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semi auto jam

6K views 21 replies 14 participants last post by  CLASS3NH 
#1 ·
OK , I'm sure this has been discussed on here, but I did a search and couldnt find anything specific. If there is, please guide me to it..
I'm a wheelie guy. I do like the idea of having more rounds you get with a semi auto. But I watch shows like "most shocking videos" and other video shows. I've seen too many times where the semi auto's jam up on the cop when he really needs it. Now these are seasoned ,well trained cops who are very familier with their gun. I'm sure they feel comfortable and confident in their weapon.
My question is, why does the gun jam when it may have never jammed up on the range ?(I'm assuming or he wouldnt be comfortable with it ). I've heard talk of having to pull the trigger "properly" or it'll jam..The reason for the concern is my daughter will be 18 next month. I've got her shooting my S&W 64-3 for when she's home alone. She shot my 642 and didnt like the "kick". I'd like to get her use to something shes comfortable with for when she's 21, but I'm having a hard time totally trusting semi autos. If they jam when you need em the most, well.......Am I wrong here?
 
#2 ·
The jamming gun is very unlikely in a reliable semi auto. I think the shows like to hype the bad or more difficult stories of action. I have had a total of 12 jams in my HK USP , even with 1,000's of rounds. Granted , not a combat condition. Both the jams were when the gun was new, and with FMJ trunicated bullets.
If semis jamming were common , PD's and military would still use revos.
 
#4 ·
I think, generally, a gun that's built to closer tolerances (e.g. Para Ordnance, Kimber) is more likely to "jam" when it gets dirty, and a gun that's built to looser tolerances can accumulate more dust, dirt and debris. before things get too gunked-up to operate properly.

I had a Para Carry 12 that would always experience a FTC after 80-100 rounds, but I put 1200 rounds through my GLOCK 30 without a single problem, and I've never had a FTC, FTF, FTE, or any Fs, in over 2000 rounds, through my S&W 910S. I always keep and carry my guns clean.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Debris and moisture is a carry gun worst nightmare. A LEO carry's his gun exposed to the elements and the tacos he ate for lunch.
Most people seem to think that cops are gun guys... it aint so. 99.9% of the LEO's job is not firearms related. Combine that with the boredom of lugging around a pistol everyday, a typical officer loses interest in the gun. It doesnt get taken care of like it should, and bad results happen. Jams do happen on the range...often with the guys who refuse to take car of their equipment and train. When it does happen on the range, its hardly news worthy and we dont hear about it.

The bottom line is, take care of your equipment, get good equipment, and it will take care of you everytime.
 
#22 ·
Most people seem to think that cops are gun guys... it aint so. 99.9% of the LEO's job is not firearms related. Combine that with the boredom of lugging around a pistol everyday, a typical officer loses interest in the gun. It doesnt get taken care of like it should, and bad results happen.

The bottom line is, take care of your equipment, get good equipment, and it will take care of you everytime.
I had an Uncle that was working for Somerville PD in Mass. I saw him one day, while at my grandmother's (his Mom) house, and noticed his S&W model 10 had an elastic band around the grips. I asked him what happened, and he told me he used the butt of the gun to break a small window, cracking the grips, and it was "no big problem" to him when I told him he should really change the grips (I was 22 yrs old and had my LTC at the time, and always carried a handgun for my particular profession)
He never replaced the grips until I got him another pair, so much to maintainance on his part. I'd never let my handguns or any of my weapons I own go like that, especially with my life on the line if I had to use it.
 
#7 ·
I need to correct you on one thing

You cannot tell just by watching Most Shocking Videos how familiar an officer is with their firearm or how well they maintain it. You can't make those assumptions. I've watched enough TV Shocking Video shows to know that.
A good semi-auto loaded with high quality factory ammo and the best quality magazines should be almost boringly reliable.
I have some semi~auto firearms that I cannot seem to cause to jam no matter what I do including shooting them upside down and devoid of lubrication.

Once a semi-auto has proved itself to be properly "fit" together and reliable then 85+% of all subsequent failures can be traced back to either the magazine or the ammo selection and most of the remainder to operator failure like limp wristing or a weak grip that eats up slide energy.

Buy best quality magazines and keep them in good condition.

One more thing. Do not base or judge the functional reliability of your self defense gun on how well it shoots cheap, imported, surplus, or lower quality dirty practice ammo.
There IS usually a reason WHY cheap ammo is so cheap.
That reason is because it is bulk produced and cranked out with less quality control and less attention paid to overall quality in general.
If it was every bit as good as the highest quality defensive ammo then it would cost same amount of money. it could have had poor storage conditions.
If you are shooting crappy practice ammo because it's inexpensive...great!
Saving money is great but, expect some various directly ammo related function failures.
 
