Limp Wristing It

Hmm.

I'm going to refrain from lubricating the slide in my 1911 to see if I can get this to happen more frequently. If the failure does happen, it's another indicator I may be Limp Wristing my grip, causing jams.

With semi auto pistols, the slide has to go back, compressing the recoil spring. Once compressed the slide returns to battery, pushing a new cartridge into the chamber. If your grip is loose, or limp then YOU act as a secong 'spring' and the slide doesn't travel as far because you are letting the frame travel back too. Newton's Laws of Action/Reaction don't work as well without a steady platform to act against. A heavier, more massive, frame, like in all-steel guns helps, but grip form is important, too. You have to hold it tight, not too tight, but tight.

I may bad mouth plastic guns, but they are reliable. Jams with them, if they happen, are generally the fault of the limp grip, or the ammo.

But most decent guns available with most ammo types are darn relibable. Period.

The 2 times I had a failure to feed might have been this. It's the only failures I've experienced with the pistol. The cartiidge was partly inserted but wouldn't go all the way. So the gun was jammed half closed. I think if I was vigorous pushing the slide forward. But I was at the range and not drilling quick-recovery, so I cycled that round out and loaded it into another mag later. I didn't note the mag type, either, and I should have. Was it a stock Springfield or a Chip McCormick?

Or was the fault that the firing pin was still sticking out so the back of the case got wedged into the extractor and pushed against the pin? Doubtful. The pin would have to be gritted up with dirt or gunk, and then I might get slam fires. But that pin has a spring to keep it back. Technically, this is still the break-in period for the new pistol. I've only fired a little under 1000 rounds through it.

But in case the FTF was a limp wrist, the tip new Breda gave me should help, if I stick to it. Squeeze the support hand a bit more than the trigger hand will make a firmer platform. That tip was to improve my trigger pull and subsequent accuracy, but it would also assist with maintaining an anti-limp-wristing grip.

My worries are undoubtedly unfounded. All this expenditure of brain juice is acadmic. If my 'flaw' was bad enough I'd notice a lot more jams with one or more pistol types. Or notice it when I shoot one-handed. And the only thing that jams regularly on me are most all the .22s. Still, always seek to perfect the skill.