IPSC First Timer with Video

[556mp]

Thank you all for giving me solid no BS info. It is much appreciated!

[rob_s]

When asked to unload and show clear, allow your chambered round to fall into the RO/SO's hand or on the ground. Don't try to catch it or retain it. Consider it a discharged cartridge. If you really want it back, go pick it up (if the range rules allow) after your squad is finished and all of you move to the next stage.

This is something I just noticed last night. I roll the gun outboard and retract the slide while engaging the slide stop to lock the slide to the rear. It just happens to put my support hand over the ejection port and the round winds up in my hand. I noticed last night that a lot of the ROs were looking for the round. Is this an official USPSA thing that you're supposed to let the RO catch the round or is it just a common thing?

[shootist~]

IMO it's best to keep your fingers away from the ejection port and just let that ejected round hit the ground.

I know of two detonations in clubs I've belonged to where the ejected round caught a bent or defective ejector and exploded. I was present for one - a newish .40 S&W 1911 - and the resultant shrapnel embedded in the shooters hand/fingers did not cause permanent damage.

In the other - a .38 Super - the shooter lost the use of a couple of fingers.

[rob_s]

I don't see how that's going to be possible without pinching the slide from the rear, which I'm not going to do.

In over 8 years of IDPA, 7 as an SO, I've never even heard of that happening at our club, or any other that we're affiliated with or in the area.

[Singlestack Wonder]

Seen several round detonations where the shooter had his hand over the ejection port and racked the slide to eject the round. Blood, brass shrapnel in hand, and a held up match. This is a very dangerous practice. When unloading, grasp the slide from the rear and allow the round to fall. Another danger is when shooters show off while unloading and rack the side at a high velocity to send the round up in the air so that they can catch it. If it escapes the extractor and the primer impacts the ejector, a brass shrapnel bomb is created.

[rob_s]

I've posted about the "detonation" issue on my club's forum to see if anyone else has ever seen or heard of this. For now, personally, I think it's a non-issue but will keep it in mind for SO refresher course we're having soon.

[shootist~]

At the very least don't have the RO/SO look in the ejection port until after the round is ejected. This is a Murphy's Law scenario.

[rob_s]

At the very least don't have the RO/SO look in the ejection port until after the round is ejected. This is a Murphy's Law scenario.

Excellent point, and I will also advise that SOs not catch the round themselves. If a shooter chooses to do so on a gun that they think they know well enough to trust that is their issue, but as an SO who is unsure of the condition of the gun or the shooter best to simply let it fall on the ground.

I actually had a shooter last week sort of "chase" me with his rifle expecting me to catch the round and I just let it fall to the ground.

[ROCKET20_GINSU]

While I have never personally experience this problem, I've heard of the potential detonation issue while unloading as well. The stories are more frequent with pistols that use large pistol primers. I no longer keep my support hand over the ejection port when unloading the pistol, I don't think that the ejector igniting the primer is a common problem but its enough of a risk (due to the level of injury that could occur) to avoid doing it. Every little bit of extra insurance and gun safety helps

GU

[blackscot]

I always thought the round-catching thing was a little silly. I just let it fly, but to each their own.

As for placing one's hand over the ejection port, I've heard horror stories for many years originating from that practice. You never sweep your hand with the muzzle, right? Well, the breech is the other end of that same, potentially violent space -- best kept at a distance by grabbing the serrations from behind the slide.