Clearing Malfunctions (semi-auto)

This is a topic that most people think they always know until they actually have to employ it at the range, during shooting courses or even in a life or death situation.   These are the steps to clear the different malfunctions shooters can face while operating a semi-auto handgun.  It is best to practice these clearing methods using dummy ammunition to get the feel of it before you actually have to encounter this with live ammunition.  If any of these malfunctions ever take place at the range and you are uncertain of how to clear them, ask the range safety officer for assistance.

 

Malfunction Resolutions Employing Tap, Invert, Rack and Assess: 

1. Remove your trigger finger from the trigger.
2. Tap the base of the magazine with the support hand to ensure it is properly seated in the pistol.
3. Invert the pistol by rotating toward the thumb of the shooting hand.  Rack the slide vigorously one time by pulling it all the way to the rear.
4. Release the slide forward.
5. Assess the target to determine if it still constitutes a deadly threat. 

Failure to Fire (Type 1 Malfunction) - A failure to fire can occur die to a cartridge defect, such as improperly seated or defective primer, or magazine that is not seated fully in the frame, which will prevent the slide from stripping and chambering the top cartridge.  There are two methods to use to clear this failure.  First, remove your trigger finger away from the trigger.  keep the pistol down range, remove the magazine, elevate the muzzle slightly, rack the slide to the rear and forward at least 3 times and observe the chamber to verify the cartridge has been removed.  The second method is the immediate action drill called tap, rack and assess.

Failure to Eject (Type 2 Malfunction) -  The fired case is extracted at least partially from the chamber, but is not completely ejected from the pistol.  The fired case may remain inside the slide, possibly becoming jammed into the chamber, or it may be partially protruding out of the ejection port.  These are commonly referred to as stove pipe or partial ejection. 


To clear this malfunction for the purpose of defensive shooting: remove the trigger finger from the trigger.  Reach over the top of the pistol with the support hand and forcibly sweeping that hand rearward along the top of the slide from a point halfway down the barrel back toward the body.  The support  hand contacts the protruding case at the knuckle of the forefinger and rips the case out of the ejection port and to the rear.  At the same time, the shooting hand also thrusts the pistol forward.  As the case is stripped, the support hand returns to its position encircling the firing hand.  Be careful to keep the support hand from the muzzle and keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction.


To clear this malfunction while shooting at the range: remove your trigger finger away from the trigger.  keep the pistol down range, remove the magazine, elevate the muzzle slightly, rack the slide to the rear and forward at least 3 times and observe the chamber to verify the cartridge has been removed.

Feedway Stoppage (Type 3 Malfunction) - Double Feed, Extractor gummed or broken guide rods, Extractor does not get a good grip on the spent cartridge, Chamber remains blocked.  To clear this malfunction, first try the immediate action drill called tap, rack and assess.  If this fails to clear the firearm, remove your trigger finger away from the trigger.  keep the pistol down range, remove the magazine, elevate the muzzle slightly, rack the slide to the rear and forward at least 3 times and observe the chamber to verify the cartridge has been removed.

Failure to go into battery (Type 4 Malfunction) - This stoppage occurs when the slide does not return all the way forward and the cartridge is not fully seated in the chamber.  Most commonly this stoppage is caused by a round that is jammed on the feed ramp leading into the camber, an over-sized or over-length cartridge, or an excessively dirty chamber.  Other causes could be a bad chamber design, weak guide spring dirty guide rails or guide rod.  To resolve the malfunction, remove you finger from the trigger and hit the rear of the slide sharply with the heel of your support hand.  If this does not resolve the issue, retract the slide forcefully to clear the jammed cartridge. 

 Failure to Drop Magazine - There can be several reasons the magazine will fail to release.  Most often a defective magazine (such as one that has a defective follower or is deformed so that it wedges inside the magazine well) is the cause.  An empty magazine that does not drop free of the firearm during the course of a defensive shooting situation must be immediately removed.  The immediate action drill is to engage the protruding tongue of the magazine floor plate with the fingers of the support hand (the non-shooting hand) and, with the magazine release button depressed, sharply pull the magazine out of the firearm.