Shooting handguns (And rifles) off-axis

[298436]

I heard somewhere a long time ago that certain firearms will not cycle, eject or feed correctly if they aren't within 45º of "normal".

Is this true? I remember being at a range and someone was (after class) practicing on the ground firing with a 1911 with orientation which would put the mag release button facing the ground, and got some failures.

Haven't tried it with any of mine, but a rifle should be able to eject fine, a good AR15 should be able to eject and feed just fine.

[Sgt_Gold]

I heard somewhere a long time ago that certain firearms will not cycle, eject or feed correctly if they aren't within 45º of "normal".

Is this true? I remember being at a range and someone was (after class) practicing on the ground firing with a 1911 with orientation which would put the mag release button facing the ground, and got some failures.

Haven't tried it with any of mine, but a rifle should be able to eject fine, a good AR15 should be able to eject and feed just fine.

Proper ejection is a function of physics, nothing else. Unless you have a rifle like the FN2000 or the KelTech KSG, the orientation of the firearm to anything makes no difference.

[Zhurdan]

fn2000 will eject in any orientation. I've done it.... on purpose.

The round is captured by the "lifter" thru the ejection cycle and is prevented from re-entering the chamber area under the "toilet seat" (where the lifter is) by a small clip that the brass is forced thru into the ejection tube.

As far as why a gun wouldn't cycle in different orientations... probably because it isn't receiving the same counter-forces required to allow proper ejection aka physics as SgtGold pointed out.

(unsure about the KSG, but the FS2000 will run in any orientation)

[Failure2Stop]

I have not fired a modern working firearm that wouldn't work when tilted to 90 degrees in either direction.

This runs from ARs to AKs, M1911s to G19s.

If a gun isn't working when turned, there is something wrong with that firearm.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[Beat Trash]

I've trained sahooting under a marked Crown Vic with Dept owned Patrol Rifles (AR15). This put the gun at 90 degrees with the enection port facing the ground. We trained to use the support hand under the gun in the same manner as making a bridge for a pool cue when shooting pool. This was just to ensure clearance for ejection.

We only have about 175 officers Patrol Rifle qualified. But no function issues during this drill that were related to the gun being sideways.

I've shot both a Glock 19 and an M&P at 90 degrees with the ejection port facing up. This was done (in a controlled manner) while shooting "gangsta style". Other than being a stupid waste of munition there was no function issues.