Hollywood get's a lotta gun details wrong. No news there. But one detail is particularly pernicious. The easy removal or replacement of the firing pin. Two times this happened with a Browning designs.
Bullet to the Head and A-Team. In Bullet to the head, Sly Stallone's partner takes the pin out of a Hi-Power to keep him from murdering someone. In A-Team, Hannibal Smith uses the already removed firing pin to pick a handcuff lock, then quickly shoves it into place in his 1911 in time to shoot 2 attack dogs. Well, to be fair, it is a Para double stack, but still 1911 enough...
Puh-lease.
Now sure, removing the pin on a 1911 is pretty simple, quick and easy. Just not THAT simple quick and easy. You gotta get the slide off the frames, you need something just a bit stouter than a toothpick, and you need to not lose the two fiddly bits (that firing pin can sproing away... and the firing pin stop is small and you gotta get it in the slot juuuust right...).
Now, I am totally unfamiliar with the Hi-Power, but the safe way to bet is... just as fiddly to get the firing pin out. Or am I wrong? Based on parts diagrams, I'd say they are pretty close.
Yup both fiddly bit to put them back in. Plus the slides would need to be all the back to lock or off the frame to do so. You can't just drop the pin/spring in without the retainer unless you want to fire one round and then have the pin become embedded in your eye or forehead.
ReplyDeleteFiddly bits is right... And both are JMB designs and are damn near identical...
ReplyDeleteWhat I find funny about the hollywood stuff is how wrong they make picking a lock look. for the record, you need two parts to pick a lock. A pick and a wrench. without the tension of a wrench, you aint getting far.
ReplyDeleteFWIW I consider lock picking a basic skill everyone should have some familiarity with, along the lines of changing a tire, or clearing a gun.