Do you look at your gun when it malfunctions?

[ExactlyMyPoint]

I have always been taught to keep my attention focused on the threat. If the gun malfunctions, I should be able to clear it without looking at the gun.

However, in my recent class, and in my practicing, I always find myself looking at the gun to discover the source of the malfunction. It could be

1. Empty magazine
2. FTF
3. Stove pipe
4. Double feed
etc.

How do you know what to do unless you verify what the problem is? Isn't it faster to look at the gun and then clear the malfunction? Or am I missing something?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Kerbouchard]

99% of malfunctions will be cleared by the tap/rack method. The other 1 % will be cleared by a trip to the gunsmith.

Since I may not have the option of going to the gunsmith, I choose the tap/rack method instead.

[C9H13NO3]

I've been trained to.

Investigate then remediate.

If it's a stovepipe, sweep backward across the top of the slide. Anything else, tap rack bang. However, a tap rack bang will clear a stovepipe, and I've never seen a double feed in a pistol yet, so tap rack bang should work for just about any problem you'll ever have. It works. I doubt I would investigate in an actual situation.

[ExactlyMyPoint]

Just to clarify, I know HOW to clear a malfunction. The question is, if the gun does not fire, do you check the gun before you go through the clearing steps? For example, if the slide is locked back, you know you need a reload. If the gun looks "normal", a tap, rack and reassess is called for.

One instructor told me that I would know by feel that the magazine is empty as that last shot just doesn't feel the same. But when I was in a drill of moving backwards with rapid fire and the gun stops firing, I am not paying attention to the feel. I had a stovepipe on one occasion and a reload on another and I couldn't tell the difference. Without inspecting the gun, I really did not know what drill to perform.

[KenpoTex]

What are you doing with the weapon when it "clicks?" Are you keeping it up? dropping it down in front of you? what?

The way I use is to perform any manipulations (reload, IADs, etc.) with my elbow indexed on my floating-ribs and the gun at about chin height. This leaves the weapon in my cone of vision, but below my actual line of sight so that I can continue to keep eyes on the threat.

The tap-rack is so ingrained for me that I tend to tap as soon as I get a click unless I've been counting rounds and know it's time to reload (obviously, probably not going to be counting rounds in a gunfight). However, by the time I'm tapping, my elbow has already parked itself in the "manipulation" position and I can see (without actually focusing on the gun) whether the slide is back or not. At this point, either rack and get back in the fight, or reload and get back in the fight.

Worst case scenario, you do a tap-rack and realize that the slide is locked back so you reload. You've only lost about a second.

[Hopyard]

O.K. ::???? I know what rack means. What is the tap part of tap-rack?

[faithmyeyes]

Tap the bottom of the magazine to make sure it's fully seated.

[goldshellback]

Tap, rack, fight is ment to be done without looking. But if that dosn't work then your in trouble. Move and get to cover. Your gonna have to look at your sidearm at that point.


I think that's what you were getting when you posted the querry.

[BruceGibson]

My Glock never malfunctions.

[bandit383]

My Glock never malfunctions.

I got a chuckle out of that...to answer the question...in a threat situation/tactical, no....in shooting at a static range target...yes (mostly out of curiousity).

Rick

[OPFOR]

If my Sig ever does have a malfunction, I'll let you know...

Seriously, it's only ever malfunctioned once (other than when I've induced malfunctions myself), and I must admit that I did stop and look at it. It had never failed in upwards of 10,000 rounds (at least), so I was pretty surprised. When I am "expecting" malfunctions, I never look at the gun unless tap-rack-reevaluate fails. Then, I'm looking for a big wall to crawl behind...

[f8lranger4x4]

rack tap reasses

[roadsiderob]

Well, if it goes click but not bang=type one-Tap, rack, reassess.
If the trigger is dead (no click)-tilt the gun up and look:
Brass High=type 2 (stovepipe)-Tap, Rack/flip, reassess.
Brass Low=type 3 (doublefeed)-lock, strip, rack, rack, rack, reinsert, rack, reassess.
We practice these often at the range, including strong hand only and weak hand only.

[KenpoTex]

Brass Low=type 3 (doublefeed)-lock, strip, rack, rack, rack, reinsert, rack, reassess.

are you saying that you reinsert the same magazine that you just took out? If so, why not just use a fresh mag as the mag that was in the gun might have been what caused the problem (bent feed lips, etc.)

[Cupcake]

If my XD subcompact is limp-wristed and manages to stovepipe, it has usually fed a round. So if I tap-rack, then it double feeds because the extractor has not engaged the round in the chamber. I have to look at the gun to see if it is a stovepipe, or I'm really screwed because a double feed puts me out of the fight for way too long.

For the record, It's only done this the first time I shot it, which was the first time I fired a gun in years and years. It did it again, but only for my 10 y/o son. I've actually tried to limp wrist to make it happen so I could practice clearing it, but haven't been successful in making it malfunction.