Is it common to have FTE w/mag removed?

[JAYBIRD78]

I'm new to semi-auto handguns. I recently purchased a XD45 Service and I just think it's great. However as I practice more with this fine weapon I decided to fire it with the magazine removed to see what the results were. It fired fine and I hit the target fine, but every time I did this it failed to eject the empty case from the ejection port. Is this normal? Do other pistols do the same? A little knowledge would be most welcomed.

 

[Otto Mattik]

Sure, some do. That round coming up or the mag follower is an incentive for the empty to go OUT instead of down or nowhere.
It puts a lil pressure on the extracting round on some guns.

 

[JohnKSa]

I've heard one person claim that every Glock he's ever fired without a magazine in place has ejected the empty down the magazine well...

I keep forgetting to try it when I'm at the range.

 

[Manedwolf]

The only one I'd done that accidentally with was the tiny Jetfire, and yes, it indeed stovepiped if the mag wasn't in place.

 

[KALIFORNIST]

It depends on the pistols design but I have had alot of pistols eject down instead of out.I dont mind how it gets out in this case as long as it does.I test this with every pistol to see what would happen if I hit the mag release in a scuffle and had to get that last round off before I could reload.One thing I did notice was that pistols that were designed with a magazine safety tend to have this problem more then ones that dont.(I cant stand a mag safety and I usually disable them if they are easy to disable).

 

[Otto Mattik]

KALIFORNIST.... I just last year RE-connected my BHP mag safety. It's a BITCH if you ever use a disconnected one for self defense. You've already lost the court case in that situation.

I don't like em, but the actual BREAK of the trigger isn't affected at all by the safety.

I ..do... have a great trigger job on the Browning.

The only difference is in learning to ignore the minor skritchies on the pull before the actual pull portion.

 

[Manedwolf]

Otto, I suspect that's likely only an issue in the PRK. I've never heard of such an in-depth investigation of a gun used in self defense elsewhere.

Here, if it's a good shoot, they...uh...give you back your gun.

 

[IdahoG36]

XD's will not eject the shell casing properly with the mag removed. It will either fall out of the grip or jam sideways in the slide.

 

[JAYBIRD78]

Fair enough....question answered

Thanks for the input.

 

[Rimrod]

It's that nasty little thing called gravity. The extractor grabs the case near the top so the ejector can knock it out of the ejection port. Without the magazine in place there is nothing holding the case when it leaves the chamber except for the extractor and gravity pulls it downward.

 

[tegemu]

Otto, I've seen comments from a lot of guys, some attorneys that any modification to a gun, as long as it's legal, will not affect a court case. It can be argued that disconnecting the Mag Safety on a BHP improves the safety of the pistol.

 

[pgg]

I've fired a few of my guns without the magazine. I've noticed that my Glocks tend to eject the empty down the magazine well. My 1911's haven't had any problems (yet). I haven't tried it with the HKs yet.

 

[KALIFORNIST]

while I understand the concept of a modified pistol being used against a person I haven't actually read anything on actual cases where the jury later said that was a deciding factor(though I would love to read one)and would rather have it go bang with that one round if the mag gets dumped then not at all.