I was wondering what is the proper way to make a semi-auto safe? Do you drop the magazine then open the action OR do you open the action then drop the magazine? Both accomplish the same end result so is there a 'preferred' way?
Safeing a semi-auto pistol
- Thread starter Fox Mike
- Start date
Drop mag, clear chamber. Keep your darned finger off the trigger! Yep, I've seen supposedly smart folks stick their finger through the trigger guard to "get a better hold of the gun".
Doc Holliday
Single-Sixer
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2012
- Messages
- 266
If you open the action first, the slide won't stay back (on most) and you'll end up loading another round from the magazine when it goes forward again (unless, of course, you push up the slide stop while bringing the slide back, but IMO that's one too many things to worry about doing, with a loaded weapon)
Keep pointed in safe direction, keep finger away from trigger.
Safety on.
Drop magazine.
Clear/open action (several times, to ensure the round has been extracted)
"I was wondering what is the proper way to make a semi-auto safe?"
Now that I read it again...the gun is only as safe as the operator.
Keep pointed in safe direction, keep finger away from trigger.
Safety on.
Drop magazine.
Clear/open action (several times, to ensure the round has been extracted)
"I was wondering what is the proper way to make a semi-auto safe?"
Now that I read it again...the gun is only as safe as the operator.
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
Not to be a nitpicker, but I usually use the term "clear the pistol" or rifle, shotgun, revolver or whatever. And as a matter of note, pistols such as the Colt Government Model cannot have the safety engaged if the pistol is not cocked.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
pete44ru
Hunter
.
On autoloaders, ALWAYS drop the magazine first, then clear the chamber.
While the results may seem the same, in actuality the chance of an in-advertent discharge increases exponentially is the magazine is removed last.
.
On autoloaders, ALWAYS drop the magazine first, then clear the chamber.
While the results may seem the same, in actuality the chance of an in-advertent discharge increases exponentially is the magazine is removed last.
.
Pat-inCO
Hawkeye
For what little it's worth . . . .
1) I make sure the magazine is empty.
2) Re-insert in the mag well.
3) Draw the slide back (with empty mag, it should lock back).
4) Drop the mag out.
5) Place the empty mag next to the empty gun.
You then have an empty chamber, empty mag well,
and at least one empty magazine.
Doesn't that define a "safe gun"?
1) I make sure the magazine is empty.
2) Re-insert in the mag well.
3) Draw the slide back (with empty mag, it should lock back).
4) Drop the mag out.
5) Place the empty mag next to the empty gun.
You then have an empty chamber, empty mag well,
and at least one empty magazine.
Doesn't that define a "safe gun"?
OP
I asked because I saw the lady in "Frustrated middle child" video open and lock back the slide THEN ejected the magazine. Personally I drop the mag first then cycle the slide.
GunnyGene
Hawkeye
Fox Mike said:
Mag first, always.
graygun
Hunter
Fox Mike said:
same here
blackhawknj
Buckeye
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2010
- Messages
- 1,945
I hold the pistol in my left hand, drop the magazine, retract the slide with the right, and that trigger finger is NOWHERE near the trigger.
GunnyGene said:
^^^THIS^^^
I always take the magazine out first then rack the slide to eject a chambered round. If I am showing the pistol to another person I then pull the slide back while pushing up on the slide lock to lock the slide back. Then I hand it to them. We both know there is no way it can fire. If showing a firearm of any type to another person I generally open the action or on a revolver the cylinder & show them it is clear before I hand it to them. I was not as particular before I started frequenting the gun boards. Y'all have indoctrinated me.
DeletedMember275
Hunter
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2002
- Messages
- 2,759
AFMAN 31-229 (Air Force Manual), the manual that both the Air Force and Army use for firearms safety, stipulates to drop the magazine, then lock the slide back. Of course, they want you to already have the muzzle in the mouth of a clearing drum.
exavid
Hunter
A lot of current semi-auto pistols are equipped with a magazine safety so it only make sense to drop the mag first. That also prevents a 'slam fire' if someone's fingers are a bit slippery when pulling back the slide. I have to be careful with my striker fired LCPII and my LC9pro neither of which have a safety. I'm extra careful in re-holstering those two to prevent clothing or anything interfering with the trigger. They have a much lighter trigger than the original hammer fired versions I had.
I have and trained to always drop the mag then pull slide back and use the slide lock to lock the slide open. Notice I did not call it a slide release for a reason, it is a slide lock.
rugerguy211
Single-Sixer
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2013
- Messages
- 401
In a movie I saw an actor grab a gun from the bad guy, drop the mag, rack the slide, and catch the ejected cartridge in mid air.
The actor was Chuck Norris, so THAT is the definitive way to clear a semi auto pistol. :-)
The actor was Chuck Norris, so THAT is the definitive way to clear a semi auto pistol. :-)
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
kmoore said:
Push up = slide lock.
Push down = slide release.
Its sort of like the button on a ball point pen, push to extend, push to retract.
Bob Wright
It's called a slide lock on a Kahr, but it's also used as a slide release. Per their instruction manuals:kmoore said:
Pull the slide fully to the rear and lock it back using
the Slide Stop. Next push down on the Slide
Stop to chamber the first round into the barrel.
