"Second Strike", or just TAP+RACK+SHOOT

[MikeDVB]

For self defense I would Tap, Rack, Assess. As others have said there's no use in trying a round again.

Or

You could just carry a real gun (Wheelgun). In which case, if you have a round that doesn't light all you have to do is pull the trigger again.

Hmmm... 6 rounds, one fails to fire, so I'm down to 5... or my XDm-9 with 20 rounds, one fails to fire I'm down to 19... I think I'll stick with the XDm .

 

[canav844]

Here's how I look at it, pulling the trigger a 2nd time is the simpler more natural response (though firing a gun in and of itself is not a natural act from instinct and is learned, the squeezing of the fist and fingers under stress is). Therefore if ALL of your firearms have "2nd strike" be it a semi auto that lets you pull twice or a revolver, then training to pull a second time first then tap rack second then tap rack drop rack rack new mag rack third is perfectly ok, because the majority of the time the round failing to fire is from a bad primer strike typically caused by lint, dirt, grime, etc getting between the striker/hammer and causing a light strike to the primer which a second pull will 9 times or more out of 10 be able to get past and have the gun function as normal. If it's a squib then the slide either cycled and you know something is not adding up with the state of the gun (or are assuming it's working properly in which case you're probably pulling the trigger anyways as your threat didn't stop) or it didn't cycle and a 2nd strike is hitting on a spent primer no harm done, if it's a failure to feed then pulling it again isn't going to jam a round any further into the gun. This assumes that you are not overlooking a diagnosis of an FTE in which case 2nd strike does not help.

Efficiency in motion is taught at many levels of firearm training, reset pull is much more efficient than hand off, hit the bottom gun hand back down from the hit while support hand finds then grabs then slams back the top of the slide then trigger finger reset. Depending upon proficiency this can mean anywhere from half to two seconds in a 7 seconds or less gunfight. And I consider making hand find something other than hand (like the gun slide) to be a degree of fine motor skill over what will likely be, under extreme stress, a gross motor skill of a trigger pull. However pulling the trigger twice on a gun that lacks any effect from 2nd strike is purely wasted motion. I have commonality of arms in my guns so I can train one way and know that all will function exactly the same, this helps my response to a failure to fire expedite and my decision tree shrink, letting me have more time in action and thought put on threat stoppage than gun diagnostics. If I were lacking in this commonality of arms, I'd need to train for the lowest common denominator in a fight (i.e. thumbsweep a glock causes no harm, failing to miss the tumb safety on so equipped gun carries serious consequence, so train to sweep the thumb 100% if it's in your equation) to keep that decision tree as short as possible; so applying that thinking, if you have a gun that lacks 2nd strike don't plan for it as you may change up what you're carrying that day and be slapping a trigger that hasn't reset, making you useless in combat. But sitting here in the comfort of my office chair perhaps this is just a highly synthesized view of all that marketing out there.

The video of the AR15 posted on the first page does not appear to be a squib load but instead what was likely a misfeed, that became a setback issue when he slammed on the forward assist instead of assessing the failure to feed, on what appeared to be a handgun caliber (so most likely 9mm) AR, which leaves questions in my mind about what the feed ramps where. When the pin hit the setback round the damage came out the chamber and magazine well (consistent with setback), not mid barrel (consistent with a squib); this video drives home the need for assessment and a proper thought process, but seems irrelevant to 2nd strike usage.

 

[Tydeeh22]

i assume the value of time and being sure the NEXT round will fire is a variable to be taken into account. as other said, natural response is to pull the trigger again. if it were just a Light Strike then you may indeed be good to go. if the primer is bad, then you have to rack it anyways. rack the slide and move on.

 

[MikeDVB]

I need to get some snap caps so I can practice this stuff.

 

[davedolli]

I clear the round, I want it gone.

Dave

 

[kludge]

I need to get some snap caps so I can practice this stuff.

 

[MilitaryArms]

Wasting time pulling the trigger a second time is a bad idea. With training it becomes just as natural to "tap-rack" to get the gun going again. If the round doesn't ignite on the first attempt but does on the second, it's probable there's something mechanically wrong with your pistol. To avoid mechanical problems, shoot, clean and inspect your weapon regularly.

 

[MikeDVB]

Wasting time pulling the trigger a second time is a bad idea. With training it becomes just as natural to "tap-rack" to get the gun going again. If the round doesn't ignite on the first attempt but does on the second, it's probable there's something mechanically wrong with your pistol. To avoid mechanical problems, shoot, clean and inspect your weapon regularly.

Already do that, but sh*t happens and I'd prefer to be prepared for the worst than to only plan for the best.