How do you unjam a handgun?

Answer 1

It depends on the particular jam. There are some that require a gunsmith to correct, but typical problems and solutions are:

1- Failure to Feed (FTF): this is when a bullet doesn't feed properly up the ramp and into the barrel's chamber. The solution is to drop the magazine, pull back on the slide, and shake the wayward round out of the magazine well. This typically happens with new handguns and when firing certain types of hollowpoint ammunition (the blunt face of the hollowpoint doesn't slide up the ramp).

2- Failure to Eject (FTE): is when the bullet fires properly, but the ejecting case gets hung-up in the ejection port. The stuck shell often resembles a stove-pipe sticking out of a cabin's roof--thus also called a "stove-pipe." To fix this, usually one pulls the slide back, rotates the weapon so the port is facing the ground, and the spent shell should clear, and fall to the ground. This type of jam often happens when the shooter rolls their wrists too much, in an attempt to compensate for the weapon's recoil. Most automatic pistols require the frame (held by the hands) to offer resistance to the action of the slide. By absorbing too much of the recoil in the wrists, the slide is unable to fully extract/eject the spent brass. This is called "limp-wristing" and has nothing to do with the shooter's toughness, just explaining the likely problem.

At all times, when clearing a jam, one must remember to keep their weapon pointed in a safe direction, usually downrange or at the ground. It is very disturbing to see someone trying to clear a jam, while the muzzle of their weapon is waving all over the place, including pointing as several people.