Classic semi-auto failure
DMZ said:
then he tucked the gun beneath the bear's chin. But it quit. Wyckoff, left-handed, said he had accidentally released the ammunition clip.
Good thing his buddies had revolvers to finish the fight.
An all too common outcome in physical struggles (with man or beast) involving a semi-automatic handgun -- especially 1911 type handguns and guns with "drop free" mags.
I sometimes ask myself if man could ever devise a more conceptually retarded and self-defeating piece of technology in a combat firearm than the magazine disconnect "safety" -- like on the Hi-Power.
But just then I remember, "oh yeah, the 1911-style mag release and drop free mags."
Well I suppose if the mag falls out of a 1911 you still have 1 round, as opposed to the Hi-Power, which then becomes a rock. But then again the mags on a Hi-Power aren't
designed to fall out.
I wonder just how many swigs John M. Browning had taken when he created a pistol
specifically designed to fall apart in combat.
This kind of magazine release has now unfortunately become almost universal, even on European guns. I guess they figure Americans are the gun experts so they ought to know. But there could hardly be a more severe weakness built into a gun that is used in a
physical confrontation.
Perhaps the 1911 did work for the military. But like the man in this story, most of us will not know we are in danger until we are actually under attack. That creates different requirements for a handgun than the army, where you go into a situation knowing you are going to kill -- where you are the attacker. The civilian handgun must be a "scuffle gun." It must be reliable in physical contact with the attacker and in less than "ideal" shooting grip and stance.
The revolver, and in particular the snub-nose, beats the autoloader hands down in such situations.
I have to confess my opinions are informed in no small part by
The Snubby Revolver by Ed Lovette. In it, Lovette states several requirements for an "ECQ" (extreme close quarters) handgun. I thought I would name some of them here:
1)
The handgun must be reliable...not only in terms of function but in terms of reducing the chance for operator error, in terms of reducing the number of things that can go wrong. In a word, simplicity. In a word, operator-proof.
2)
Since a holster may not be available or desirable, the handgun must be reliable if stored in non-holsters such as pockets, purses, and so forth.
3)
The handgun must be reliable when fired from unusual positions, through coat pockets, and the like.
4)
The handgun must be reliable if the muzzle is jammed against your assailant.
5)
The handgun must be reliable if you can't get the proper grip or lock your firing wrist.*
6)
If you are forced to grapple with your assailant, the weapon must have strong retention capabilities and still be able to fire.
*Lovette relates a story here: "I know of three cases in which officers were forced to shoot someone who had grabbed them from behind...In two cases, the officers with revolvers (one used a 4-inch S&W, and the other had a Colt Detective Special) solved the problem. In the third instance, the officer was using a Colt 1911 and his hand position kept forcing his grip open to the point where he could not depress the grip safety and fire the gun. He solved his problem too, but it took some doing."
When I carry, I often carry a hi-cap semi-auto (Glock 19) because I live in an area where I believe I could face multiple assailants. That's the big downside of the revolver, limited firepower. But I only carry it because I have tested it and am confident that the mag release is not particularly susceptible to being accidentally depressed. But I still know it is possible and have to bear in mind the potential weaknesses of the gun I'm carrying.
The other half of the time I am carrying a snub. I don't like the capacity but at least I know it will work in a struggle.
Needless to say when they come out with a 16-shot concealable 9mm revolver I'll be the first in line.
