'Safety bullet' invention aims to prevent accidental shootings

News Herald ^ | Story filed: 11:52 Tuesday 30th July 2002 | Editorial Staff

[vannrox]

'Safety bullet' invention aims to prevent accidental shootings

A Florida man claims to have designed a safety bullet which locks up a gun when it's accidentally fired.

Mike Worley says his simple invention takes gun safety to another level.

He came up with the idea after a local boy was shot in his elbow while showing off his dad's .357 Magnum.

The safety bullet can be hidden in the gun chamber and ejected quickly if the owner needs to fire a live bullet.

If the safety bullet is fired, it jams the chamber and locks the gun until the shell is removed with a special tool.

The News Herald reports Mr Worley has applied for a patent for his invention.

He says several companies are interested in his design, and one has started making a prototype.

Mr Worley, from Panama City, says he supports the use of guns and understands why people need a loaded gun as protection.

He said: "I think the safety bullet is a step in the right direction. I don't want fame and fortune. This is a simple device that takes safety to the next level."

Story filed: 11:52 Tuesday 30th July 2002

[Jeff Head]

Gotta watch those XMIT only units ... no telling what they might lure you into, don't you know?

I'll be at the big Boise gun show with one of the major local dealers with about 100 books in a couple of weeks. He ordered them last week and they are passing through Denver this weekend with UPS. He sold about 200 of Volume I over the last 4-5 months.

Need to do a lot more of that ... so much to do, so little time.

[Flyer]

Yet another slam?

I'm tired. . . so tired of that line.

I found some discussion of your product on a couple of other forums back in July when you did your press release. These were gun forums and you product was not received well then either.

p.s. Go back and find my post about the Mr. Stuart that has a patent on a "safety bullet" that sounds very similar to yours and please respond.

[CWRWinger]

How about answering the questions in Post #573. You have some unfinished business there. Those are good q's. I'd like to see your response.

[bimbo]

Well, yeah, basic gun education helps, but try telling that to some pusbag governor like Parris Glendening. … and his political hack, Attorney General Joe Curran.

These local Maryland names are put out there because the Fascist has ambitions that are seldom only local.

[Poohbah]

Ok, this story won't beat your's.

Actually, it did.

Note to self: get PEZ dispenser for aid in resolving interpersonal disputes.

[Poohbah]

You have not said one positive thing about this from the getgo.

And neither has anyone else here on Free Republic, including street cops, shooters, and former military personnel. Gosh, all that feedback might tell a thoughtful, intelligent person something about the concept.

OK smart boy whats the answer. WHat special tool or device would make a gun safe that will stop non authorized people from using your gun yet make it readily available in a second?

There isn't one.

This is not a technological problem, it's a "shallow end of the gene pool" problem.

Your device, in order to work as advertised (stops unauthorized persons from using the weapon, but allows the weapon to readily available in an emergency) requires the legitimate owner to be at 100% in any emergency situation--in other words, free of the adverse effects of (a) suddenly being woken up from deep sleep; (b) a massive adrenalin surge; (c) both (a) and (b) in combination. Sadly, that happy circumstance isn't going to ever exist.

Like I said, a technological fix is not possible at this time. Your device will disable firearms in the moment of crisis, thus accomplishing the exact opposite of your declarative intent.

[ezo4]

Me personally I disagree with these types of items. My 12 gauge (mossberg 500 pistol grip 8 rounds) is loaded all the time. The safety broke a few years back and I like it that way. I just leave the chamber empty.

My 45 is loaded as well all the time in the same fashion. (I like the glocks because of the action/safty as well)

I've been a victim of random violence two times before in my life and I think this product and ones like it are.... lets say an inconvenience in saving ones life.

The last thing I would want is to put another obstacle in the way, whether your half asleep and awoken by an intruder breaking into your house. Or your confronted outdoors by criminal/s

Always remember random acts of violence are just that, random and violent! You never know when they will happen and more than likely most people will be unprepared.

As far as safety is concerned in my situation I don't have to worry about my friends or my girl friend because they all own guns and are well trained. I just dont let anyone in my place that doesnt know firearms. O ya....Liberals... there not welcome either :-)

Training is the right thing to do!

[Wonder Warthog]

"This is not a technological problem, it's a "shallow end of the gene pool" problem."

Wellll, not entirely. It is at least partially a "lack of training" problem--although you could argue that failing to give/get such training is a "shallow-end-of-the-gene-pool" problem.

MY preferred approach would be to train EVERY SCHOOL CHILD in basic firearms safety and other safety-related issues (electrical safety, chemical safety, etc). I would one heck of a lot rather see my tax dollars going to THAT kind of education than to teaching "Heather has Two Mommies".

