[9x45]

Only if your finger is on the trigger...

 

[SLOGlock]

Lets consider the question of whether letting the slide slam forward can cause the gun to fire unintentionally. The answer is "yes", and its called (drum roll) a "slam fire"! There can be different causes, such as the tip of the firing pin extending past the breach face. This condition can be caused by a broken firing pin or by crud holding the firing pin forward. (Yes, I know a Glock has a striker and not a true firing pin, but Glock calls that part a firing pin so I will also.) Some guns have springs to hold the firing pin to the rear, but many don't.

We may not be able to avoid all slam fires, but we can reduce the likelihood of harm by keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction when dropping the slide (as well at other times).

John W in SC

Glock's firing pin safety prevents that.

 

[Green Dragoon]

Thank you for that.....You may have provided the answer....Yes, while I have / had been learning to rack the slide on my G19, which was very hard for me at first. The mag was empty....Thus far, I have put any round in my Glock or mag,,,,I was just learning to rack the slide..I have a cocked left hand (Former broken wrist) and very fine (small wrists) So, thus far I have only been learning to properly rack the slide and handle the gun safely.....I can now pull the slide quite nicely. Especially as I mention, adding some practicing "trying" to rack my CW9 nicely...Which I am still working on and find much harder then my G19.....So, other than my practicing the ability to rack the G19's slide...So far neither the gun nor the mags have yet had a round in them.....From your reply, now that I can strongly pull the slide, it sounds like I am pulling back to the lock position because the mag is empty??? Maybe I should have been doing this with some dummy rounds in the Mag!!!! ...(Maybe??) Thank you!! --- Karen

When I'm instructing women that are having difficulty racking the slide, I ask them to try to hold the slide as firmly as possible (don't pull it....hold it in place) and then push the the frame/grip forward with their other hand. You get more leverage that way. Side note: It isn't a slide "switch", rather it is a slide stop lever

 

[Jim Watson]

Karen:
I think you are interested and conscientious but as I have said before, it is hard to learn this stuff one question at a time on the internet.
Some organized study and one on one or small class training would bring you along much faster.
Reading material, a lot all in one place:

Contents | Cornered Cat

 

[rds95991]

With some guns with floating firing pins, this is a possibility. But Glocks use a striker so I would think the chance is almost zero.

 

[down-range]

Thanks everyone! Yep, you guys were right. I just had to drop the empty mag from my G19 and I can rack away without my gun locking back. It snaps right back forward immediately after I release it...And thanks all for everyone's thoughts concerning a slam fire....Even though there was some different thinking about that....What I walk away with from everyone's thoughts is......Just avoid that situation and if I want to be safe and not worry...Remove the round from the chamber! See! There is a reason I come here with my questions or things I am not totally certain about!! Thank you all! It's very much appreciated!!! -- Karen

The fact that racking the slide back and locking it back whether accidental or intentional and not ejecting the chambered round is still a problem. I don’t think I have ever seen this happen as this is typically how you eject a round to “unload and show clear”. You may want to take the gun to a gun smith to diagnose as that just should not happen. As to releasing the slide stop (or releasing slide by pulling back) I don’t believe that will damage anything. If this were to happen to me I would drop the mag, release slide lock and pull trigger to fire off the round down range. Which “should” eject the empty casing. Then troubleshoot to figure out why the round did not eject. Should be easy to figure out if ejector broken or dirty, or incorrect ammo or out of spec ammo stuck in chamber, etc. Good that you posted.

 

[Karen W]

The fact that racking the slide back and locking it back whether accidental or intentional and not ejecting the chambered round is still a problem. I don’t think I have ever seen this happen as this is typically how you eject a round to “unload and show clear”. You may want to take the gun to a gun smith to diagnose as that just should not happen. As to releasing the slide stop (or releasing slide by pulling back) I don’t believe that will damage anything. If this were to happen to me I would drop the mag, release slide lock and pull trigger to fire off the round down range. Which “should” eject the empty casing. Then troubleshoot to figure out why the round did not eject. Should be easy to figure out if ejector broken or dirty, or incorrect ammo or out of spec ammo stuck in chamber, etc. Good that you posted.

Thanks Down, it was new operator error!!! I am now racking the slide like a champ.....I ordered a rack assist device and despite my cocked wrist, light small hands.....I will keep it.....But, it won't be going on my Glock.....Having no problems racking that slide now...Thank you for the reply!!! --- Karen

 

[DeltaFiveBravo]

I tell my students, "Rack the slide with power, like you're trying to rip it off the frame!" You're not going to damage the gun.

 

[9x45]

3:44 in the vid.

