If the handgun has a malfunction and doesn’t fire or isn’t loaded when expected, the results could be deadly. Speed drills and speed loads should be practiced until you are familiar with the handgun. If the cartridge fails to fire, or you run empty during a gunfight, rapid replenishment of the ammunition supply is critical.
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When you have practiced these drills, and should you be able to remain clear-headed during stress, you will execute the drills seamlessly. If not, you will fumble the procedure by dropping the magazine or missing the slide lock or magazine catch. If you have not practiced, your survival is questionable at best.
Recent Malfunctions
During the past few months, I have experienced more malfunctions proportionately to rounds fired than at any time I am able to remember. It is rare that at least one failure to fire doesn’t occur during a shooting class and more during competition. There are explanations, such as the fact that many makers have been forced to use foreign primers that may be less reliable.
As an example, during World War I, Winchester won a government contract that specified a failure to fire or function rate of one in 100,000. It easily met the contract specifications. Today, with many makers all vying for sales — some using if it goes bang, it will sell — ammunition is probably less reliable overall than ever. Not that the major makers are infallible.
The big three are Federal, Winchester, and Remington. Hornady enjoys a good reputation and won the FBI contract recently. Just the same, I have opened a box of ammunition from the big three and found a primer loaded upside down and another with a bullet loaded upside down in the case. We should be prepared for a failure.
After all, with billions of cartridges manufactured each year, there are going be problems. I load my duty guns with ammunition from companies that have been in the game for more than 100 years – and Hornady, a newcomer at around 70 years. Just the same, I have practiced clearance drills.
Some handling is low stress and high importance. Often called “administrative handling,” loading and unloading the handgun during inspections or storage is an important safety skill. Having the necessary handgun manipulation skills to safely load and unload the pistol is important. There are overlooked skills that may prove vital. As an example, properly loading a self-loading pistol magazine is more involved than you would think. It is important to load three rounds, and then tap the back of the magazine against a table or boot heel to seat the rounds to the rear. Load three more cartridges and tap the magazine again. Continue until the magazine is fully loaded.
Loading
To load the handgun, first, lock the slide to the rear. Insert the magazine into the magazine well and slap the bottom of the magazine locking it in place. Then, hit the slide lock to drop the slide. This is more positive than inserting a magazine and racking the slide over the magazine.
It is sometimes taught to simply grasp the rear of the slide and release. I find hitting the slide lock to be more positive. After the slide drops, for pistols with a manual safety, place the safety in the “on safe” position.
In the P-series SIG and similar pistols, utilize the decock lever to lower the hammer. A few pistols allow loading with the safety on. It is equally important to understand how to load the individual pistol. Most modern pistols have the Browning-type magazine release, some have a paddle-type magazine release, and others use a heel-type magazine catch. Be familiar with your handgun through constant repetitive drills.
Unloading
To safely unload the pistol, remove the magazine and set it aside. Then rack the slide to the rear. As you rack the slide to the rear, the safest technique is to use the slingshot method and pull the slide straight to the rear, allowing the cartridge in the chamber to fall out the bottom of the magazine well.
An alternate often taught is to place the palm of the weak-side hand over the ejection port. As the firing hand stabilizes the handgun frame the weak side hand moves the slide to the rear and captures the chambered cartridge in the hand as it is ejected. The problem with this method is there have been very few incidents in which the cartridge primer struck the ejector and ignited, inuring the shooter’s hand. Be careful, both loading and unloading, and give due diligence to each procedure.
When practicing on the firing range, most of us fire the pistol to slide lock and then execute a speed load. While this is fair training, if we are familiar with administrative handling, speed loads are second nature. The tactical reload, however, is an interesting concept.
The tactical reload is executed after you have fired a number of cartridges. The pistol has not gone to slide lock. Perhaps, the shooter doesn’t really know how many rounds have been fired. The magazine is replaced with a fully-loaded magazine.
