Major oops. We had our annual qualifier test today. As I was transitioning from one magazine to another, I neglected to make sure my new magazine was properly seated. When the buzzer went off and as I was bringing my PPQ up, my new magazine went flying down the range. Rather embarrassing but at least I didn’t try and go get it. One of the deputies started reaching for me to stop me trying to get it before he realized I was holstering my PPQ while trying to not look foolish. Sigh. But good reminder for everyone to double check your magazine.

That being said, I do have JLJones’ suggestion about placing your thumb behind the back of the slide and pushing down when bolstering gun down. I think it is a great safety tip he gave out some time ago.

I don't know what gun they were shooting, but I have watched someones slide, barrel, and recoil spring rocket down the range bay.

I have not seated a magazine properly more than once. usually it is due to a full mag, and a loaded chamber.

i have noticed over the years that some models are VERY difficult to seat a FULLY loaded magazine.

especially when you are reloading under pressure -- ie for speed -- with the slide forward

people mock it -- but it is one of the rationales behind downloading a round in the reload mags.

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It happens. Worse is someone trying to blaze out of the holster faster than they can control themselves and sending the whole gun flying downrange.

My spare mags tend to be extended or have serious pads on them so that I can give them a good seating.

Yep, having the magazine drop out after a reload (especially a tactical magazine exchange where the first magazine is retained) is a pretty common experience with the police academy cadets I teach, and still not all that uncommon when running quals for more experienced officers. Stems from not using enough force to fully seat the magazine when inserting it.

With a few exceptions (such as certain specific handgun models like the 1911, and when using an extended magazine without a mechanical overtravel barrier), you're not going to be able to exert enough force with your two hands to hurt it or cause malfunctions, or overcome the overinsertion prevention geometry. Basically, you can't insert it (by hand) too hard on modern duty handguns using properly sized factory magazines. So hit that magazine like it owes you money.

The part about the instructor automatically reaching out to stop you from bending down made me laugh. It's an automatic response from me too just about every time as well, because at least 50% of folks with try to do just that out of instinct when they drop something on the firing line. Even when you've just gone over the range rules that state "Do not bend down on the firing line".

If that happens again, rather than holstering, I'd recommend slapping in another loaded magazine and trying to finish the string of fire (provided that doesn't violate your agency's range rules). That's what you'd need to do if it were a real world gunfight and your magazine fell out unexpectedly. Train like you'll fight.

It is still one of my favorite operator errors during time pressure competitions.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RichardC,

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
...If that happens again, rather than holstering, I'd recommend slapping in another loaded magazine and trying to finish the string of fire (provided that doesn't violate your agency's range rules). That's what you'd need to do if it were a real world gunfight and your magazine fell out unexpectedly. Train like you'll fight.

^^^
Good point, I should have done that. Because of my error, everyone got to be watch me shoot the drill by myself afterwords. I did shoot the best and got a compliment for a nice group so I guess there is that.

I also learned that Walther makes good magazines. No rounds came out and no damage to the magazine.

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:

That being said, I do have JLJones’ suggestion about placing your thumb behind the back of the slide and pushing down when bolstering gun down. I think it is a great safety tip he gave out some time ago.

This is one of those things that has disappeared in the era of precision molded kydex, striker guns, and exaggerated, theatrical range movements. I believe the practice dates at least to double action pistols as a method to ensure the gun was decocked and to avoid knocking the slide out of battery when holstering, especially into a leather duty holster. I still teach and practice thumb on the back of the slide. I think it's a sound, smart, safe practice that ensures the finger is out of the trigger guard (by changing grip), ensures the slide is not accidentally pressed out of battery, and ensures that retention devices (such as Safariland ALS) are reengaged.

The "thumb break strap sweep", fortunately, is dead and gone for most of us, though...

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
The part about the instructor automatically reaching out to stop you from bending down made me laugh. It's an automatic response from me too just about every time as well, because at least 50% of folks with try to do just that out of instinct when they drop something on the firing line. Even when you've just gone over the range rules that state "Do not bend down on the firing line".

If I may, why is it bad to bend over on the firing line to pick something up at your feet?
I know it sounds like the OP's mag went down rang a bit but please educate me about bending over on the line. Ty.

I'm far from an expert but I saw a youtube clip about pointers and the guy said he always tugs on the magazine after slapping it in. I'm not sure if that includes when he's doing it on a reload on the fly but he was clear about doing it at the start.

quote:

Originally posted by dsiets:
If I may, why is it bad to bend over on the firing line to pick something up at your feet?
I know it sounds like the OP's mag went down rang a bit but please educate me about bending over on the line. Ty.

For a few reasons, all of which basically comes down to increased chances of a safety mishap. (Especially with inexperienced shooters, like police academy cadets.)

Bending over at the firing line can put your torso and head potentially in line with the gun of the shooter next to you when they're drawing/holstering.

Bending over or reaching forward can put you forward of the firing line.

Folks who fumble and drop something tend to be focusing on retrieving what they dropped, and that they just screwed up, rather than minding where their own gun is pointing.


As a result, at either of the law enforcement ranges where I instruct, one of the standard rules is that you're not allowed to bend down to retrieve anything until the line is cold and you're given the go-ahead by an instructor.

That "ooops" means you owe yourself a minimum of 500 repetitions on your reload//magazine insertion.

Thanks Rogue. I had never heard that before.

I was standing at the line at Front Sight 3 years ago getting ready for the malfunction part of the qualification test and my pistol actually fell out of my holster and bounced off my boot.... and landed beside the range officer getting ready to watch me. It don't get much more embarrassing than that.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I'm far from an expert but I saw a youtube clip about pointers and the guy said he always tugs on the magazine after slapping it in. I'm not sure if that includes when he's doing it on a reload on the fly but he was clear about doing it at the start.

I always do that.

Yeah, if time doesn't matter, that's can be a good idea to double-check. But I've just trained to Incredible Hulk the mag into the magwell on my handguns, so checking isn't really necessary.

However, I do that every time when reloading an AR anyway. A push-pull is easy to do with the "beer can grip" on AR magazines, and unlike handgun mags, doesn't add any appreciable time to the reload. (And unlike modern handguns, it's entirely possible to overinsert some AR magazines, so you don't want to slam those in quite as hard.)