Pistol slide
Encyclopedia
The slide is the part of the weapon on a majority of semi-automatic pistols that moves during the operating cycle and generally houses the firing pin
or striker and the extractor, and serves as the bolt
. It is spring-loaded so that once it has moved to its rearmost position in the firing cycle, spring tension brings it back to the starting position chambering a fresh cartridge during the motion provided that the magazine is not empty.
Through the principles of recoil
or blowback
operation, the slide is forced back with each shot. Generally, this action serves three purposes: ejecting the spent casing, cocking the hammer or striker for the next shot, and loading another cartridge into the chamber when the slide comes forward.
Once the magazine is empty, the slide will lock back, released only when the slide stop
is depressed; if a new magazine is inserted before the slide stop
is depressed then a new cartridge will be chambered.
Some handguns also utilise the slide stop
as a means of releasing the slide, when the slide stop
is held upwards for purposes such as field stripping eliminating the need for any further lock mechanisms and the room that these may use inside the gun.
Automatically cocking the hammer or striker is an important function of double action / single action pistols. However, some semi-auto pistols are double action only, and are designed to omit this step (cocking the hammer or striker).
Firing pin
A firing pin or striker is part of the firing mechanism used in a firearm or explosive device e.g. an M14 landmine or bomb fuze. Firing pins may take many forms, though the types used in landmines, bombs, grenade fuzes or other single-use devices generally have a sharpened point...
or striker and the extractor, and serves as the bolt
Bolt (firearm)
A bolt is a mechanical part of a firearm that blocks the rear of the chamber while the propellant burns.In manually-operated firearms, such as bolt-action, lever-action, and pump-action rifles and shotguns, the bolt is held fixed by its locking lugs during firing, forcing all the expanding gas...
. It is spring-loaded so that once it has moved to its rearmost position in the firing cycle, spring tension brings it back to the starting position chambering a fresh cartridge during the motion provided that the magazine is not empty.
Through the principles of recoil
Recoil operation
Recoil operation is an operating mechanism used in locked-breech, autoloading firearms. As the name implies, these actions use the force of recoil to provide energy to cycle the action...
or blowback
Blowback (arms)
Blowback is a system of operation for self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gases created by the ignition of the propellant charge....
operation, the slide is forced back with each shot. Generally, this action serves three purposes: ejecting the spent casing, cocking the hammer or striker for the next shot, and loading another cartridge into the chamber when the slide comes forward.
Once the magazine is empty, the slide will lock back, released only when the slide stop
Slide stop
A slide stop, also referred to as a slide release, on a semi-automatic handgun is a function that visually indicates when a handgun has expended all loaded ammunition and facilitates faster re-loading by removing the step of pulling back the slide to advance the first round of a new magazine...
is depressed; if a new magazine is inserted before the slide stop
Slide stop
A slide stop, also referred to as a slide release, on a semi-automatic handgun is a function that visually indicates when a handgun has expended all loaded ammunition and facilitates faster re-loading by removing the step of pulling back the slide to advance the first round of a new magazine...
is depressed then a new cartridge will be chambered.
Some handguns also utilise the slide stop
Slide stop
A slide stop, also referred to as a slide release, on a semi-automatic handgun is a function that visually indicates when a handgun has expended all loaded ammunition and facilitates faster re-loading by removing the step of pulling back the slide to advance the first round of a new magazine...
as a means of releasing the slide, when the slide stop
Slide stop
A slide stop, also referred to as a slide release, on a semi-automatic handgun is a function that visually indicates when a handgun has expended all loaded ammunition and facilitates faster re-loading by removing the step of pulling back the slide to advance the first round of a new magazine...
is held upwards for purposes such as field stripping eliminating the need for any further lock mechanisms and the room that these may use inside the gun.
Automatically cocking the hammer or striker is an important function of double action / single action pistols. However, some semi-auto pistols are double action only, and are designed to omit this step (cocking the hammer or striker).