 

[Karen W]

Karen:
I think you are interested and conscientious but as I have said before, it is hard to learn this stuff one question at a time on the internet.
Some organized study and one on one or small class training would bring you along much faster.
Reading material, a lot all in one place:

Contents | Cornered Cat

HI Jim...You are right....And yep before I go for my CCW classes, I will be going to a basic gun class....I figure it's a good idea, since other than my little Walther P 22.....Semi's are still somewhat fairly new to me. I am more familiar with revolves and shotguns. And black powder. Thank you --Karen

 

[Colt38SuperDude]

HI Jim...You are right....And yep before I go for my CCW classes, I will be going to a basic gun class....I figure it's a good idea, since other than my little Walther P 22.....Semi's are still somewhat fairly new to me. I am more familiar with revolves and shotguns. And black powder. Thank you --Karen

Invest in some dummy rounds so that you can practice loading/unloading, slide racking, dry firing, etc.

It’s cheap and it promotes gun handling safety plus keeping premature wear and tear on your pistol to a minimum.

A-ZOOM Action Proving Dummy Round Snap Cap Blue Value Pack 9mm Luger

The A-ZOOM Action Proving Dummy Round Snap Cap Blue Value Pack is for safety training, function testing or safely decocking without damaging the firing...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Jim Watson]

And black powder.

Ooh, great.
I have pretty much aged out of BPCR MS, but still have my Winchester and Browning single shots and some Swiss 1 1/2.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Question; If you over rack your Glock 19 and unintentionally lock it back, and there is a round in the chamber. Can you use the slide switch to release the slide, or could it or is it likely that, that would cause the chambered round to go off?? (And so should remove the round from the chamber?) Thanks! - Karen

If your finger is on the trigger when you run that slide forward.. oh yea.

At the DPS academy (where it used to be in Austin Tx) there were holes in the gun range roof. .45 holes where recruits had racked their slides of their SIG 220s and had an AD/ND. Word was they did not KTFFOTFT.

 

[9x45]

Don' t be like this guy.. Thumb safety is down (active) and grip safety is engaged. Finger on trigger, slide goes forward, and then bang.

 

[Cpt.America]

Question; If you over rack your Glock 19 and unintentionally lock it back, and there is a round in the chamber. Can you use the slide switch to release the slide, or could it or is it likely that, that would cause the chambered round to go off?? (And so should remove the round from the chamber?) Thanks! - Karen

No, it won't cause the round to go off, but you should never drop the slide on a chambered round. Barney instead.

 

[MrPeanut]

Thank you so much! That is what I "thought" I should probably do...But so far, nobody has answered that question for me in the real world...I knew it was an issue I needed to ask about, as I have picked up a Kahr CW 9 which is a real booger for me to rack....But very quickly made me even stronger at racking my Glock!!! I appreciate you answer very much...My Glock is still very brand new and I don't want to break it!! Most of my gun experience so far has been with .38 Service revolvers, a very small Cal. Semi and my 410 Shotgun.....Moving up to my Glock and even the Kahr, I feel, makes me a newbie for now.....Wasn't too long ago that I could hardly even rack the slide on my Glock lol....I am going after my CCW.....But trying to learn what I can even before those classes...And may take a prep class before that...So, I really appreciate your reply! Thank you again! --- Karen

Drop the mag before you do it.

 

[AK_Stick]

If your finger is on the trigger when you run that slide forward.. oh yea.

At the DPS academy (where it used to be in Austin Tx) there were holes in the gun range roof. .45 holes where recruits had racked their slides of their SIG 220s and had an AD/ND. Word was they did not KTFFOTFT.

Don' t be like this guy.. Thumb safety is down (active) and grip safety is engaged. Finger on trigger, slide goes forward, and then bang.

View attachment 1089054

If your pistol fires when the slide goes forward (even if you're holding the trigger), you have an issue with your weapon.

Or you have a machinegun.

You should have to release the trigger before the gun fires, otherwise it would simply fire every time the slide returned to battery.......

 

[Deaf Smith]

If your pistol fires when the slide goes forward (even if you're holding the trigger), you have an issue with your weapon.

Or you have a machinegun.

You should have to release the trigger before the gun fires, otherwise it would simply fire every time the slide returned to battery.......

Well no.. if when you let the slide go and it hits home one can have their finger, if it is inside the trigger guard, jar off a round by touching as it slammed home. Keep your finger outside the trigger guard cures this.

 

[Joshhtn]

Don' t be like this guy.. Thumb safety is down (active) and grip safety is engaged. Finger on trigger, slide goes forward, and then bang.

View attachment 1089054

Should've marked it zero...