Unload And Show Clear And Glock

[Clay1]

Everyone has there own routine I understand this. I have also shot a number of matches this year so it isn't my first match. I am also a SO, so I do understand the proceedure. What I am looking for is how do you unload and show clear at the command?

I would like to cycle my Glock 34 the same all of the time so that I get use to a proper way and that is how I do it. I prefer palm down, over the top of the slide and grip with four fingers on one side of the slide and thumb on the other. I feel that this is the best way to not only clear the gun but also the proper technique for a tap, rack, bang in case of a feeding problem of any type.

My concern is that the chamber is not easily seen with my whole hand in the way for the SO that is running the station. Some times I thumb and index finger the rear serrations from the back of the slide which I feel is best for the SO but not for me as a shooter. I also see Matt Burkett in his videos rack the slide from the front of the slide by hooking his week hand thumb over top of the slide and manipulating it that way. He is shooting an STI with serration there and my Glock 34 doesn't have serrations in that location and I don't like the concept of having to rely on grip tape for slide manipulation.

What is your technique and why? Do you also had a way to keep the round in the gun off of the ground or do you just let it fall? I see some SOs like to catch it, I let it fall if I an the SO. I would like to hear from shooters and SOs/ROs. Thanks everyone.

Rick

[kevin c]

What you do works for any semi auto sprung for factory ammo. Most competition guns have spring weights well under that of the factory OEM recoil spring. That's why I can "pinch" the slide from underneath using just my weak hand thumb and forefinger, and easily hold it open for the RO/SO to inspect the chamber. I'm not a strong person, and no way can I do that with standard springs unless I've got grip tape on the slide, and even then it's not easy.

If you want to keep the same technique, or if it is "necessary" because of heavy springing, then consider locking the slide back and then presenting the gun for the RO/SO to see.

I let the ejected round drop. I can always pick it up if I really want to save eleven cents. My hand is worth a lot more to me than that, so I don't cup the hand over the ejector port to catch the round - ejector detonations are rare, but I'd just as soon not take the risk.

Flipping the round into the air and catching it looks really cool, but if your eyes are on the round in the air, and your body is busy trying to catch it, then neither is paying attention to the gun that's still in your hand. Not patently unsafe, according to some, but still not sensible gun handling, IMHO.

Just my opinion...

[Heath]

I let the ejected round drop. I can always pick it up if I really want to save eleven cents.  My hand is worth a lot more to me than that, so I don't cup the hand over the ejector port to catch the round - ejector detonations are rare, but I'd just as soon not take the risk.

I got chastised by an RO at Richmond yesterday for cupping my hand over the ejector port and racking the round out into my hand. I've never heard of an actual incident of an ejector detonation. What is the likelihood that it could occur?

[Clay1]

One of the G34's is sprung with a 13# ISMI and the other G34 is sprung with a 12 # Wolf ( has a Novak full length SS Guide rod and the ISMI spring doesn't have enough diameter). Must be a whimp because just thumb and forfinger can be done, but not easily. I also see that if in Aug and sweating like crazy will never work.

[kevin c]

...I got chastised by an RO at Richmond yesterday for cupping my hand over the ejector port and racking the round out into my hand. I've never heard of an actual incident of an ejector detonation. What is the likelihood that it could occur?...

Small, but not zero. I can't quote you any specific frequency, but I've heard of it happening, and don't want it to happen to me.

I know one master class shooter who makes it out our way on occasion, who caught a handfull of brass that way. Took him a few months to get back to shooting the way he wanted (nerve damage).

His gun was 1911/2011 patterned frame with hand loaded ammo. What I've heard is that long loaded ammo and long ejectors, each fairly common in action pistol (at least in 40, which is what I shoot), together may be a troublesome combination. The nose of the long round may not clear the edge of the ejection port if the ejector's extra length begins to kick out the round too early. The round can then bobble around inside the port, and if the slide goes forward a bit the ejector can strike the primer of the hung up round.

My smith tuned my extractors/ejectors to the specific round (bullet ogive and OAL) that I was planning on using.

Edited May 19, 2005 by kevin c

[Flexmoney]

I got chastised by an RO at Richmond yesterday for cupping my hand over the ejector port and racking the round out into my hand.  I've never heard of an actual incident of an ejector detonation.  What is the likelihood that it could occur?

Happens often enough.

