Cycle the action or pull the trigger again?

walnutred

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I was at the range firing some reloads through my CCW pistol. At about round #75 I pulled the trigger and got the dreaded "CLICK" sound. I don't know for sure what happened because before too much had registered I'd cycled the slide and fired the next shot. The pistol could have short stroked but I expect a high primer was the culprit. I loaded the round in the next mag and it fired fine.

I blame my military training I guess because automatically clearing a jam or misfire was strongly drilled into us. So what do you do? Cycle the action or pull the trigger again? Is dealing with malfunctions part of civilian firearms training or strictly a military thing?
 
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Some "civie" training includes it- but probably because military folks run them. I am lucky, I guess, that I was initially taught to cycle the action of any arm that malfunctions in that way so I don't have to re-learn. I physically put my off-hand on the magazine and pull it out even if not necessary also- no tacticool reloads for me. Even in competition, I sacrifice the time to make sure I get the mag out 100% of the time....
 
Cycle the action with a smack up on the mag, pull and release the slide, ensure weapon is on fire if that applies and pull the trigger. Second strike can ber second click. No good.
 
Most any advanced training I know of uses the "tap", "rack", "assess", "fire" method to deal with most malfunctions. You "tap" the bottom of the magazine with the heal of your weak hand to make sure it is seated properly, "rack" the slide to clear the misfire/stovepipe/FTE/etc., "assess" to make sure an imminent threat still exists, and "fire" if it does.

Malfunction clearing drills are a part of ANY good training, not just military training.
 
If you're really training, as opposed to just shooting, then train the way you plan on reacting. The tap-rack-(assess)-shoot reaction is the right way to do it if you are involved in a deadly force encounter. However, if you're developing or testing a specific load, bullet, etc., (especially if you loaded it yourself) and you have a misfire, you might want to stop and examine why you had the misfire. Was it a high primer, light primer strike, etc.? It all depends on what you are doing as to whether or not you should try a re-strike.
 
If you're really training, as opposed to just shooting, then train the way you plan on reacting. The tap-rack-(assess)-shoot reaction is the right way to do it if you are involved in a deadly force encounter. However, if you're developing or testing a specific load, bullet, etc., (especially if you loaded it yourself) and you have a misfire, you might want to stop and examine why you had the misfire. Was it a high primer, light primer strike, etc.? It all depends on what you are doing as to whether or not you should try a re-strike.


With that, I would agree. In fact, we have our Basic Pistol students keep the gun pointed down range for at least 30 seconds in the event they encounter a misfire just in case it is actually a hang-fire. When testing or working-up loads, things are done a bit differently than in defensive or combat-style training.
 
I cut my competitive pistol teeth in IPSC in the early 80's, and "Tap, Rack, Bang" got deeply ingrained quickly. I've been a CHL Instructor since 1995, and my experience has been that almost none of my students show up with ANY concept of malfunction clearing techniques. Many have not even contemplated the possibility that it might be necessary. (Wonder if their cars have spare tires?) I teach some jam-clearing, but time constraints prevent my doing much.
 
I cut my competitive pistol teeth in IPSC in the early 80's, and "Tap, Rack, Bang" got deeply ingrained quickly. I've been a CHL Instructor since 1995, and my experience has been that almost none of my students show up with ANY concept of malfunction clearing techniques. Many have not even contemplated the possibility that it might be necessary. (Wonder if their cars have spare tires?) I teach some jam-clearing, but time constraints prevent my doing much.

Same here. The CCW course curriculum in Missouri is very basic as per our Revised Statutes. On top of that, most of our students are beginners and haven't even mastered the fundementals yet, so trying to teach them advanced techniques is simply out of the question in a one day class. It is for that reason that we offer more advanced courses, because most all of them could use further training.
 
Nobody is mentioning hang fires.

So I will.

Make sure it's not a long delay hang fire. Especially if you're just target shooting. Keep it pointed down range for a good 10 - 15 seconds.
 
Nobody is mentioning hang fires.

So I will.

Make sure it's not a long delay hang fire. Especially if you're just target shooting. Keep it pointed down range for a good 10 - 15 seconds.

Actually, I made mention of them on the first page: http://www.smith-wessonforum.com/showpost.php?p=984711&postcount=7 Gotta watch for those when target shooting, working-up or testing new loads, etc.

In combat/defensive training, you simply cannot expend the time to wait to see if it's a hang-fire. You have to "tap", "rack", "assess", and "fire" as quickly as possible.
 
In combat/defensive training, you simply cannot expend the time to wait to see if it's a hang-fire. You have to "tap", "rack", "assess", and "fire" as quickly as possible.

Oh don't get me wrong, I've done plenty of tap rack drills in my day. For general target practice though, keep it down range.
 
Then there the was the fellow at one of our USPSA matches who got a "POP" and thought it was a "CLICK"

He racked it and fired again with the RO screaming at him to "STOP!"

Then when the barrel blew, he turned it around to look at it......

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Yes, we got the gun away before he did any more)
 
There's only one way to be sure it'll fire again: get the one that didn't outa there quick!
 
Then there the was the fellow at one of our USPSA matches who got a "POP" and thought it was a "CLICK"

He racked it and fired again with the RO screaming at him to "STOP!"

Then when the barrel blew, he turned it around to look at it......

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Yes, we got the gun away before he did any more)

That sounds scary! I'm glad nobody got hurt or killed.
 
I saw me a AD today (well kind of), It was in a Hi- Standard target pistol-- caused by crud in the firing pin channel--the trigger was pulled--click, (no bang)--women reached to clear the round--bang-- at a 40 degree angle-- well over our pistol berm--started the clock on any folks showing up wondering who shot a 22 through their house -2 hours later-- still no visitors--Lucky!!!!

I have seen the squib-follow shot twice in a revolvers, and a firing of a Ruger Mark II when out of battery, I believe the extractor canted too far in a struck the rim of the 22, after the pistol acted a bit funny on the prior shots. I guess I have a wait a few seconds and see what the H is going on. I was trained to tap, cycle, shoot like a bunch of you folks, but at my range, (quite a few novice to intermediate shooters) I would like to see a stop and see what is going on. I consider myself a fairly seasoned shooter and no matter the training, I try my best to figure out what the problem is with my personally bought firearms.
 
+1 for the tap,rack,bang drill. It's almost automatic by now.
I've taken advice from watching Clint Smith videos. He is constantly preaching the gospel of malfunction drills. Which is great, because Murphy's Law shows up at the most inconvenient times...

Regards,
Arkdweller
 
So what do you do? Cycle the action or pull the trigger again?

Well I am gonna ask it cause it is bugging me, I do not own a semi auto just revolvers but doesn't the slide have to cycle in order for the firing pin spring to reset and shoot again?
 
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