How do you unload and clear your handgun?

[E.Marquez]

http://americangg.net/unload-show-clear-cost-hand/
Not a personal "Never again" but perhaps one that can be learned from anyway.

[n5wd]

Ouch!

[Scott B.]

Happy say, it was not this "Scott B." reporting that. I do unload that way, but I'm also locking the slide back as I do and not preventing the round from leaving the gun. Something to think about.

[ScottDLS]

Drop the mag, pull the trigger while pointing in a "safe" direction, then catch the shell with my left hand...

Nahhh, I'll just let the live round fall where it may.

Alternatively...release the cylinder, use the ejection rod to push the live rounds out into my hand.... Oh...never mind.

[E.Marquez]

Happy say, it was not this "Scott B." reporting that. I do unload that way, but I'm also locking the slide back as I do and not preventing the round from leaving the gun. Something to think about.

I have as well....not playing "catch" the round, but "trapping" it in my cupped hand.
Never considered I would slip and let the slide go...but clearly it COULD happen.
Never considered the slide would not lock back , slide lock fail, or get bumped and the slide could go forward with the round out of chamber but not clear of the moving parts.
In a lot of years of racking the slide back and "capturing" the unchambered round its not once been an issue, not with muzzle direction, or the slide slipping or otherwise going forward in an unintended manner... .but clearly it COULD happen... More so I guess with advancing age and less hand strength and coordination that will happen in the coming years. So like you said " Something to think about"

[Lynyrd]

I always unload by cupping my hand over the ejection port. Never wanted a live round to land on the ground, or a rock. Hmm.....

[NotRPB]

I always unload by cupping my hand over the ejection port. Never wanted a live round to land on the ground, or a rock. Hmm.....

I hold the pistol upside down, grip facing up in my Right hand holding the slide with right hand over the ejection port. I push the rear of the grip forward with my left wrist/forearm, to eject the round and have it fall into my right hand before slowly releasing pressure on the grip I pushed to make the frame go forward (I only have a right hand)

Thanks for sharing this, I'll be even more cautious making sure the round is completely clear in my hand before slowly letting the frame/slide return rearward on empty chamber.

(Whether it is fully in battery or not on an empty chamber... who cares? Slow is safer/better sometimes.)

[Scott B.]

I always unload by cupping my hand over the ejection port. Never wanted a live round to land on the ground, or a rock. Hmm.....

I hold the pistol upside down, grip facing up in my Right hand holding the slide with right hand over the ejection port. I push the rear of the grip forward with my left wrist/forearm, to eject the round and have it fall into my right hand before slowly releasing pressure on the grip I pushed to make the frame go forward (I only have a right hand)
Thanks for sharing this, I'll be even more cautious making sure the round is completely clear in my hand before slowly letting the frame/slide return rearward on empty chamber.

I do turn the gun on its side, ejection port down when I do this and let gravity help out. I don't think I do it in front of students, but it's possible I may have. Definitely do it at matches and in my own private practice. Certainly a safety issue I need to re-think.

[JustSomeOldGuy]

If I'm all that concerned about recovering the live round, then while still pointing the gun downrange (or other safe direction) I'll rotate the gun right about 50 degrees so the ejected round falls a couple of feet to my right. I will NOT in any circumstances put my hand over the ejection port. If you do so in a match where I'm RO'ing the first instance will get you a warning. The second time, you'll be told to put away your stuff and leave, and no that match fee is not refundable. And, if you got so many small jagged rocks where you shoot that you think a dropped round is going to detonate, maybe you need to detail a buddy to stand on your right with a BIG plastic bucket to catch it first.......

[Lynyrd]

If I'm all that concerned about recovering the live round, then while still pointing the gun downrange (or other safe direction) I'll rotate the gun right about 50 degrees so the ejected round falls a couple of feet to my right. I will NOT in any circumstances put my hand over the ejection port. If you do so in a match where I'm RO'ing the first instance will get you a warning. The second time, you'll be told to put away your stuff and leave, and no that match fee is not refundable. And, if you got so many small jagged rocks where you shoot that you think a dropped round is going to detonate, maybe you need to detail a buddy to stand on your right with a BIG plastic bucket to catch it first.......

Well, I feel duly chastised. But all is good.

I live on an iron ore hill. I don't go to shooting ranges. I shoot on my own property and usually when there is no one else around. And yes there are many, many small jagged rocks laying around. I suppose when the need arises to clear a live round I could stop, go to the house, get a blanket, and eject the round onto the blanket.

I understand this is a valid safety concern considering the OP. Just never thought about it as a problem before. Of course, keeping a bucket handy would work just fine even if there were no one to hold it for you. I need to start doing that.

[Pariah3j]

Very seldom do I place my hand on/near the ejection port while racking the slide to remove the round, I usually let it fall to the ground. But there have been a few times I've done it due to terrain and other such considerations such as tall grass or such. Never been worried about the round going off if it hits a rock, not like its going very far. Guess this one will get me to thinking twice, or at least making sure to do it safely while doing it.

[bblhd672]

Remove magazine, turn gun to put ejection port down, rack, rack, rack, check for cleared chamber. Then search floor/ground for ejected round.

[TexasTornado]

Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever cleared my pistol where I didn't have something to dump the round on, table, bed, etc. Never even occurred to me to try to cup or catch the round...

Maybe there's one advantage to having lesser grip strength than you men.

[MechAg94]

I was thinking I usually just try to angle it so the round rolls out on a table or something. I will keep this in mind in the future though.

[treadlightly]

Learn something new every day. Probably a good side effect that with the practice doing a full free-fall ejection you need to go to a good spot to clear the gun. Makes it a more formal evolution than just dropping the round into your hand.