Thread: Calibre and Barrel Length Decision......

Originally Posted by Shearer

I have to admit to not testing it with the T3, but I would be VERY surprised if you could make it fire just by dropping or banging it. Some of the old military 303's were bad for that sort of thing and I think that's where the idea of it being unsafe came from. Not convinced you could make a modern rifle fire accidentally like that. The main reason I don't hunt with the chamber empty (unless I am with someone else) is the noise it makes loading. Enough too alert an animal and force a hurried shot.

The real issue is rifles that have an exposed cocking piece or indicator that is directly part of or connected to the firing pin. A bloody good whack on these and it will likely discharge and that is just plain unsafe!