Handguns have fewer accidents than long guns?

I was trained that there is not such thing as a firearm accident, only unintentional targets.

I am a long time rifle and pistol instructor.

Firearm accidents fall into two catagories - accidental discharges (AD) and firearm injury. Since all hospital reports of firearm injuries are reportable - most states and the federal government have some statistics on these - but - the information is only as good as the person who reported it.

AD's are common with handguns - both with novice owners and especially so called 'experts' that cut corners on the basic safety rules simply because they become too familiar with them.

In 40+ years of heavy rifle and pistol competition - both civilian and military - I have never, ever seen an accident at a community rifle and pistol range, or, at a match. Logic would dictate that places with high firearms usages would have a higher accident rate - this is not the case. Likewise - you never hear of an accident or an accidental shooting at a gun store, gun shop, gunsmith or gun show. It defies logic.

Of the AD's that have happend to people I personally know - each one was someone who knew the rules and skipped them. Most of these people were attempting to practice 'quick draws' with a loaded pistol when it went off. The others had accidental discharges while unloading shotugns and rifles in a hurry........ thankfully nobody was hurt - just their reputations.

Because only accidents that result in injury are reportable - there isn't any info on the ones that might have caused injury and did not.

All I can say for absolute certian - you are much safer on the crowded firing line of a pistol range or rifle range in heavy use than inside a buddies home who is going to show you his new gun.

Hope this helps

I'm not sure which is the case, but you have to take into account that rifles shoot farther, and shotguns do more damage, and there are more of them.

ALSO, handgun accidents are more apt to make the news than long gun accidents, mostly due to the anti-handgun groups and the fact that long gun accidents happen more out in the field than in the cities where most handgun accidents happen.

I don't know if this is true or not, but it might be. I think that the triggers are more sensitive in rifles than in most handguns for instance. Revolvers are tough to fire by accident. I have seen 2 long guns fire by accident and a friend told me his fired by accident also. I don't know anyone who had a hand gun fire by accident, however.

that is not true long guns are much hared to move due to the long barrel pistols are much easier espessially for kids handguns are much lighter and can be fired with much smaller recoil. kids see a hand gun that is loaded and pick it up and pull the trigger where long guns are much heavier to pick up and shoot with the legnth and recoil

i never heard of that. i think its the other way around because handguns are more easily abused with the short barrel, its much easier to point it all around, where a long gun is harder to move around much, more likely pointed in a safe direction