Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
Would you buy a Semi Auto handgun that automatically dropped an empty mag?
and locked the slide back?
and locked the slide back?
Semi Auto with Semi..
- Thread starter Brian Williams
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creeper1956
Member
Ahhhhh... no. I can't see a situation where that'd be a good idea... but it's 4:30 in the morning and I don't know why I'm up either. 
Why... are you pondering such a thing?
Why... are you pondering such a thing?
bannockburn
Member
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No, not really.
OP
OP
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
In a heated combat situation with the mag empty and dropped with the slide locked back, insert full mag and release slide and you are ready to rock. Think M1 Garand en-bloc in a handgun.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
The drawback that I see is that the defender may not realize that the gun has run dry and ejected the clip/magazine. With the M1, it was out the top...in your face. With a pistol, it would be out the bottom and out of your line of sight. I think I'd prefer to stick to the habit of reloading before the gun runs dry if and when the opportunity presents itself.
1911 guy
Member
Would the automatic release interfere with the ability to eject the magazine at will?
Would the automatic slide release interfere with the ability to lock it to the rear manually?
I'm thinking administrative drills and immediate action drills here.
Would the automatic slide release interfere with the ability to lock it to the rear manually?
I'm thinking administrative drills and immediate action drills here.
creeper1956
Member
I've shot plenty of pistol matches, but in truth, my mindset was more about cutting times and reducing misses. I've never been in a (real) heated combat situation with a handgun... and the idea of not being in control of a guns functions causes my teeth to grind involuntarily.
I would be interested in trying a gun like that, perhaps through a season of IDPA or one of the host of gun schools.
The concerns I have off the top of my head: Even though it's slower, taking things step by step ensures that those steps get done (Adjust grip, drop mag, readjust, insert, release slide). In a dark alley, I would hate to go to insert a new magazine into an auto that was supposed to automatically drop the empty, only to find the drop hadn't occurred. Inventing new malfunction drills in that situation would be... not fun.
The concerns I have off the top of my head: Even though it's slower, taking things step by step ensures that those steps get done (Adjust grip, drop mag, readjust, insert, release slide). In a dark alley, I would hate to go to insert a new magazine into an auto that was supposed to automatically drop the empty, only to find the drop hadn't occurred. Inventing new malfunction drills in that situation would be... not fun.
Yeah, that would be really cool - until it malfunctioned. All of my 1911s have had the slide stop modified so that the slide stop will never lock the slide unless you put your thumb under it and manually lock it open. Over the years I have seen too many times where a gun would lock open in the middle of a magazine in a match Ooops. No thanks. It IS possible to train yourself to never shoot the gun empty (it takes dedicated effort but it can be done). I also think having a gun that can auto eject a magazine whenever it wants is a very bad idea. But then I can't stand a car or truck with an automatic transmission either. I guess I must be a control freak.
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MTMilitiaman
Member
No.
I don't see how you'd do it reliably and even if you could, it seems like a good way to lose mags. Magazines can get expensive at $25 to $50 a peice. Sure the speed reloads without retention look flashy, but most of us are better off practicing tactical reloads with retention. And even when I want to do a speed reload without retention, it's not dropping the magazine that is a problem, it's getting a new magazine up and in place. Give me a pistol that never runs out of ammo...
I don't see how you'd do it reliably and even if you could, it seems like a good way to lose mags. Magazines can get expensive at $25 to $50 a peice. Sure the speed reloads without retention look flashy, but most of us are better off practicing tactical reloads with retention. And even when I want to do a speed reload without retention, it's not dropping the magazine that is a problem, it's getting a new magazine up and in place. Give me a pistol that never runs out of ammo...
Ehtereon11B
internet infantryman
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The M1 Garand automatically popped out the clip when it was done. Turns out the Nazis and Japanese got used to hearing that pin and took the opprotunity to pick off the guy on empty. No thanks, I can drop my own mag.
Hondo 60
Member
I would NOT prefer it to drop the mag automatically.
I think it would be good for faster reloading for competition events or defensive situations.
But think of the dirt that would get inside the mag when plinking or non-competition shooting.
I think it would be good for faster reloading for competition events or defensive situations.
But think of the dirt that would get inside the mag when plinking or non-competition shooting.
Double Naught Spy
Sus Venator
I can see this going either way. I have watched lots of shooters not realize their guns were locked back on empty and tried to keep firing as well.
Like not locking back on empty? It is the same sort of feature in that regard.
My problem with it is any grip on the gun that would interfere with the drop. Also, it isn't likely to drop free (unless spring loaded) when sideways or inverted. Regular mags don't either, of course.
Like psyopspec said, it might be fun to play with. Might be cool. Might be really terrible.
W.E.G.
Member
Absolutely not.
45_auto
Member
Those same shooters would also try to keep firing with the gun locked back and the mag automatically dropped.
If you're doing your mag changes correctly, the auto-drop won't save you any time. Your strong hand should be pressing the mag release while your off-hand is going for the new mag. I've never seen anyone doing it correctly who had to wait for a mag to drop, they're always long gone before you can get the fresh one off your belt and up to the gun.
In my opinion, an automatic mag drop would be more aggravating than a magazine safety, and I won't have a gun with one of those.
barnbwt
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- 7,340
Honestly, if you combined that with a SA/DA trigger and trigger or grip safety, you've got about the simplest manual of arms imaginable. From that perspective, it's a very cool idea:
-No manual safety/decocker
-No manual slide lever/release
-No external hammer
-Manual ammunition replenishment
-Manual trigger
Don't get much simpler than that (though it's not everyone's cup of tea). Also makes you think twice about all the controls on modern pistols these days; they're getting to be like Xbox controllers. Maybe KISS is a better idea
I'm glad the OP asked this in both the rifle and pistol forums. It's an okay idea maybe for a 5-8 round rifle mag, but basically untenable for anything bigger than that. Which makes it uniquely suited to pistols. Properly maintained and designed, there's no reason it wouldn't be as reliable as an extractor (it's a spring, a catch, and a pivot for Pete's sake
)The real question is whether people want their mags on the ground that much. If you can find a way to make them cheaply, disposable, or use someone else's cheap mags, the idea has much better potential.
TCB
Fishslayer
Member
Think magazine bouncing off of concrete or going into the dirt every time it goes empty...
I've seen magazines bounce so far in front of the line wa almost had to call cease fire so the guy could go get it.
I would say no to auto eject.
Onward Allusion
Member
Er, no. One more feature to go wrong in a stressful situation. At the range, it can mean damaged mags.
chris in va
Member
The PING with the garand is a myth.
1911 guy
Member
Agreed. Kinda like the once-upon-a-time training police officers recieved to not drop their empty brass (revolvers) because the sound of brass hiting the pavement could give away their location... After they'd just shot six times. If you can hear the "ping" after listening to eight rounds of .30 cal without ear pro, you've got better hearing than Clark Kent.
smalls
Member
I'm thinking it would be difficult to adjust to. Lots if un-training to do to use it as a defense gun.
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