Just What Is The Correct Way Of Clearing a Loaded Chamber ?

M

Mike H

New member
Guys, especially pistol instructors.

Just how should I clear a loaded chamber in a semi auto. I have received various replies from fellow shooters that ranged from "just give the slide a good 'ol rack" to "eject the live round into your left hand by covering the ejection port as you slowly retract the slide, holding the gun inverted as you do so".

Obviously either option involves the muzzle being pointed in a safe direction, but which option is recommended, or indeed is there a third that is in fact correct. Need some professional advise please,

Regards,

Mike H
 
I was taught to rack the slide in the normal manner and not try to catch the round or anything like that.
 
VERY CAREFULLY!

Sorry. I just couldn't resist that. Seriously the best method seems to be the one that I learned in the old Army Advanced Pistol Course. Remove the magazine from the pistol. Then retract the slide twice briskly. One cartridge should be ejected. If two are ejected you forgot to remove the magazine, Assuming this doesn't happen, close the slide. Then insert either an empty or a loaded magazine depending on the condition you want to keep your pistol in. Off course be sure you keep your pistol pointed in a safe direction while you do all this.
 
With the pistol pointed in a safe direction, briskly rack the slide a couple times. Do not try to catch the round. Visually inspect the chamber. Lock the slide open. You may also wish to check the chamber with your finger, once you have locked open the slide.

Do not catch the round. Your attention should be on keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction and on checking the chamber. Don't distract yourself by trying to catch the round.

Jared
 
Well the replies above are just right on.

What I teach new people when they first get to handle semi's is before 1/Point the firearm in the safest available direction 2/ make sure the safety is engaged 3/ REMOVE THE SOURCE OF AMMUNITION !!!! 4/ grip the slide rack it three times then lock it open 5/ now is time to worry about the ammo coming out.

The reasoning given for the process is illustrated in real life accidents. Buddy that killed his best friend with an unloaded gun.

Stay Safe
Tack

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Be Safe, Be Trained

Life is tough...it's alot tougher if you don't know how to shoot.
 
Like many other things, I feel "it depends". If I can eject the live round and have it fall onto a table, fine. But if I am on a dirt range, I don't want to eject a live round, especially a lead bullet load, into the dirt and gravel. If I do that, it is a wasted round, as I don't want a bullet dragging sand through the barrel. So I will turn the gun over and eject the round into my hand.

No, I don't let go of the slide and have the round go off in my hand; that would hurt, even if everybody seems to be doing it.

Jim
 
I do an inverted pistol, cupped hand over port, slow, careful rack and make sure round is away from chamber and slide before softly easing slide forward. Then, while still treating as "hot", I secure the ejected single and then rack the slide again three times, visually inspecting the chamber and mag port through the ejection port. I usually lock the slide back before I put the pistol down even after doing this.

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[This message has been edited by Rainbow Six (edited May 06, 2000).]
 
1. Keep finger off trigger.
2. Remove magazine.
3. Keep finger off trigger.
4. Invert pistol, retract slide slowly, lock the slide--keeping finger off trigger. The round from the chamber should fall quietly and peacefully into my weak hand.
5. Keep finger off trigger.
6. Visually inspect chamber. I said "Inspect", not "Casually glance at".

Throughout all this, the pistol should be pointed in a safe direction so that if I get an attack of the terminal fumbles, nothing bad happens.

Works for me, Art
 
First drop the mag. Then pull the gun upward rapidly while pulling back the slide. This slings the extracted round into the air which you then try to catch with your left hand. It's quite a challenge sometimes.
 
Pistol pointed in safe direction.Drop the mag.Rack the slide over your bed or whatever ejecting the round.I turn my guns on there sides with my hand over the chamber to catch the round.This takes alittle practice but is not a hard skill to master.Just have your firearm pointed in a safe direction and no problems should arise.Practice with some snap-caps. SHOKz
 
Guys,

Thanks for the replies so far. Just one thing, I thought that there was a risk of the extractor impacting the primer if you do a fast rack to eject and thus setting off the cartridge, also, if this situation arises with a cupped hand over the port you end up with a molten hole where your palm used to be. So I guess I'm asking if catching the round in an open hand is a personal preference or something that is a recognized teaching aid.

Mike H
 
1. Remove mag.
2. Pull slide back with weak-hand thumb and forefinger in a "slingshot" form.
(Note the "slingshot" form: if, for some reason, the round goes off while moving the slide, you don't want your hand collecting shrapnel over or near the ejection port.)
3. Let round fall. (Both hands are already busy; don't bother trying to grab the falling round with your third hand.)
4. Visually check clear, then insert finger in mag well, then in chamber, to triply ensure gun is clear.
 
Do NOT try and catch the round!
trigger.jpg


They are too small and fast to truly get a grip on! :D

Long story about how that happened to me... In short, one second of becoming too complacent with a handgun and not paying attention.

Be careful peeps, all it takes is the blink of an eye.

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>>>>>>>>------------TMS---------------->>>


[This message has been edited by The Mohican Sneak (edited May 07, 2000).]
 
The Mohican Sneak: Ouch! The one that got away huh?

Addendum (or just plain dumb): if you have a mag safety leave mag in and pull the trigger till slide lock :D

Seriously, unless I am feeling clumsy I usually use a slight variation of one method Cooper taught. Remove mag, place mag between pinky and other finger of right hand that is also holding the gun. That way you KNOW the mag is out. Finger off trigger! Place right thumb on slide lock/release pushing up to lock slide and slowly pull slide back with index finger & thumb pinching slide so that round pops into palm.

If I am feeling clumsy I just pull mag and ride slide lock and let the little pesky cartridge exscape.

I never knew there was such a big question about clearing chamber.

I always lock the slide, except for guns like my P 32 that have no external slide locks.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ctdonath:
1. Remove mag.
2. Pull slide back with weak-hand thumb and forefinger in a "slingshot" form.
(Note the "slingshot" form: if, for some reason, the round goes off while moving the slide, you don't want your hand collecting shrapnel over or near the ejection port.)
3. Let round fall. (Both hands are already busy; don't bother trying to grab the falling round with your third hand.)
4. Visually check clear, then insert finger in mag well, then in chamber, to triply ensure gun is clear.[/quote]

Nit: Would not be shrapnel. Would be fragments. Not a flame just something that drives me nuts :D like all these people who call detachable mags "clips". The M1 Garand is loaded with a clip. A M14 is loaded with a mag. A 1903 Springfield mag is filled with a "charger" [could call it a speed loader I suppose]. I must be a gun nut :)
 
If you follow the Army's rules that were stated earlier, you'll be fine. There is a reason they do things the way they do, and it is to prevent injury to a soldier. An injured soldier is useless, except to drop morale.
 
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