#8 ·
As mentioned in various ways, the condition of the gun plays heavily upon how it does and will operate.

I have had one gun in particular, a Taurus PT-101, that has well over 20,000 rounds through it, and the only failures that I have experienced with it was a poorly finished magazine that I was breaking in. Once the magazine was corrected, it has been as flawless a performer as the gun has been.

As jeffkirchner stated, tight tolerances may have something to do with a guns reliability. With proper care, it should behave as well as some of its "looser" counterparts.
 
#9 ·
I watched a guy get his neck bit by a horse one time on one of those
shows and he died from the wound. How often does that happen? Well, I'll tell you it don't happen very often, but if a horse come after me I'd like to have a nice 1911 in my hand.
 
#10 ·
In the past, I think semi auto's were less reliable. These days I think that certain makes, are more reliable than others. My S&W 3rd generation semi auto's have been the most reliable followed by my HK's, and Beretta. The Kimbers I owned were the least reliable.

If you keep your semi auto lubed and clean, and use quality ammo, that you have fired at least 200 rounds of, through your semi auto, with no problems, you should be fine. Hope this helps. Regards 18DAI.
 
#11 ·
I'll Relate what one of the armorers told me from the local PD

99.95% of the cops are not gun people

2 years ago during review and change out of some gear they found 2 guns rusted shut that they had to beat it open with hammer

1 with a broken firing pin the officer didnt know about

2 sets of handcuffs rusted shut

and my fav

a Guy and Female officer both had been on the force 2 years plus who didnt know how to load and unload a remington 870

Also same female officer they took her gun apart a sig for her in a normal break down for cleaning and told her to put it back together she broke down into tears as she didnt know how to


SO this long winded reply tells ya some cops dont take care of there gear
 
#12 ·
while this is true, average people are no better either. Bottom line if you take care of your equipment it will 99% of the time not fail.
 
#13 ·
Hmm, very enlightning answers. You'd think a cop would keep his gun in top shape. I clean my gun every time I shoot it.
I'm sure the malfunctions are rare with a properly maintained gun,( and good ammo ) but I am hearing on here of "limp wrist" etc. I know my revolver is going to go bang when I pull the trigger.
I love the thought of the XD9SC and think it would be perfect for my daughter. But someone young realizing the importance of the maintanace thing ( like changing the oil in the car ) may be too much to expect..
 
#14 ·
Wheel guns can lock up as easy or easier in some cases. (more openings). Best to teach em how to and drill into em the importance of having a clean working gun.
 
#17 ·
Yeah, saw a PD wheelie once. Rusted shut with lint, debis and who knows what. Officer never unholstered it to clean it ever, apparently.
Also saw a 10/22 a guy had. rusted up so bad it was pitted and looked real bad. found out after the fact he threw it in the trash, cause it was rusty.
 
#18 ·
Ill just chime in that an auto will by nature " jam " more than a revolver thro the course of life of the gun , a lot more can go wrong with an auto .
Howeaver almost all auto jams are quickly and easily fixed by simple drills . Almost all revolver jams puts you out for the count , be it a high primer or a bullet that walked foreward , if it goes down it takes time to fix. I can practice malfunction drills and reloads , but i cannot practice a stick and hammer to even open the cyllinder under fire .
 
#19 ·
She needs to shoot both & make her choice. I've shot the 64/640s extensively, and the 1911 and Glock. Generally, for anyone with more than minimal interest in firearms, who has reasonable consideration for personal safety, the auto has too many advantages not to own, barring some physiological inability to operate one. If she likes an auto, let her get an auto. Either way, buy her a WWB value pack once a month and tell her to go use it up- she'll "figure out how to use it" in short order.:wink:

Doyou know anyone who won't drive a standard or automatic transmission? Same thing. At this stage, both are well proven platforms, and barring a bad manufacturer, both are equally reliable, in all but a few tool-specifically prejudiced circumstances.
 
#20 ·
Either way, buy her a WWB value pack once a month and tell her to go use it up- she'll "figure out how to use it" in short order.
Best advise of the thread imho . I shoulda thought of that lol .
 
#21 ·
Most shocking videos and other such shows are pretty much lying to viewers when they say certain things happen; some are true and some are not true.

On another forum (I think) an LEO was talking about a video, that had been used on one of those shows, that had come from his department. Well, apparently the video was never recorded with sound but when it showed up on TV it had all sorts of "Officer and dispatch transmissions" along with all those "excellent" sound effects.

I forget what CC member said it but they blamed Hollywood as a leading cause of misrepresentation, misinformation and poor education of the public, as a whole. I feel they are right also.
 
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