Two separate unintentional fatalities with the same revolver

We report 2 deaths and 1 injury that resulted from 2 separate unintentional discharges of the same Ruger Blackhawk revolver. One discharge was a consequence of careless firearm handling combined with a slip during a decocking procedure unique to certain hammer-action firearms. The second discharge occurred when the firearm was dropped and was the result of a combination of firearm design and a lack of knowledge regarding the safe handling of this type of revolver. The second death may have been prevented by the timely intervention of a health care or law enforcement professional at the time of the first unintentional discharge. Physicians who become knowledgeable about the functioning of different types of firearms and how they can malfunction may help promote the safe and responsible use of firearms among their patients. [Lee C, Nolte KB. Two separate unintentional fatalities with the same revolver. Ann Emerg Med. March 2001;37:333-336.]