[kevin c]

One of the G34's is sprung with a 13# ISMI and the other G34 is sprung with a 12 # Wolf ( has a Novak full length SS Guide rod and the ISMI spring doesn't have enough diameter).  Must be a whimp because just thumb and forfinger can be done, but not easily.  I also see that if in Aug and sweating like crazy will never work.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd think that trying to retract an unserrated slide (a slick, oiled metal surface) with nothing but sweaty fingers would be a challenge, lowered spring weights or not.

Grip tape or forward serrations work wonders, but the first is a pain with any holster that encloses the slide (major binding) and the second is expensive, what with custom milling (especially on a Tenifered slide) and refinishing.

[George]

Hold Glock firmly in strong hand extended in front of you at mid chest height and retract the slide with the weak hand from behind with the serrations on either side of the rear of the slide in a thumb and forefinger pinch maneuver. Plenty of leverage and no hand over the port crap to get chastized unnecessarily over this way.

After the round has gone to ground (or been flipped and caught!), then lock it back with whatever over the port, Vulcan underframe death pinch etc... you wish to use as there ain't nuttin in it, who cares how it's done at that point.

Make the round removal and the lock back two separate steps and you will never have any trouble if the round removal step is done sensibly.

--

Regards

[BSeevers]

I got chastised by an RO at Richmond yesterday for cupping my hand over the ejector port and racking the round out into my hand.  I've never heard of an actual incident of an ejector detonation.  What is the likelihood that it could occur?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Has happened more times then should. I would change your technique

[eric nielsen]

Grip tape at the back [over the serations] really helps a lot with the Glock, also makes it about half the finger effort to rack the slide for dry-fire - which adds up fast if you dryfire thousands of reps. Here's mine:

G35 pics

The gun looks better now with Dawson adjustable fiber-optic front and target rear sights. I just removed a portion of that up-and-over grip tape and then stuck it back on the gun.

I'm looking for grey skateboard tape to put on the back of THIS new Glock:

G17 9Major pics

[i'm right-handed] I sling-shot the slide from behind like George says above, but my Step 1 is to turn the gun over to my left so the ejection port is down & away from the RO. The left hand is in a stronger position to retract the slide and the stronghand is twisted around almost 180. The round plunks down at my left foot every time. Step 2 is put the gun back upright & retract it a 2nd time for the RO to see a clear gun. I don't lock the slide, it blocks their view of the chamber hood.

If you turn over slowly in Step 1 you're also showing the RO a clear magwell. My 2c.

[GRD]

I lock the slide to the rear letting the round flip out, and then hold the gun right in front of the RO so they can get a good look at it (1911). With it held in front them, they can both see the chamber and look right down the magwell to the ground.

- Gabe

[diehli]

I do all the "bad" things I can. With Glocks I turn the gun so the ejection port is up, rack the slide with an "untactical" grip, ejecting the round into the air and locking the slide back in one smooth motion. Then I catch the round, show the RO the empty gun, and drop the slide.

On my Open gun, I eject the round into the air with the slide racker, catch the round, then retract the slide again, with the slide racker.

On my Limited gun (which only has serrations in front of the ejection port), I turn the gun upside down and eject the round into the palm of my hand, then I turn the gun right-side up, rotate my hand so it's like I'm doing a "tactical" rack—though my hand's in front of the ejection port—and show clear... it's a 6-inch gun, so my hand's not in front of the muzzle.

Believe it or not, I still have all my fingers, toes, eyes, ears, and gonads.

[sfinney]

So Far.

I do all the "bad" things I can. With Glocks I turn the gun so the ejection port is up, rack the slide with an "untactical" grip, ejecting the round into the air and locking the slide back in one smooth motion. Then I catch the round, show the RO the empty gun, and drop the slide.

On my Open gun, I eject the round into the air with the slide racker, catch the round, then retract the slide again, with the slide racker.

On my Limited gun (which only has serrations in front of the ejection port), I turn the gun upside down and eject the round into the palm of my hand, then I turn the gun right-side up, rotate my hand so it's like I'm doing a "tactical" rack—though my hand's in front of the ejection port—and show clear... it's a 6-inch gun, so my hand's not in front of the muzzle.

Believe it or not, I still have all my fingers, toes, eyes, ears, and gonads.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[SRT Driver]

Flipping the round into the air and catching it looks really cool, 

This causes more ejector detonations than anything!! And should be a DQable offense, IMHO (ie. 10.4.3.1) Leave the showboating for your practice sessions.

[Heath]

Kevin, I appreciate your response, that and an earlier thread that you posted to, where a couple of folks indicated their direct experience with this phenemona helped me come to the conclusion that the risk of occurence isn't insignificant. Although I can't find any kind of reference to this happening in a Glock, it seems likely enough to occur that I will change my procedure.

