Important safety tip

[5MadFarmers]

Just over 100 rifles with broken locks were turned in by one unit in January of 1885. The serials[1] are all in a pretty tight range. Flagler investigated the situation and came to the conclusion that the cause was pulling hard on the trigger with the gun in the safety or half-cock position.

Don't do that.

[1] Serials (listed) are all in the 205K to 212K range.

[thorin6]

Thanks, Egon.

[5MadFarmers]

Thanks, Egon.

Unless Zull is nearby. Then do it. I suppose it would work on the StayPuft dude also.

[thorin6]

I'd hope it wouldn't be as bad as crossing the streams of the unlicensed nuclear acceleraters on our backs, but it is interesting that the "defect" is clustered around a certain number of guns. I think mine are either above or below those SNs.
PS Ever notice that the nuclear accelerators are being carried on Vietnam era rucksack frames?

[5MadFarmers]

but it is interesting that the "defect" is clustered around a certain number of guns.

The serials were clustered as the guns were issued to a unit which promptly played "war games" with them. Which is why they were pulling the triggers on guns at safety and/or half cock. So the clustering isn't a defect in that range - it's because the guns were all issued together. In other words - new. None of them had broken springs - it was the safety and half cock bits of the locks which broke. Thus the problem isn't likely to be restricted to that range.

PS Ever notice that the nuclear accelerators are being carried on Vietnam era rucksack frames?

The movie was released while I was stationed in Florida as I saw it at the theater. Next stop was Germany. Not having much for tv most people watched VHS tapes overseas. We didn't have many but Ghostbusters we did have. The problem was my middle son loved it and would watch it repeatedly. I wish I had a nickel for every time I've seen that movie. We bought him the Ghostbuster toy backpack laser, the foot trap that goes with it, etc. He'd run around as Egon screaming "Chicken Toast." At that age "this chick is toast" was misheard as "Chicken Toast" and stuck. Probably better than the "Piss off!" he picked up from Monty Python. Especially as it was accompanied with a door slam. 2 is a fun age.

[thorin6]

So the clustering isn't a defect in that range - it was the safety and half cock bits of the locks which broke. Thus the problem isn't likely to be restricted to that range.

That is good to know; while I don't think the folks today will be pulling the triggers at half-cock and safe, who knows what was done in the past. Particularly as it appears that some folks remember playing with trapdoors in their youth, and all sorts of havoc could have been wrought on the guns.

The movie was released while I was stationed in Florida as I saw it at the theater. Next stop was Germany. Not having much for tv most people watched VHS tapes overseas. We didn't have many but Ghostbusters we did have. The problem was my middle son loved it and would watch it repeatedly. I wish I had a nickel for every time I've seen that movie. We bought him the Ghostbuster toy backpack laser, the foot trap that goes with it, etc. He'd run around as Egon screaming "Chicken Toast." At that age "this chick is toast" was misheard as "Chicken Toast" and stuck. Probably better than the "Piss off!" he picked up from Monty Python. Especially as it was accompanied with a door slam. 2 is a fun age.

If you still have the toys and boxes, you could sell them today and buy another trapdoor. At least your son picked up on a better saying than "Mother Puss Buckets." As for Monty Python, I didn't realize for several years that no one in the cast had that name as I only watched it sporadically; but I do remember some of their movies, especially the one with the "Holy Grenade."

[JBinIll]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOrgLj9lOwk

[psteinmayer]

Too funny... That we can go from Trapdoors to Unlicensed Nuclear Accellerators in a forum! Incidentally, "Mother Puss Buckets" is one of my favorite lines from that movie... I say it all the time!