Safety question.

[K191145]

Hope it's not a silly question. When I clear a semi-auto handgun, eject the mag., keep the muzzle in a safe direction and eject the chambered round, I have always cupped my fingers over the ejection port and caught the round instead of letting it hit the floor. I'm not scared or worried it will fire if it hits the floor i've just always caught the round. I can do that with no problems in a safe way but I have heard some people say that's dangerous, it's hard for me to see how though. I actually heard one youtuber say the round could go back in the port and the primer hit the ejector and discharge. Really?

Does anyone else catch their round when clearing the semi-auto?

[Truckie]

Good Question and I do not know official answer....

Having said that, My opinion is you only get 2 Hands and 10 Fingers... cant really replace them... Why even take the chance??

[K191145]

Good Question and I do not know official answer....

Having said that, My opinion is you only get 2 Hands and 10 Fingers... cant really replace them... Why even take the chance??

 

That's the thing though, I don't see it as dangerous myself, some do though. It would really be a freak thing for it to discharge and also I lock the slide back so it's not slamming forward. I just brought it up because I have heard a few people say it's dangerous.

[Jonnin]

Its perfectly safe.   Some people treat guns with a kindergarten teacher mentality -- if you run with that pencil your shoes will become untied, causing you to face plant and impale yourself through the eye sorts of unrealistic scenarios.  

 

Let it fall out the mag well or port and catch it with enough distance that your hand does not push it back in.  Its not difficult to do this, nor dangerous.  The bullet won't defy gravity and fly back up into the gun.  I promise.

[JPS]

I eject it about a foot straight up in the air and catch it, like the guys in the movies...  (Not really.)

 

I cup my hand over the slide and tip the gun so that it pops into my hand.- never had a problem or concern.

[Omega]

I don't try to catch it most times, I just turn it and eject onto the bench. The only issue I see is that you will have to use an awkward grip and the weapon or slide may slip out of your hand. I suppose if the slide or something hit the primer it could detonate but the same could be said of a live round ejected onto the gravel. But like I said, I normally don't try and catch a live round, I usually have a towel or mat handy on the bench to catch it.

[K191145]

I eject it about a foot straight up in the air and catch it, like the guys in the movies...  (Not really.)

 

I cup my hand over the slide and tip the gun so that it pops into my hand.- never had a problem or concern.

 

That's what I do, I always lock the slide back, just a habit, I do it without thinking about it. Actually the youtuber was an old Yeager video who said it was potentially dangerous. I have heard a few others though. 

[chances R]

It is not dangerous IF you catch the round cleanly.  But if it slides back into the ejection port it could be struck by the ejector, and then there is a problem.  Also, if during a match you muzzle yourself or otherwise have poor muzzle control  it could be a DQ.  So why risk it.  If on your own and you want....have at it.  But otherwise the safest thing to do is just pick the round up off the ground.

[glowdotGlock]

I cup my hand over the slide and tip the gun so that it pops into my hand.- never had a problem or concern.

Same here. I do it so often that I had to stop and think for a min while reading the OP. Never had any problems.

[DaveTN]

I drop it into my hand, I know it is in my hand because I have feeling in my hand and I can feel it.

[peejman]

I eject it about a foot straight up in the air and catch it, like the guys in the movies... (Not really.)

I cup my hand over the slide and tip the gun so that it pops into my hand.- never had a problem or concern.

I try the flip it in the air thing. Sometimes I catch it, sometimes not. When I miss, I pick it up.

[DWARREN123]

Just eject it on something soft, problem gone.

[Possumslayer]

Always clear the chamber by shooting the last round at a cat.....your welcome.

[K191145]

I mainly got the habit of dumping it into my hand because I have a bad lower back and don't like picking things up off the ground. Well a little of that and being a lazy a$$ also.  :)

 

So is there any record anywhere of a round discharging because the person was catching the round in their hand when clearing their pistol? That is the question.

[Possumslayer]

I mainly got the habit of dumping it into my hand because I have a bad lower back and don't like picking things up off the ground. Well a little of that and being a lazy a$$ also. :)

So is there any record anywhere of a round discharging because the person was catching the round in their hand when clearing their pistol? That is the question.

or where the round hit an object on the ground and fired?

[K191145]

or where the round hit an object on the ground and fired?

 

True also. BUT, I might be careful not to drop a rimfire cartridge on a concrete surface. Saw a video where a guy put a .22LR in a drinking straw, tossed it high in the air over an asphalt street and it discharged. Doubt it would do that from waist height.

 

Here it is.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4FQgrU2fYk

Edited March 17, 2016 by K191145

[chances R]

just read an article, complete with pictures of such mishaps.  Deleted after read.  If I find it will post.  My biggest concern is muzzle awareness - especially if you are at a match.  Time and money spent to get DQ'd for a 10 cent round.

[Sidecarist]

I have done this for many years. I believe that yes the round can detonate. It is far more likely with guns like a 1911 that are (or may be)fitted with an extended ejector that has a profile that can act as a firing pin.

Not many pistols use ejector shaped like this...

Think about rimfire guns. By design they have to have the ejector contact the rim where the primer is contained. I have never heard of a rimfire going off when unloading a live round.

Is it possible? Yes. Is it likely? No.

You decide if the risk requires a change in your habits.

[tercel89]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMpwne18bJg

 

HAHAHAHAHA

[K191145]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMpwne18bJg

 

HAHAHAHAHA

 

What would be really cool is if you could do like the late great Tom Knapp did with a shotgun, eject the spent case and shoot it with the next round before it hits the ground. Do that with a semi-auto pistol and you would really be a bad a$$.  :)

 

UGG, of course you would have to be turning 90+ degrees with each shot, better not have an audience.