You have a DEFECTIVE Gun, So What Now?

Bloomberg recently published a pretty thought-provoking piece on firearms that are defective. They delved into the pathways owners can and cannot take to have them repaired, recalled or possibly find a dead end and receive no assistance at all.

You likely have owned a firearm that has been in need of repair. Whether it is something simple like a deep, spring cleaning or a part wears out. This is just something to understand and not get too upset about. Firearms need maintenance just like our cars do. Most all issues with firearms can be alleviated through some simple diagnosing and cleaning by yourself, or by utilizing a lifetime warranty which is becoming very commonplace in the firearms industry.

So what if your firearm is actually broke? Or worse… defective from the factory? Is it the responsibility of the gun dealer to have informed you? The NRA? The manufacturer? Your legislator? Or the man in the mirror?

I will not be the one to resoundingly cast blame on any individual party. It is likely a blurred combination of all of the above. What Bloomberg does is present the question, and lay out some history as to why defective guns are not always recalled, or even publicly announced as being defective.

There are many governing entities that moderate the safety and quality of general consumer goods. The Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates such household items as appliances to soft goods. The US Department of Transportation not surprisingly oversees our vehicles. The Food and Drug Administration watches over our–wait for it–food and drugs.

So who maintains a level of safety and quality in regards to our firearms. It is not the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE). It is not the National Firearms Act (NFA) Branch. So who is it? Well, there is nobody.

Back in 1972 and 1975 when many of these organizations sprung forth, certain Congressmen blocked the “Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act” from having the teeth to regulate manufacturers’ liability to produce defective firearms.

So if your semi-auto pistol or revolver can go off if dropped on the ground there is a reason why no one can mandate or force a recall. That decision is left entirely up to the manufacturer. Whether it is a voluntary recall, factory upgrade or swept under the rug.

Also, the information of a voluntary recall, upgrade or lack thereof is not mandatory to be made public information. If your range buddy, favorite magazine or most-frequented gun blog does not keep you in the loop it is tough to know. So I will postulate a couple questions for you, the reader.

Do you believe a government body should regulate whether firearm manufacturers report defects in their products?

Who is at fault if you or someone you love is bodily harmed or worse because of a defective firearm you were never informed about?

Let us know in the comments. We would love to hear your take on this.

Adam Scepaniak