Lawyer Locks

We needed to wash laundry at Xavier's gun and camera ranch, so I finally got around to inspecting and repairing the washing machine today. I was pretty certain a non-sterile rubber exam glove had floated out of a pocket on my scrubs and clogged the pump. I took off the front of the washer and removed the hose between the pump and the basin. No glove.

Next, I took the advice of a lion's share of my readers and bypassed the lid switch. I put the washer on the spin cycle, and sonuvagun...... It spun. I got to thinking.... that's a dangerous thing. Years ago, washing machines did not even have this stupid lawyer lock on them. I broke out my wire spices and heat shrink tubing and made a permanent bypass of the switch, and removed it. We now have a load of towels spinning merrily away in the washer. Thank you readers....

When did we become so stupid that we need an electronic lock to prevent us from lifting a lid and seeing laundry spinning? Does the Maytag litigation crew think their customers will commit suicide by jumping into a washer on the spin cycle? I don't know...... All I know is I don't like lawyer locks on my guns, and now the lawyer lock is off my washing machine as well. I think I can handle the risk.

Never Say Never

Smith & Wesson has added a Model 442 (SKU: 150544) and a Model 642 (SKU: 103810) J frame to their line-up.

That is not news.

What is news is that they do not have an integrated lock!

Oh happy happy day!

Edited to add: If I recall correctly, the lightweight J frames in .357 magnum had the worst incidence of the lock unintentionally locking under recoil.

Rumors are flying, from these being revolvers manufactured with "left over" frames to returned guns from an left over from an international contract.

S&W Lock Up

Another Smith & Wesson revolver locks up.
Solid.
Without the key.

Details here.

More here.

Locking Guns

I was looking at a gun today. It was an H&R 939 nine shot .22LR revolver, with a ribbed barrel. It was in great shape. At under $100, the price was right. I was ready to buy. When I turned the grip over to read the serial number, imagine my surprise when I saw...........An integrated lock. Why are gun buyers so surprised when Smith & Wesson builds locking systems into the actions of their firearms? Taurus and H&R have been doing this for some time. I do have to say H&R's lock appears much more substantial than the Taurus and Smith equivalent.

Smith & Wesson and other manufacturers will no doubt continue this practice as long as their legal departments advise them to do so. Even though the S&W locks have failed, Smith & Wesson will continue the locks because their lawyers tell the upper echelons of management the locks protect the company from lawsuits.

That was good enough for me. There are enough older lockless Smiths to go around, and I would not really be interested in the new scandimonium guns anyway.
Then I examined the new Smith & Wesson M&P, in an attempt to get over my adversion to the name usage. It appeared to be a good gun, even if the grips are a little slick. The rep extolling the virtues of modern polymer finally reached the subject of the integrated lock. When my face showed what I thought of the lock, the S&W rep quickly said that law enforcement and military can get the pistol without the lock.
That straw broke the camel's back. When S&W considers policemen and military to be safer with weapons than private citizens, I've had enough. Oh, right......I forgot........This is not about end user safety. It's about deflecting court actions. When Smith & Wesson is forced to defend their integrated lock in court in the presence of widows and orphans, after a gun owner's lifesaving device inadvertently locked up in the moment of truth, perhaps their position will change. Until that time all gun owners and gun buyers will just have to suffer being seen as idiots who will not secure firearms when not in use.