought myself a Glock 27 because
I liked it the best and I was impressed with the quality.
I still can't find the safety though.
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