In the world of firearms, there are a lot of people that hold opinions about things very strongly. Generally speaking, these folks will be more than willing to share their opinions and expect others to accept those opinions as fact. Unfortunately, I'm too skeptical to accept an unsubstantiated opinion as true or likely, particularly from those that I don't know well. With this in mind, an opinion flatly stated isn't very helpful for most people. For example, Flexmoney's statement that it "happens often enough" wouldn't be very helpful at all if I hadn't already read these forums a great deal and developed a certain amount of respect for his opinion.

The RO this weekend was eager to offer a great deal of unsolicited advice in such an ardent way that I became disinclined to accept it. During the UASC he yelled at me a bit, which startled me and caused me to believe that I had broken the 180 or done something equally bad. His disproportionate response caused me to be even more skeptical, thus the need for research on the topic.

[Flexmoney]

For example, Flexmoney's statement that it "happens often enough" wouldn't be very helpful at all if I hadn't already read these forums a great deal and developed a certain amount of respect for his opinion.

Sorry, I should likely have elaborated.

I have seen it happen in person. Other's (that I trust), that I know have been around the game forever, have shared stories of it happening in their direct presence. And, I have seen a number of post from those that have experienced/witnessed it first-hand.

As a shooter, I don't need to worry about that one last round. Let it fall to the ground. I f I want to hunt it up after I have holstered teh gun, I can.

As an RO, I would rather see the round come out of the gun...so I know where it is. If I can see there is no mag in the gun...then, can see the round that came out of the pipe...then, can see an empty chamber...that makes me feel safer.

[Fireglock]

Flipping the round into the air and catching it looks really cool, 

This causes more ejector detonations than anything!! And should be a DQable offense, IMHO (ie. 10.4.3.1) Leave the showboating for your practice sessions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And you base that on?

[skeeter]

i've seen it happen twice. once to a big name and once at a club match.

don't catch it let it drop.

[Fireglock]

i've seen it happen twice. once to a big name and once at a club match.

don't catch it let it drop.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The round went off in the air, in the gun? What's the difference in racking the slide hard to eject a round after shooting versus clearing a jam? Help me out here folks, this really doesn't make sense.

[Flexmoney]

Folks...we have had this conversation. This at least one thread on the pros and cons of flipping and catching.

[Fireglock]

Folks...we have had this conversation.  This at least one thread on the pros and cons of flipping and catching.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Could you point me to it Kyle?

[Flexmoney]

Yep...I'm working on that.

A search for "flip AND catch" brought up a few threads:

Long Ejectors...ban them all!!!

Unloading Debate....this one looks like a ERik compiled a bunch of these posts already...

Ejecting and catching a bullet

A poll on the rule.

There may be more...do your own search .

[CzechM8]

I grab the slide from the top, tilt the gun to the right and pull the slide back - quite slowly. I roll the round in my hand and lift the slide stop lever with my thumb for the slide to lock back. I remove my weak hand from the ejection port, make sure I know where the round is (either in my hand or on the ground), check the chamber and extractor, and show clear. Release the slide, pull it back one more time and then go to "Hammer down, holster".

I take it quite slowly, so the whole process may take some 10 seconds or so.

(Note: Having read some of the posts, I may have to reconsider the roll-the-round-into-my-hand practice.)

IMHO, taking the weak hand off the ejection port is vital. In a match last weekend, a friend of mine got DQed - pulled the slide back, but didn't go all the way and didn't lock it back. The round got stuck in the extractor, but couldn't be seen under my friend's hand. Both my friend and the RO saw the chamber clear only to be surprised by the BANG! on "Hammer down".

I've never seen an RO being more sorry about DQing someone - because he knew he'd also played some part in it. But the IPSC rules are quite clear on this, IIRC - the shooter's responsible.

[Clay1]

Thanks all for the input - I'll change my own routine some, thanks for sharing.

Rick

[Chuck Anderson]

You should consider changing your routine for another reason as well. Cupping your hand over the slide normally tends to cover some of the ejection port. I've seen dozens of times where, doing tap, rack this way, this has induced malfunctions. The ejecting round bounces off the hand and back into the port.

The theory, as I understand it, behind cupping the hand over was that it was stronger and a gross motor skill. The proponents said the slingshot technique was weak and dainty. If you do it incorrectly it is. Use the same cupped over the top grip and turn it 180 degrees. You still get a full grip but clear the ejection port.