A second strike question - ever happen?

[Jim Watson]

I have seen a second strike fire a reload with shallow seated primer, in practice or casual shooting.
I have not seen anybody with the presence of mind to try it with a DA/SA auto under match pressure, they normally tap rack bang.
I have seen shooters click all the way around on a revolver in a hurry. Sometimes it works.

I have not seen it to happen with a factory load, if a factory load "snaps" it is probably a dud, so get it out of the way and start over.

[GuanoLoco]

I have seen a second strike fire a reload with shallow seated primer, in practice or casual shooting.
I have not seen anybody with the presence of mind to try it with a DA/SA auto under match pressure, they normally tap rack bang.
I have seen shooters click all the way around on a revolver in a hurry. Sometimes it works.

I have not seen it to happen with a factory load, if a factory load "snaps" it is probably a dud, so get it out of the way and start over.

Thanks for making a key point more clearly - the light strike is most likely the result of an underseated primer (probably self inflicted if you are loading or relying on lesser quality ammo) or underspring guns (don't do this with your carry gun!).

The likelihood that You will encounter a light strike that is corrected with a second stroike, using an appropriately spring carry gun, with appropriate carry ammo is minimal. Training for automatic second strike seems counterproductive in many ways.

[Sero Sed Serio]

How about in the case of a grizzly bear charging inside 15 yards -- would you attempt a TRB, knowing the bear will surely be on you, or would you try the second strike on the boutique loaded, .45 Super cartridge in your USP LEM?

Definitely TRB. In no way am I advocating for training to second strike--get the bad round out of there as quickly as possible rather than trying the same thing in the hopes of a different result. Instead I was merely pointing out a fringe case where double strike capability might be desirable.

[Hambo]

The likelihood that You will encounter a light strike that is corrected with a second stroike, using an appropriately spring carry gun, with appropriate carry ammo is minimal. Training for automatic second strike seems counterproductive in many ways.

Here's another reason why it's a bad idea. Every now and then I bump the slide release when the mag is empty. Better to train to get the pistol up and running than second strike an empty chamber.

[BN]

Not in real life, but on the practice range.

I bought a case of Wolf ammo not long ago because it was so cheap. Lots of light hits both with Glocks and CZ's. I think every one went off with a second hit. On the CZ, I just gave a DA pull, and with the Glocks, I just pulled the slide back far enough to reset the striker without ejecting the round.

[Velo Dog]

A successful second strike at the 6:56 minute mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLlJRpBIHUA
However, further action is required to keep the pistol running

[GJM]

I think this falls into art not science, and I would never tell someone else what they should do. However in the example where another press takes .25, a TRB takes about 2.5 seconds, and there is a 100 percent chance a bear would run me over in the 2.5 seconds it takes to TRB, I would gladly invest .25 for some probability of success. And if it didn't work, it is only adding 10 percent to the time it takes to TRB.

I view auto forwarding in a similar light. I know how to do it, and find it faster, but with some probability of inducing a stoppage. I prefer not to do it, but there are some circumstances I would be willing to take the risk associated with it, for its greater speed.

[Lester Polfus]

I have no info on this happening in a gunfight, however, FWIW:

When we carried TDA guns, this was the sort of shit the guys on our firearms training team like to argue about incessantly. Department wide, we shot about a two hundred thousand rounds a year, so even though they bought decent training ammo, we would wind up with a few primers that wouldn't pop every year. They kept track and almost none of them went bang on the second try, so the official guidance was to tap, rack, reassess...

It wasn't quite as epic as the "use the slide stop or sling shot the slide argument" but it was close.

[OnionsAndDragons]

I've found that I am significantly more likely to pull through a second time with a hammer gun than I am with a Glock (the striker I have the most time on).

I think this is just from being used to resetting in recoil and my hands are starting that process even without the recoil. The Glock trigger isn't there, while the SIG or HK is.

I try to finish the press and move on from there if I have already started, or TRB if I've already thought "clear that shit now" in my mind.

If I was being charged by an animal far more dangerous than I, that trigger would have already been slapped a second or third time.


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[BillSWPA]

Most of the cartridges I have come across that did not ignite on the first try have ignited on the second try. I have not kept track of the number, but I believe at least 70% success would be a conservative estimate.

Most of my semiautos do not have second strike capability, so in the vast majority of cases I would have to chamber a new cartridge. However, my DAO North American Arms .380 would sometimes fail to ignite some primers on the first try, and almost always succeeded on the second try. I currently limit this gun to Winchester and Federal for any serious use.



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