Gary Reeder
like John said I also prefer the new model due to liability
Friday, June 07, 2019, 10:59

We have almost two generations that have grown up with a transfer bar system and are not that familiar with the old model. A couple of years ago I would sit at our shooting bench and my guys would load a gun, hand it to me and I would test fire it and shoot 5 rounds for a group, then hand it to another of my guys and test fire another and this would go on for an hour or two. On two different occasions I had one of my guys let off a live round while getting ready to give it to me and each time it was an old model with no transfer bar. Both times my guy was putting it on half cock to give it to me and let the hammer slip and the round went down range. And this was 2 different guys, both in their late 20s. I figure if guys that handle guns all day let one fire accidentally then what is a customer who has never handled an old model going to do. I just can't take that chance.

Freedom Arms had that same situation a while back when a fellow had a model 83, I think in 454 with no transfer bar go off and pretty much destroyed his leg. It was a big law suit and I am not sure how it went and didn't ask Bob Baker as it was none of my business but they could have easily lost everything over that situation. So that is the main reason I don't like working on old model guns with no transfer bar safety.