Unload and Show Clear

[badchad]

Question inspired from the thread about racking the slide.

When ejecting the round in the chamber I pull the slide back with my left hand on the slide in front of the ejection port and extend my right hand fingers from the grip to catch the round. Is it dangerous and would I be better off pulling from the back of the slide and catching the round? Is there another safe way (preferably with style) that doesn’t require bending over and picking the round up from ground?

For what it’s worth, I learned my technique by watching the Supersquad video of the 05 Limited Nationals and it (and similar methods) seemed the preferred by almost all the big name shooters.

[A62335]

When I unload and show clear, I retract the slide with my left hand from under the dust cover, and use my right hand to support the pistol and catch the ejected round. I think its safer than racking the slide quickly and trying to catch the ejected round in the air like some of the more experienced shooters I've seen.

[al503]

I think there's always a slim chance that the bullet can get lodged in there with the ejector against the primer. Pull too hard and bad things might happen. Not worth the risk IMHO.

In terms rotating the gun gangsta style, racking it back and catching the round, I was told that releasing the slide and letting it slam into battery with an empty chamber wasn't a good thing. Most of us probably wouldn't do that enough to hurt anything though.

I just rack it back and let the round fall to the ground. I pick it up if I can see it.

[Rabe]

After having two instances of having a cartridge "fire" on ejection (two different guns) I would recommend just racking the slide and let the round eject. It is possible for the ejector to hit the primer just right if the exractor is a little loose. These were both 38 supers.

Its one of those it can happen things and picking brass shards from your hand can be messy not to mention that under current rules I believe it will be a DQ if it happens.

[open17]

I've seen 3 cases of "ejector fire", all on 40 S&W S_I guns. One case required surgery

to remove fragments of cartridge case from the shooters hand. All 3 cases resulted in

some degree of soiled shorts and powder burns.

Keep you hand away from the ejection port!

[vluc]

What is the big to-do about simply ejecting the round and letting it hit the ground? At the command unload and show clear, that is what I want you to do. Nothing more, nothing less.

As an RO, I grow weary of the fancy machinations, rack back catch in the air what a cool dude i am contortions to get a simple round out of a gun. That and those who absolutely cannot let the round touch the ground so no matter what I do, whatever hand I need to use, I must have that round.

[HoMiE]

... under current rules I believe it will be a DQ if it happens.

Not true...

10.4.3.1 Exception – a detonation, which occurs while unloading a handgun,

is not considered a shot or discharge subject to a match disqualification,

however, Rule 5.1.6 may apply.

Rule 5.1.6 says handgun must be serviceable and safe or withdrawn until made safe.

Edited August 12, 2008 by HoMiE

[JThompson]

... under current rules I believe it will be a DQ if it happens.

Not true...

10.4.3.1 Exception – a detonation, which occurs while unloading a handgun,

is not considered a shot or discharge subject to a match disqualification,

however, Rule 5.1.6 may apply.

Rule 5.1.6 says handgun must be serviceable and safe or withdrawn until made safe.

+1 for my man Homie.

Although as stated, it's not a good idea. I do it all the time in practice, but try and remember not to do it with an RO standing next to me. If I want to take a chance on fragging myself it's my business, but the RO shouldn't have to be subjected to it. I run the range cold even when practicing alone, so it gets old doing it any other way.

JT

[Genghis]

D*mn, I wish I was good enough so all I could learn from watching videos of GM's was how to unload and show clear with style!

[dajarrel]

if you must catch the round, you can pull the slide back slowly and the round should roll right out onto your strong hand laying in it's normal position. If you pull the slide back too quickly, it will eject in the normal fashion and go to ground.

Usually, I'm more concerned with my hits after a COF than catching the bullet.

The object is to unload the gun in a safe manner. I don't shoot the required 100,000 (or more) rounds a year required to look cool.....yet

be careful

dj

[Graham Smith]

I use the same method I learned to clear a jam. Rotate the gun counter-clockwise and pull back on the slide. The round falls to the ground in front of you.

[Flyin40]

I don't know one person I shoot with that catches the bullet to be cool and almost everyone does it. The idea behind it is when you shoot alot your going to constantly going to be unloading. Why bend down everytime for a round on the ground everytime you unload in a 2 hr practice. So if I shoot 500 rounds I might have to pick a round up off the ground 50 times. Why??? Racking the slide and flipping the bullet in the air is as safe as any other method that has been described. Some RO's like it, some don't. I'm doing it regardless and it has nothing to do with being cool.

Flyin

[larry cazes]

I don't know one person I shoot with that catches the bullet to be cool and almost everyone does it. The idea behind it is when you shoot alot your going to constantly going to be unloading. Why bend down everytime for a round on the ground everytime you unload in a 2 hr practice. So if I shoot 500 rounds I might have to pick a round up off the ground 50 times. Why??? Racking the slide and flipping the bullet in the air is as safe as any other method that has been described. Some RO's like it, some don't. I'm doing it regardless and it has nothing to do with being cool.

Flyin

Do what you want when you are practicing alone but if your on my stage that I am RO'ing, pull back the slide slowly and let the round hit the ground. You may feel it is safe to flip the round but most have experience that suggests otherwise. Don't subject me to the risk.