Do not chamber a round by pulling back on the
slide and letting go of the slide. This may cause
the slide to not go fully into battery.
You would think that by now that that info would be in the..
owner's manual?
owner's manual?
Oh boy, here we go again. Slide lock/release, magazine/clip, it doesn't matter what you call it as long as the person you are communicating with understands what you are talking about. Did anyone here not know he was talking about the lever thingamajig on the side of the pistol that holds the slide open, or lets it close?
How many of us us dohicky, thingamajig and so on when talking to folks and because of the context the others know what you mean?
How many of us us dohicky, thingamajig and so on when talking to folks and because of the context the others know what you mean?
It used to be that just about all manufacturers were the same about the slide release. Kahr is as Cholo stated. I believe on some of Rugers newer models they want it to be used only as a lock. They want you to insert a loaded magazine & retract the slide to release it. These days what used to be common sense might require reading the owners manual.
I've only had two malfunctions with my little Kahr. One was due to me unintentionally pushing up on the slide lock keeping it from locking back. The CM9 is pretty small. The other was a failure to feed caused by my slingshotting the slide instead of using the slide release.
I've only had two malfunctions with my little Kahr. One was due to me unintentionally pushing up on the slide lock keeping it from locking back. The CM9 is pretty small. The other was a failure to feed caused by my slingshotting the slide instead of using the slide release.
Upon closing or charging the gun, proper way, insert mag, pull slide back with whole hand not only thumb and fore finger (pinch mention), until slide lock releases and let go of the slide. Some use the slide lock to release the slide, not sure any trainers train that way. Glock does not recommend it. Even stated by the Glock factory instructor to dept. instructors (me). Releasing the slide by using the slide lock only may cause a failure to chamber the round from the mag. Glock has a name for that thingy, slide lock. As a instructor I use the proper language also helps ID what is really being talked about.
kmoore what you are saying is the proper terminology for a Glock pistol. They do things one way. However there is more than one manufacturer. Kahr instructs people to use the lock as a release. It really depends on the manufacturer & their instructions. It is helpful to remember that Glock is not the only firearm that people use for self defense. Using Glock terminology when dealing with Glocks is fine but this thread is not brand specific.
kmoore said:
Wow, the proper way sounds great. Right up until you only have one hand and need to run the pistol into battery right quick. Been there done that one.
The three Glocks I have will all close the slide for you if you slam the mag
in like you really mean it. I don't generally practice mag changes that way
( always use slingshot ) because I figure that one time I needed it to happen
it wouldn't or the slide wasn't back when I swapped mags.
More of a fail safe option to slingshot it if you have two hands available.
Dave
in like you really mean it. I don't generally practice mag changes that way
( always use slingshot ) because I figure that one time I needed it to happen
it wouldn't or the slide wasn't back when I swapped mags.
More of a fail safe option to slingshot it if you have two hands available.
Dave
Mike your right, I should have said this is Glock terms for parts, others may well call them anything else.
If you need or want to a semi auto back into battery one handed, I trained, instructed how to do that also. After you have a mag in the gun. Easy, push slide against leg downward,that may hurt a little or use your belt by hooking the rear sight and push down or my favorite. Because your likely in a firefight at that point and only have use of 1 hand. Kneel down, making yourself a smaller target, hopefully behind cover, place rear sight at heel of shoe or boot push down. Plastic sights may break if you practice those. Reloading 1 handed can also be done. Although I have done those drills many times, never done so while injured.
If you need or want to a semi auto back into battery one handed, I trained, instructed how to do that also. After you have a mag in the gun. Easy, push slide against leg downward,that may hurt a little or use your belt by hooking the rear sight and push down or my favorite. Because your likely in a firefight at that point and only have use of 1 hand. Kneel down, making yourself a smaller target, hopefully behind cover, place rear sight at heel of shoe or boot push down. Plastic sights may break if you practice those. Reloading 1 handed can also be done. Although I have done those drills many times, never done so while injured.
kmoore said:
So, the fellow who has,admittedly, never had to do it is disagreeing with the fellow who has. Maybe by all of the experts opinions I did it wrong. But it did work so... I guess I could quote the old saw about can and doing and can't and teaching, but I was raised better than that. :lol:
It isn't just that the parts might be called different names. Some pistols from different manufacturers actually have different manuals of arms. If I try to load my Kahr CM9 from the magazine by retracting the slide & letting it go forward I will have a fail to feed. If I use the slide stop as a slide release it will load properly. It is actually annoying. I liked it better when they all worked pretty much the same way.
Jeepnik, I was not disagreeing with you at all. Sounds like your saying without saying so you had to work a reload under fire with 1 one hand. If I am wrong please explain. How can we be disagreeing, you never said how you got the gun back into a firing condition. I drilled what I listed. I did list a way it can be done one handed, tell us how you did it and we all learn. Did you do it as trained or just worked thru a bad situation and won? I hope some learned or understood my way and it is not the only way I am sure, but it works. We also drilled and I taught ways to reload a revolver with 1 hand. Trying to list details in a paragraph are difficult, getting training is much better.
