Semi-Auto-- Load 1 in the Chamber??

[Johnny686+]

Is it ok to load a round in the chamber, let the slide go and then insert a fully loaded mag?
I have a VP9Sk and a Sig P365. I was doing this a few times and just thought the extractor works the same as an Ar 15 where the extractor just jumps over the rim to hook the brass.
Does this cause wear on the extractor? Some say don't do it and others say it's fine.
Or is it a must to insert the mag, let the slide go, remove the mag and add another round? PIA way.
Thanks, John

 

[crc4]

I've been told for five decades to insert mag, rack one in, drop mag and insert a round.

There's a reason for this to save wear and tear on parts. Is it true? I can't say for certain, but it does make sense to me. I've never broken an extractor.

Perhaps it's firearm dependent, but I find that settling on this way eliminates potential problems.

Others may give you different opinions.

 

[gmborkovic]

Load the chamber from the mag at the range or for practice. Even if you get in a fire fight, the second mag will chamber with the rim sliding up under the hook of the extractor. I believe the AR ext is designed differently.

 

[robertrwalsh]

Some of the manufacturers recommend against it because if the first round chambers you are pretty sure everything is cool. If you remove and then reinsert the magazine you might end up disturbing this situation. (For some reason or other I seem to remember that SIG falls into this category.)
Also some weapons make it very hard to do so. Neither of my Makarovs can take a full magazine with the slide forward (though I tweaked a few mags to change this situation.)

 

[coltracer]

Please avoid dropping a round into the chamber and letting the extractor snap over it. I would never buy a pistol that has been abused in this way.
It works but you are stressing the extractor hook too much, and doing this often WILL result in a broken extractor at a future time .(likely at the most inopportune time).
There is really no need to do it and if you wear the pistol for CCW
or home protection you should treat your gun with care in case you really need it to save your life.

I am an FFL and gunsmith, and I've seen broken extractors in rifles and pistols.
If your pistol is old, rare or collectable, you will likely have a very hard time finding a replacement extractor for it.

Do you really want to risk the damage to save a few seconds?

 

[Oldsalt66]

Never load a round directly into the chamber and afterwards insert a fully loaded magazine, it's poor practice which is bad for the extractor.


Load the round from a magazine and insert a fully loaded magazine afterwards.

Rather than having to top off the magazine I'm going to carry in the pistol, I load the first round from a magazine I dedicate for that purpose, remove it, and then insert my carry magazine.

 

[flintsghost]

To drop rounds into the chamber and force the extractor to jump over the rim is very hard on the extractor lip, which is the weakest joint of the extractor. In some pistols with long fixed position extractors like the Sig P series pistols, original 1911 Colts, early Browning HP's, breakage on the extractor lips is not even rare. I once was brought a Service model Ace .22Rf with a extractor claw snapped off for a repair. Undoubtedly, that is what broke it. With pistols like S&W semi's, HK's, and later SIG's with spring loaded exterior mounted extractors, it is not as likely to happen but it still can happen. There is actually no real reason to do that in practice. As was said, it is a poor practice. If you happen to be in the field and you break and extractor, you probably won't have a spare in your pocket. Once the extractor breaks you have a single shot that immediately when fired, becomes a 3 lb non aerodynamic brick. That is a terrible way to treat your primary life insurance policy. One thing you need to understand is that when your extractor breaks, the odds are better than good that you won't even know it when it happens.

 

[Alk8944]

Like others said, load the chamber from the magazine. Dropping the slide on a round in the chamber causes the extractor to have cam over the rim and places unnecessary strain on the extractor and eventually results in the extractor being broken and a failure to extract/eject when that round is fired ending up with a jam! You may get away with loading directly into the chamber 10 or a thousand times, but is the gun is a self defense item the time this will happen is the time it matters the most! If you want that extra round then remove the magazine and top it off, re-insert. When a cartridge is loaded from the magazine it slides up the breech and under the extractor

I am a gunsmith as my sig. line states, and was a Police armorer when I was on the job. I have had extractors break 2-3 times on my own guns and I always do it correctly!

 

[sctman800]

Bought a 4506 years ago used and it would not extract shells reliably, probably one or two rounds per mag. Yes the extractor lip had been pretty badly chipped. Got a new extractor put in and it has been flawless ever since. Don't know but it is my guess that was what the previous owner did. Jim.