[kgunz11]

I roll my gun, slowly bring the slide back and let the round fall into my support hand. I then roll the gun back and show the RO it is safe and clear, let the slide go fwd and dry fire.

Is this an improper way?

[kgunz11]

You can see what I am talking about at the end of the 2nd stage in this video:

Edited August 12, 2008 by kgunz11

[Singlestack]

I don't know one person I shoot with that catches the bullet to be cool and almost everyone does it. The idea behind it is when you shoot alot your going to constantly going to be unloading. Why bend down everytime for a round on the ground everytime you unload in a 2 hr practice. So if I shoot 500 rounds I might have to pick a round up off the ground 50 times. Why??? Racking the slide and flipping the bullet in the air is as safe as any other method that has been described. Some RO's like it, some don't. I'm doing it regardless and it has nothing to do with being cool.

Flyin

I disagree that it is "as safe" as any other method. If you tilt the gun so the ejection port is facing up, a round can slip off the extractor and jam the primer into the ejector.

If I show you a video of an ejector fire would you change your mind about it being safe?

[Flyin40]

It all comes down to unload and show clear. The competitor unloads and competitor shows clear, there not much more than that unless some rule changes are made. Most of the detonations I know of and seen are from doing it slowly. The round has a chance to get away from the extractor.

Most of the time I don't flip the ejection port up, its sideways and I catch the round at gun height off to the side.

We'll just agree to disagree.

Flyin

Edited August 12, 2008 by Flyin40

[TM262]

Don't be fooled, ejector fire does happen! It happened to me and I was not going for the cool points. All of the style points in the world are not worth one malfunction that could lend itself to injury or a DQ for unsafe gun handling. As for picking up the extra rounds, I'm sure we could all use a few extra knee-bends.

FWIW - I was not doing it slowly, I was in the middle of a stage trying to clear a jam. I was lucky and no one was hurt, but my shirt was covered with copper jacket that flew out of the ejection port from the .40 S&W round.

[shred]

Lefties with slide rackers have the option to roll the gun 90 to the right, hook their right thumb around the racker and slowly drop the round into their right hand.

I guess everybody else is SOL :D

[Flyin40]

Lefties with slide rackers have the option to roll the gun 90 to the right, hook their right thumb around the racker and slowly drop the round into their right hand.

I guess everybody else is SOL :D

Yep, thats why I don't have to tilt the gun, I'm a lefty too.

Flyin

[Scout454]

Shred,

Hold the gun with your index and middle fingers along the slide, muzzle slightly elevated.

Tilt the gun 25-30 degrees from vertical. i.e., to the left.

Ease the slide back.

Round drops on your fingers.

After showing clear, ease the slide forward and either reach over and pick up the round or drop it into your weak hand palm.

Works with my open gun, limited gun, even the Glock.

I've done this long enough that I've had 7 shooters blow rounds up while I was ROing. 3 were fat rounds that were cleared incorrectly, 4 were hotdogs snapping the slide back to catch the round. It doesn't impress anyone. It pisses RO's off.

[shred]

Shred,

Hold the gun with your index and middle fingers along the slide, muzzle slightly elevated.

Tilt the gun 25-30 degrees from vertical. i.e., to the left.

Ease the slide back.

Round drops on your fingers.

After showing clear, ease the slide forward and either reach over and pick up the round or drop it into your weak hand palm.

Works with my open gun, limited gun, even the Glock.

I've done this long enough that I've had 7 shooters blow rounds up while I was ROing. 3 were fat rounds that were cleared incorrectly, 4 were hotdogs snapping the slide back to catch the round. It doesn't impress anyone. It pisses RO's off.

Hm.. I guess the round lands on top of the side of your trigger finger? That would work, but is going to be a less positive capture for me.

[Crusher]

I have a "routine" I eject the round and let it fall to the ground. It's a "SACRIFICE" to the "BRASS & BULLET GODS" ( fill in the name). When I practice the gun never goes dry, ULSC if for a match.

Sometimes at the locals others will come and snatch that "Brass God" round and shoot it over a chrono "just because". It brings bad Ju-Ju their way but no worries from me as I KNOW the PF.

[HSMITH]

I have seen a couple detonations and all of them were done clearing the gun slowly or clearing a jam. I flip the round in the air and if it is convenient to catch I catch it, if it isn't I donate it to the range. When I do this the ejection port is vertical, this moves it AWAY from the RO and AWAY from me, the muzzle is also slightly down, this is as much clearance from bad things as an RO and I are going to get if something should go wrong.

I will continue to flip it into the air until a rule is written to prevent me from doing it, it is the safest method I have found for me and for the RO.

[SA Friday]

OK, so to sum it all up; short of letting the round fall to the ground you might upset the occasional RO. I've seen rounds pop off hitting a rock on the ground after being ejected too....

For me, unload how ever you want, but if you cup your hand over the ejection port to catch the round I'm taking a step back. That's the most likely to pop a round off on the ejector IMO. Everything else is fairly safe. If you are going to catch the round, just don't swing the gun around like a magic wand while doing it.