With the tactical load, the shooter retains the partially loaded magazine, as you may need those cartridges later. Tactical reloads may be accomplished with lever-action rifles, and certain shotguns, and is usually referred to as topping off. The bottom line is the fact that it is best to have a pistol fully loaded as soon as possible after shots are fired.
The problem comes to light when you run out of ammunition or do not find cover, you will be in an inferior tactical situation. When practicing these drills, don’t get ahead of yourself and drop the slide before the magazine is seated.
Practice and get the steps down to muscle memory. Grasp the magazine with the fingers alongside the magazine body to guide the magazine into the magazine well. Keep the pistol aimed toward the threat as the weak hand brings the magazine to the pistol and inserts the magazine with a slap. If the slide is to the rear, release the slide to run forward.
The single malfunction drill that is most important and which will solve 90% of all problems is called TAP-RACK-BANG! In this drill, the magazine base is tapped hard, the slide is racked, and the pistol fired. I find some of the folks carrying uber-reliable pistols such as the SIG P226 or Glock 19 don’t practice this drill.
They point out pistols of the type with 20,000 trouble-free rounds. That is exactly the reason they should practice TAP-RACK-BANG! They are long overdue for a malfunction…
Another malfunction sometimes occurs with a case jammed into the ejection port. The problem is brought about by either underpowered ammunition or a weak wrist hold. The support hand sweeps the case out of the ejection port as the hand grasps the slide, racks the slide, and makes the pistol ready to fire. TAP-RACK-BANG! covers this as well if you are careful to cant the slide to one side, dumping the offending case.
Seldom does a second pull on the trigger crack the primer and cause the desired ignition. A more severe problem is a failure to extract. There are certain off-spec 9mm brass cartridge cases more prone to this type of malfunction.
The only cure is to drop the magazine to clear the feedway while holding the magazine between the fingers, and then racking the slide until the extractor catches and ejects the cartridge. Then, you’ll slap the magazine home. This takes some time to execute. If this doesn’t work, “Feet don’t fail me now!” is a logical response.
The handgun isn’t terribly complicated. There are a few springs, and the magazine is a renewable resource. Ammunition is problematic in some cases. Be certain to practice loading, unloading, and basic failure manipulations. Be familiar with your tools and stay safe!
Do you have a tip or lesson learned about using the controls of a pistol or clearing a handgun malfunction? Share it in the comment section.
This shooter begins every drill by locking the slide back and properly loading the pistol by inserting a magazine and dropping the slide. The author has many years of familiarity with the SIG P series and finds them easily operated — with plenty of practice. The thumbs-forward grip keeps the fingers away from controls but also allows quick slide lock manipulation, if needed. For safety’s sake, the author uses a loaded-chamber indicator/safety device in executing “case in the ejection port” drills. 
In Tap-Rack-Bang!, the first step is slapping the magazine home (it may simply have fallen away). 
Rack the magazine to clear the dud round or stoppage. 
This gas-retarded blowback is sensitive to load selection. It doesn’t like 147-grain loads in particular. 
Keep a firm grasp of the slide and always control the handgun. 
Practice manipulating the safety on those handguns with a safety. 
The SIG P series features a decocker. The slide lock is just behind it. You must be familiar with each, or you may be the cause of the malfunction. This pistol features a manual-safety magazine lock and decocker lever as well as a takedown lever, not to mention the combat light controls. Be intimately familiar with each control. 
This is a rather odd malfunction. It goes to show anything can happen! This pistol suffered a cartridge case that fired but failed to eject. Racking the slide several times will often free the case. 
‘Surplus’ guns are often made of soft steel and tend to malfunction. They are for recreational use only. Tapping the magazine on a bench or boot heel seats the cartridges. 
Cartridges should be seated fully to the rear for proper feeding. 
The author loads three rounds at a time before tapping the magazine. 
Be certain to seat the magazine properly. The slide should be locked back as you load. 
Slap the magazine in and drop the slide. It is as simple as that. 
The single most important concern is to have complete familiarity with the handgun.
