What does "short stroking" mean?

[freebird72]

I hear the words "short stroking" being used a lot when talking about revolvers being fired. However, I do not now what it means.

 

[Old Grump]

No idea how you would short stroke a revolver but on a pistol it means not pulling the slide back far enough to catch a round in the magazine and feed it into the chamber for firing.

 

[Creeper]

Not allowing for a full trigger reset.

Cheers,
C

 

[ScottRiqui]

With a revolver, I think it means that you're not letting the trigger return far enough forward before pulling it again. This can "lock up" the action until you allow the trigger to move forward the necessary amount and try again.

 

[Dragline45]

This can "lock up" the action until you allow the trigger to move forward the necessary amount and try again.

It can also skip a chamber which can get you screwed if your in a bind.

 

[freebird72]

So to avoid said "shot stroking" I simply have to let the trigger fully reset after each shot?

 

[Creeper]

Yes... exactly. Simply allow sufficient forward return to reset. You will get use to it.

Cheers,
C

 

[44 AMP]

Short stroking means not going through the full length of travel before trying to operate it again.

Oddy, I haven't heard the term used with revolvers, (although it would apply to the DA trigger when improperly operated). Usually the term is used to describe not fully operating a pump shotgun or bolt/lever/pump rifle.

Short stroking (or short shucking) a long gun action usually means not feeding another round into the chamber (with prediciably bad consequences) beacuse you didn't work the bolt back far enough to feed the next round.

 

[freebird72]

I have heard the term used several times on these forums when referring to revolvers. I recently read a thread in which a poster said that Ruger DA revolvers are bad for breaking when "short stroked".

On a side note, I laugh every time I write "short stroke".

 

[tipoc]

With a revolver, I think it means that you're not letting the trigger return far enough forward before pulling it again. This can "lock up" the action until you allow the trigger to move forward the necessary amount and try again.

Scott Riqui is right.

tipoc

 

[pete2]

It can also cause the cylinder to rotate with out the hammer being cycled. I've
had it happen on S&W revolvers. If you lighten the rebound spring it's more likely to happen. Practice letting the trigger move all the way forward while maintaining your sight picture, this also helps with follow through in shooting d/a.

 

[MLeake]

I've found that with some of my revolvers, some of the gloves I wear in cold weather can induce this - leather binds between trigger and guard, and stops trigger from fully achieving reset.

I highly recommend that shooters test their gloves in both SA and DA shooting (assuming a DA revolver) to make sure this isn't an issue, or to help them select gloves that won't interfere with their triggers.

 

[fdreano]

That was prob me stating that "short stroking" broke my Ruger LCR in a thread a few days back.

I feel the term is pretty generic indicating the failure to run a mechanical device through the full range of motion necessary to ensure its proper operation. I've heard it used with pump shotguns, automatics, revolvers and even pull start motors (lawn mowers, etc.) when the operator gives a half-hearted tug on the rope to try to start them.

 

[James K]

The term is also used for semi-auto rifles when, for whatever reason, the action does not fully operate, causing a failure to feed the next round.

Jim

 

[Glenn E. Meyer]

I've heard IDPA revolver shooters use the term.