[Shooter 2.5]

A pump shotgun has the unique feature of being allowed to be half open unlike semi's. Instead of having the chamber empty on my Mossberg, I leave a shell half way into the chamber so the shell head and a small part of the plastic can be seen from the ejection port. That way I don't have to hunt for the switch to unlock the action in case the striker is cocked and I can tell immediately if I have slugs or shot because of the color coding.
I also leave the shotgun laying on the ejection post so that dust can't enter into the action.
The shotgun is immpossible to find from the bad guys and my son has his concealed carry license.

[SafetyBullet-Inventor]

You want my opinion? Sure, glad you asked.

1. Yes!

2. The Constitution gives us the right to bear arms all of us. I don't think felons or the mentally ill should be able to bear arms but we already have a license its called the Constitution of the United States.

3. No I would tell who ever is interested to read the Constitution and get rid of the concealed weapons permits. I would rather see some guy carring a gun that not know he had one on him.

4. Yes as long as they are not full auto. You would still have to get a license for one of those.

5. Yes.

6. I don not have the right nor does anyone else to tell me how much ammo I can have or how many guns. The Constitution is pretty clear about that.

7. Them's fighten words!! Hell no.

8. Maybe the full auto mini guns or some other guns. I realize that deer can run pretty fast but unless you have a good reason for it why own a mini unless your up to no good.

Did I pass?

Mike Worley Inventor of the Safety bullet

[ezo4]

Thats good idea. I do it a different way because I usually have mine standing muzzle down in a closet or by washer or something.

I keep the chamber empty and 7 rounds loaded, (bird, 04buck, bird etc.)

On the empty chamber I pull the trigger so all you have to is rack it with out feeling around for the release.

That way you get the full classic pump action sound that will usually will make a person think twice or turn tail and beat it.

And with my safety removed there isn't any second thought that this gun will fire. The only thing that could cause it to miss fire is a bad round. And my ammo isn't bad.

Thanks for the tip :-)

[Flyer]

If these are your true views on the Second Amendment why did you even consider working with the Million Mom March and The Brady Center? Was it just a desperate publicity grab or do you really think they are interested in "gun safety"?

[Lazamataz]

He was willing to answer my questions, and from what I can tell, he's on our side. This record of his answers will absolutely follow him, so if he tries to go antigun, he's in a bind. Therefore, I conclude he is on the up and up.

Say whatever you might about the device, but the man is a pro-gunner.

Personally, I believe that this device could be incorporated in a regime of firearms safety with a little training. If one had children, one could train to have this round in the chamber at all times, then rack once before meeting the aggessor. I know that personally, the few times there was an odd noise downstairs, I had the presence of mind to follow all my safety and procedural measures when investigating, using standard flashlight-pistol wrist-lock and consistantly doing the old 'cutting the pie' manuever. If I can do that when freshly woken up, I can also remember to rack the slide once.

Like I say, this device is not for everyone. But it might be for some people.

[Lazamataz]

It might merely be shrewdness.

[Flyer]

Regardless, SBI can celebrate because there are 2 posts in a row to him where he is not 'slammed'.

Hey, ya gotta take good news where you find it.

[Lazamataz]

One quick technical question: These rounds have no chance of getting stuck in the barrel, correct? They lock uo in the chamber?

Also, did you contact my wife? She works with the Second Amendment Sisters, a nationwide network of female pro-gun activists and, presumably, shooters. If you were to provide a few samples, I'm sure a writeup would be forthcoming on the device in a newsletter. Also, if you need to contact Dean Spier, who is a gun magazine writer, I have a contact point there.

To contact my wife, email her at julib@2asisters.org.

[Lazamataz]

Back off, Shooter. I'm the one who got his thumb scraped by the slide, and I take full responsibility for that. I never claimed that I was an expert with a pistol; in fact, what I know about pistols I could stick in my eye and not feel it. But the last thing we need is for someone like you to come on the thread and start ragging us because we scraped a little skin off our thumbs. It's not that big of a deal. Drop it.

Well, your problem is, you did not support the back of the slide firmly with the pad of your thumb. Take your thumb and firmly press it against the back of the slide for best effect. It prevents stovepiping.

[Lazamataz]

PS that was a joke, don't do it. You'll break your thumb.

[MortMan]

Much of the time, accidents are caused by stupid actions on the part of a gun owner or holder. One case in point is the hunter who extended the butt of his shotgun to help a friend up a steep incline. The friend grabs, accidentally grabbing the trigger. The helper, holding the barrell end, received a fatal wound from the loaded weapon.

Don't get me wrong - your product may have a place where the weapon isn't used for self defense. But any time a weapon is intended for instantaneous use (as in self defense), I don't believe your product is a "good fit".

For my own part, I would not use it.