 

[Johnny686+]

First things first, I would like to thank all you guys for the expert advice on this subject !!!!

I am totally 100% convinced now and will never attempt doing that again!!! Especially for CCW! Thank God I only did it a few times.

Hope you could see my point comparing it to an AR Extractor as I thought it may not matter since there is a spring on the extractor. Yes, I did know that the hook is "hooked" while the slide moves forward as it chambers a round and doesn't have to jump over the rim. Just thought it wouldn't matter.

I hope many others see this thread as well and learn and follow your advice also, as it seems to be such an unknown fact for new pistol owners, as most have trouble loading that last round in the mag.

Thank You all for the speedy replies with all your expert knowledge!

Greatly Appreciated !!!

What a GREAT forum and such a nice bunch of guys here!

Thanks Again to all !! John

 

[Old cop]

My range training when we transitioned from our revolvers to the Glock was to insert a full mag, rack a round into the chamber then drop the mag & top it off. That was in the eighties and I’ve done it that way ever since absent a single problem, parts wear or otherwise.

 

[OldSmithCollector]

another vote for chamber from mag, then replace with fully loaded mag.

Thats just how I was taught and how I have always done it. I cant figure any reason it would cause harm to the firearm or mag that way or cause any round feeding issues.


Some of the details provided in this thread make it sound like dropping the round in the other way could cause a real issue.


Of course, carrying a revolver solves all magazine feed problems.... just sayin'

 

[FlyTyinFool]

Correction!!

DO NOT load a round loosely into the chamber, then let the slide slam closed.

Always load the chamber from an inserted mag.
Then reload another round into the mag.

(Sorry, I was too quick to respond earlier!)

 

[Johnny686+]

Just jumping in once again to thank all you guys for all the help and Great advice !!
What a truly Special, Friendly and Honest forum this is!
I am so glad I found and joined S&W Forum !!!!
What a Fantastic place to be !!!!

Thanks again, John

 

[stansdds]

In an emergency situation, I'd have no problem dropping the slide onto a round already in the chamber, but that's when life and limb are in danger. In most semi-auto pistols, dropping the slide onto a chambered round results in the face of the extractor being bashed against the rim of the cartridge. This can chip or break the extractor hook. Best off to load only from a magazine.

 

[mikerjf]

Just a thought… this is only a problem if you feel the need for that +1.

If you insert a full mag, rack, and leave it at that, you are taking it easier on both the extractor and the mag spring. I can see the +1 need in a 6-round auto, but I’m not worried about having “only 15” in a G19.

You will hear a lot of opinions on mag springs, but it is clear that “taking a set” does happen to some unknown degree; so to me giving up the +1 in a high-cap seems like a reasonable tradeoff. And it’s nice not having to double-handle the mag.

 

[N4KVE]

Just a thought… this is only a problem if you feel the need for that +1.

If you insert a full mag, rack, and leave it at that, you are taking it easier on both the extractor and the mag spring. I can see the +1 need in a 6-round auto, but I’m not worried about having “only 15” in a G19.

You will hear a lot of opinions on mag springs, but it is clear that “taking a set” does happen to some unknown degree; so to me giving up the +1 in a high-cap seems like a reasonable tradeoff. And it’s nice not having to double-handle the mag.

Exactly what I do. Pop in a full mag, rack the slide, & drop it. Leave mag in gun. There’s always a spare mag on the other hip. GARY.

 

[kbm6893]

Inserting around and then easing the slide forward, instead of slamming it, might mitigate any issues, but I’m not sure why you would want to.

 

[rwsmith]

S&W sez...

...to NOT do that with their pistols. Unless a manufacturer specifically says that it's ok to load into the chamber I don't do it.

I habitually load a mag, rack one into the chamber, remove the mag, top it off and re-insert it.

 

[smithra_66]

Is it ok to load a round in the chamber, let the slide go and then insert a fully loaded mag?
I have a VP9Sk and a Sig P365. I was doing this a few times and just thought the extractor works the same as an Ar 15 where the extractor just jumps over the rim to hook the brass.
Does this cause wear on the extractor? Some say don't do it and others say it's fine.
Or is it a must to insert the mag, let the slide go, remove the mag and add another round? PIA way.
Thanks, John

I'd strip the mag and then load one extra. No reason to put one directly into the chamber.