g.willikers
New member
^^^
Another vote for that method.
Want isometric exercise?
Go to the gym.
Another vote for that method.
Want isometric exercise?
Go to the gym.
So how many times do you "rack" the slide unloading or checking a pistol
- Thread starter Lohman446
- Start date
HK P-30 V3, Sig 226, Sphinx SDP, Steyr L9-A1, and Walther PPQ M1 all in 9mm. Only the Walther manual says not to do it because of safety reasons. No different than all but the Sig's saying not to slap the magazine in hard enough to release the slide automatically for safety. Same as all of them saying not to use reloads for safety. It's done seldom and I know quite a few others who do the same thing.
I'm suprised anyone has even made a comment on the process. I get far more wear from the many thousand rounds I shoot throughout the year in these guns. I do appreciate the concern though.
Uncle Malice
New member
Yep. This.
It's actually very hard on the extractor and can chip the lip off of the extractor - which is designed for the rim of the case to slide up under it, rather than pop over it as is the case with slamming the slide home on a chambered round.
I actually used to do this method as well when I started shooting... then a well-respected gunsmith jumped down my throat about it. It can be dangerous, especially on a carry gun, because you likely won't know the extractor is chipped until you shoot it.
Not a good practice to follow.
When I rack the slide I make sure I turn three times, spit, and curse.
Nah but really I drop the magazine, rack the slide and lock it back, visually inspect, and then do a feel check with my finger along the breach face and the chamber entrance. At some point, like the feel check, you're just adding redundancy (although it does serve to slow you down). I get the idea of racking multiple times if you have a stuck case or a loose extractor, but in my experience it usually comes out the first time or I need to knock it out with a dowel. If you develop your own habit that's fine though. Just please don't be as rigid as batters in the MLB.
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Nah but really I drop the magazine, rack the slide and lock it back, visually inspect, and then do a feel check with my finger along the breach face and the chamber entrance. At some point, like the feel check, you're just adding redundancy (although it does serve to slow you down). I get the idea of racking multiple times if you have a stuck case or a loose extractor, but in my experience it usually comes out the first time or I need to knock it out with a dowel. If you develop your own habit that's fine though. Just please don't be as rigid as batters in the MLB.
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Crankylove
New member
This ^^^^^^
Darkstar888
New member
So how many times do you "rack" the slide unloading or checking a pistol
Thanks for backing me up on that one. Especially with the scolding you got from a gunsmith who should no best. I used to think it was ok cuz I saw Riggs so it with his Beretta in Lethal Weapon when he was about to off himself. Glad I learned better before I even got a pistol as I don't want to do anything that "could" cause unnecessary damage. I also don't let a slide slam home on an empty chamber. And even started using snap caps for dry fire. I know it's probably not necessary but I figure why not?
If he wants to continue doing it that's totally fine. It may not have caused damage in 20 years of doing it but could happen tomorrow or the next day. Why take the chance. Especially as you said he likely won't know until it fails to extract and can only hope that doesn't happen when his life depends on it.
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Yep. This.
It's actually very hard on the extractor and can chip the lip off of the extractor - which is designed for the rim of the case to slide up under it, rather than pop over it as is the case with slamming the slide home on a chambered round.
I actually used to do this method as well when I started shooting... then a well-respected gunsmith jumped down my throat about it. It can be dangerous, especially on a carry gun, because you likely won't know the extractor is chipped until you shoot it.
Not a good practice to follow.
Thanks for backing me up on that one. Especially with the scolding you got from a gunsmith who should no best. I used to think it was ok cuz I saw Riggs so it with his Beretta in Lethal Weapon when he was about to off himself. Glad I learned better before I even got a pistol as I don't want to do anything that "could" cause unnecessary damage. I also don't let a slide slam home on an empty chamber. And even started using snap caps for dry fire. I know it's probably not necessary but I figure why not?
If he wants to continue doing it that's totally fine. It may not have caused damage in 20 years of doing it but could happen tomorrow or the next day. Why take the chance. Especially as you said he likely won't know until it fails to extract and can only hope that doesn't happen when his life depends on it.
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Be careful with this practice. If the round shifts, doesn't exit the port cleanly, and your hand slips off the slide, the extractor edge can set off a primer, and you will have a small bomb in your hand. Rack the slide open and let that live round fall to the floor.
Anyway, when I unload or pick up a gun, mag out, rack two or 3 times, lock open, visually inspect and use a pinky to inspect by feel.
Or never, that's an option too. I know smiths that freak out with dry firing ANY gun. I'm still doing it except for my rim fires. I also know a smith who does not like seeing the mag inserted and released over and over again. Guess what, I'm doing that still.
Since I press check before I carry, a broken extractor would be caught.
Independent George
New member
Just once, but I always lock the slide back and inspect visually and physically.
I'm not sure what I'd do with a gun without a slide lock, though (like the Beretta Nano); maybe three times?
I'm not sure what I'd do with a gun without a slide lock, though (like the Beretta Nano); maybe three times?
Not necessarily. A friend and fellow LEO had a chipped extractor in a Glock. When you slowly pulled the slide back, the round came with it. When you fired the gun, the extractor pulled the empty casing awkwardly because only a tiny sliver of what was left of the claw was contacting the rim and caused stovepipe after stovepipe. Took us a while to figure out what it was, but sure enough.........
Just out of curiosity, I would like to ask a question of those whose practice it is to rack the slide several times.
Why do you do it? In case the first or second time did not extract and eject a chambered round?
If so, how often has it happened that racking the slide once left a round chambered in your pistol? And if that happened, wouldn't you see that when you locked the slide back and checked the chamber?
Why do you do it? In case the first or second time did not extract and eject a chambered round?
If so, how often has it happened that racking the slide once left a round chambered in your pistol? And if that happened, wouldn't you see that when you locked the slide back and checked the chamber?
For me the first time ejects the round and the second time inspects and verifies the empty chamber (you know in case I had forgotten to drop the magazine or something?). I assume it carries over to doing it twice with an empty firearm out of habit. I noticed it as an oddity