It’s our habit to announce to students that during our time together it is our most sincere hope that every gun, holster, magazine, and accoutrement they came to class with BREAKS. We want it all to disintegrate!

If it is going to happen, better it happen on the range than when their lives depend on it!

Below is a sampling of some of the issues we’ve seen.

Broken slide stop level on S&W M&P.

Leather backing on Crossbreed holster folded over to the point of interacting with the trigger during holstering.

OC spray, Chapstick, and a lighter – all items we’ve seen students attempt to charge into shotgun magazine tubes while under stress.

Dime in a Kahr Arms PM9 magazine. Magazine was stowed in a coat pocket which also had change in it. The coin made its way into the magazine, and then into the gun.

Cracks in AR15 bolt carrier. They extended down and inch on each side.

Drawstring keeper caught in trigger guard of pistol. This is a very common occurrence, and clothing on the range or during daily carry needs to be free of these death traps.

Broken factory flash suppressor on S&W M&P15

Paddle holster comes out on the draw – very common, and why we do not recommend paddle holsters. Embarrassing on the range, deadly in a fight.

Ruptured .40 case due to the .40 being charged in a .45ACP magazine. The round fed and fired, but would not eject. This is also common with 9mm being mistakenly charged into .40S&W magazines.

Clothing caught between hammer frame during slide cycle on a 1911. Student transitioned to back-up and finished drill.

Ejected 9mm brass landing under the hammer of an M9 pistol

[photo courtesy of Henk Iverson Tactical Systems.]

5.56 brass case failure to extract. Very common – we see at least one in each Rifle Course.

Pistol front sight drifted over. Common when we get guns HOT, as the dovetail joint expands allowing the sight to shift.

Broken belt clip on holster.

Rust from body moisture on mag release of S&W Shield. Button was seized.

New out of the box Taurus revolver detonation results. This occurred at a gun shop range immediately after the firearms was transferred to its new owner, and on the first shot taken.

Aftermath of a round fed backwards into a pistol chamber – better known as a “reverse feed.” A tap/rack won’t solve this problem. In fact, it just makes it worse. The round is beat further into the chamber, and the bullet deeper into the case, as shown here.