There's probably just as much, if not more of a chance, that black powder can explode on impact during loading too, since it is impact sensitive. Plus burning embers causing a premature firing have been known to happen. But not being 100% safe doesn't seem to stop people from using black powder.
If the Electra is used with substitute powders, without the known hazards of using black powder, then the triple safety system should be relatively fail safe.
1. There's a master on/off switch.
2. Then there's the safety switch.
3. Plus there's the trigger which acts as the 3rd switch.
Plus there is a LED status light that blinks when it's on safe, and which stays on when the rifle is ready to be fired.
That's a lot of switches designed to keep the power from accidently flowing to the ignition element.
If the separate main switch is turned off, how is the power going to bypass all of these switches and accidently activate the element?
Being afraid of a new design without knowing all of the design details doesn't sound like reasonable objectivity to me, but rather fear of the unknown.
What possibility is there that an electrical malfunction could actually cause an unintended discharge?
Maybe it's more possible that the gun will not fire as intended because of all of these backup safety systems. Who really knows?
With an automobile, there's only one keyed ignition switch. So maybe that's why the battery is usually disconnected, and because of all of the exposed wires, connections and moving components in close proximity to where the mechanic is using tools with his bare hands.
Target shooting really has nothing to do with whether or not the Electra is considered to be a primitive firearm.
Anyway, no one is ever suppose to place their head over the muzzle of any BP gun when loading, but should load with only their hands being in the direct line of fire.
Then if unintended ignition did occur during loading, there's a chance that the hands will be pushed out of the way, and much less of a chance of being shot in the head.
Last edited by arcticap; October 23, 2007 at 03:13 AM.