Safely Unloading Semi-automatic Firearms
Unloading a semi-automatic pistol or rifle is not difficult but the sequence of tasks must be performed in the proper order. If the shooter mistakenly pulls the pistol slide or rifle bolt first, a new round from the magazine will be inserted into the chamber and the gun will still be loaded even after the magazine is removed. The shooter who does this thinks that his firearm is now empty when in fact it is still loaded. This is a very dangerous situation and the cause of many negligent discharges.
Recently pistol manufacturers have come up with a mechanical solution for this problem which is called a “magazine disconnect safety”. It is only available on some guns. The Ruger SR9, Walther P22 and the Sig Mosquito are a few examples. Any pistol which has a magazine safety will not fire if the magazine has been removed so even if the gun was not unloaded using the proper sequence it still won’t fire. This is a fine solution on the guns that have a magazine safety but what about the millions of pistols and rifles out there that don’t have it? I think the solution to this problem is the use of one of the memory aids- rhyming.
How do you teach a child to remember the alphabet? You use the “ABC’s” song. How do you remember the color sequence on a deadly coral snake? “Red on yellow kills a fellow.” These two examples use a common memory aid, rhyming, that makes the job of remembering information and proper sequences much easier. Using this technique, I have written a simple poem for unloading a semi-automatic firearm:
Drop the mag then pull the slide.
Take a look and feel inside.
If you unload your gun this way,
You’ll always know that it’s OK.
Did you notice that the first letters of the first four important words are in alphabetical order?
I hope that you will use this little ditty when unloading your semi-automatic firearms. And please pass it along to your shooting friends. It just might save a few lives.
Be safe,
Waltherguy
