automatically chambering the first round?

[Guns and more]

Seems like a guy could come up with a way that the gun would be designed to do this however...

There is........in older semi autos.
There were a number of semi autos that had no slide release.
H&K model 4 comes to mind.
The slide locks back on the last round and releases when you insert a new magazine.
If you want to lock the slide back, you drop the mag a 1/2" or so (heel release) and rack the slide back.

 

[txgunsuscg]

I agree it can happen with almost any autoloader, but is more prevalent on ones that are older (i.e. weak springs). When we still used the M9s, they would do it all the time. Made qualifying on the mag change portion of the practical course that much easier...

 

[Drail]

If a semi auto pistol is doing what you described it is only a matter of time until it will no longer lock open on empty. A few pistols will release the locked back slide if the mag is forced in and seated "with authority". I do not believe ANY of them were designed to operate like that. It sounds to me as if the locking tab on the slide stop is not engaging the slide fully or with enough spring tension. Think about what happens to make it "lock open". Personally I would be very wary of any gun that would drop the slide without me manually releasing the stop. Whether anyone thinks it's "cool" or not.

 

[JDGray]

Whether anyone thinks it's "cool" or not.

Not so much "Cool", but sure would be conveniant I mean, the next thing you do anyways is sligshot the slide....Why wouldn't you want it to self load? Who in their right mind has their finger on the trigger during a reload? Gun safety is always pointing the gun in a safe dirrection, especially during a reload.

 

[piranha45]

my m&p9 autochambers when a new mag is inserted, to make it NOT autochamber the round you have to be very gentle when inserting the mag. Personally I'm glad it autochambers the round so easily.

 

[todd_g]

My Bersa 380 Thunder does it, it doesn't do it on any of the other 8 autos I have, I actually like it so it will never go back for repair.

 

[deadin]

Mauser M1910's and M1914's (and I would imagine the later versions) won't allow the slide forward except by inserting a magazine. In fact if you pull the slide back with out a mag in place, it will lock back and the mag has to be inserted to unlock it. When it locks back on the last round, you have to extract the mag part-way and then push it back in to close the slide.
Innovative??? Maybe, but it didn't seem to catch on....

The safety is also interesting on these models. It's a thumb lever that you push down to set and then there's a little button you push to release it.

 

[TempestP226]

My Bersa 380 Thunder does it, it doesn't do it on any of the other 8 autos I have, I actually like it so it will never go back for repair.

Nice "feature" in our rather inexpensive Bersa's yeah? heh

 

[1SOW]

It is not "ab"normal for this to happen.

With a firm combat mag insert, the top cartridge in the loaded mag will impact the slide and 'lift/bang' it slightly releasing the slide from the slide stop.

The slide stops vary as does recoil spring pressure on different guns, so the ease of doing this varies. I shoot two pistols that do this. One takes a very firm insert, and the other will do it with a firm insert.

If they wouldn't do this, I would pay extra to have this feature added.

 

[Cosmik de Bris]

My HK USP, both my M&P40 and M&P9, and my 1911 do it, they are all new. I use them in IPSC and find it very convenient.

 

[Sam1911]

If it ALWAYS works, it can save some time.

I watched a young lady in my squad at a big match last year who obviously relies on this technique ... but her Glock wasn't totally on board with the idea.

She'd slam the mag home and go back to her stance, only to find the slide still back. Then, instead of hitting the slide release -- or even "slingshotting" the slide -- she'd bang the mag floor plate smartly and go back to her stance. Sometimes the slide would close, sometimes ... not yet!

But it did always fall after two or three good whacks.

'Course, if she'd just gone for the button she'd have cut 25 seconds off her match time, easily!

 

[9mmepiphany]

She'd slam the mag home and go back to her stance, only to find the slide still back. Then, instead of hitting the slide release -- or even "slingshotting" the slide -- she'd bang the mag floor plate smartly and go back to her stance. Sometimes the slide would close, sometimes ... not yet!

This visual is priceless...because I've seen it too. It is almost as amusing as leaving the tap out before racking

 

[788Ham]

I've got a Beretta 1934 .32 auto that doesn't do that! When the last round is fired, and the mag is released to pull it out of the pistol, the slide will slide shut, but when the slide is locked back and a new mag inserted, it doesn't slam and load a round. I've had this pistol for about 5 months now, it has never done that.

 

[jaroco]

+1 to what 1SOW said.

The only other observation I have is that as you slam the magazine home, the top cartridge hits the bottom of the slide, nudging it up. I doubt there is enough vertical play between the frame and slide to allow the slide to release fully from the slide stop, but there is enough motion to allow the friction holding the slide stop and slide in contact to switch from static friction to kinetic friction. This lets the spring that normally holds the slide release down to pull the release out of contact with the slide. (This is the same principle that makes it hard to push a heavy object at first, but easier once it is in motion.)

I've noticed this on all of my automatics, with the sole exception of a Kimber 1911. However, it happens predominately with my polymer guns. My guess (for what it's worth) is that there is more play on the rails between a gun with a polymer frame than there is with a steel frame, so there is more movement to allow the slide stop to slip back to the down position.

Hope that helps a little, sorry to get all technical, but I guess if I paid for all that edumacation I oughtta use it, right?

 

[vaupet]

My H&K USp 9mm does this all the time. It is even mentioned in the manual.

My USP Match 45 never does it, which makes sence because it is a sports pistol, not a service or HD type.

greetings

Peter

 

[usp9]

Some HK models are known to "auto load". I've had a Kahr do it on occation.

 

[Fieldstone]

I shoot a Para-O 1445 that "allows" one to autoload if you send the mag home with a some force. Quite nice for comp shoot and in the field reloads. It does suprise some people, they feel the gun is defective or dangerous. The key is to know your weapon, inside and out, know what it does in all possible handling situations. Its great to own a gun, but one needs to know the gun and handle it with precision and accuracy in all applications. Some may like this feature and others may not. IMO, it is a mandatory feature.

 

[Radium]

the beretta 92 and S&W MP line does it and so does my ruger mk3. some guns do it some dont.
i think its a good feature if u can do it 95% of the time without any problem.

i have yet to get my glock to understand that she also should start doing this but she is a stubborn euroaussi.

 

[ultradoc]

Two of my Bersa's [thunder .380] do it. My p3at's don't. My xd-9 doesn't. I didn't know that bersas did this so I thought it was a defect untill I looked on a bersa website. It's normal.

 

[Drail]

The reason some guns do it and some guns don't is some guns are poorly designed. Why would you want the gun to release the slide just by being bumped? Eventually the corners of the stop and the slide lock recess are going to become rounded and it will start releasing if you just look at it sideways or will not hold the slide locked. If you're "ramming the mag home" hard enough to jar the slide lock off you're using way too much force and damaging the mag catch and the lock cut in the magazine. Now what would be really cool is a gun that chambers and fires the first round as soon as the mag is "slammed" in. Or maybe design it so that when you squeeze the grip real hard the safety comes off and the gun fires. Yeah, that would be really cool.

 

[Sniper X]

I know a guy with a old WWII vintage 1911 that does this every time. None of mine do it and none of my Glocks ever did it either.

 

[sigmashooter]

My Sigma .40 does it, but it's not due to any poor design. It's not just a little "bump" that causes this, it's a deliberate, assertive action that will cause it. I've been wrenching on cars for 35yrs, and tend to be rather ham-fisted. When I slam the mag home the "autoload function" kicks in, which I kinda like! (I don't mind the heavy trigger either, due to these meathooks.) I can't see this causing any premature wear.