Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2018 May 26

= May 26 =

Semi-automatic Pistols

 * Sorry, the question was incomplete hence confusing, am reputting it
 * Well, now question's complete

Though I have been familiar with guns since kindergarten days, I have some doubt regarding semi-automatic handguns. Most semi-automatic pistols I have handled till now have same basic things: you put a loaded magazine in the handle, pull the slide-bolt back fullback and release it - causing the first cartridge to go into breech. The gun is ready to fire - the blow-back will throw out the used cartridge and on it's way back also bring a fresh one from the magazine. But my grandfather once said that certain .25s, don't require the necessary ceremony of pulling back the boltslide - the loading up of the magazine itself is enough to cause the magazine's first cartridge to pass into the breech : causing the gun ready for firing. (perhaps he was talking about Czechoslovakia brand), or perhaps all .25 calibre pistols. Is that right ? Jon Ascton   (talk)  16:13, 26 May 2018 (UTC)
 * What did your grandfather say about .25 calibre pistols? Your question seems incomplete at the moment. Tevildo (talk) 18:29, 26 May 2018 (UTC)
 * Before you finish asking your question, I'm going to guess the answer: your grandfather's .25 was not a simple semi-automatic, but it was a double-action pistol where the trigger pull reset part of the gun. CZ 45 comes to mind as such a pistol in .25. Since the CZ 50 is also like this, and that's a .32, I'm guessing it's just the manufacturer, and not the calibre. There are ordinary .25 semi-automatics. Someguy1221 (talk) 19:00, 26 May 2018 (UTC)
 * Oh, well, never mind what I said then. Um, that's weird. Did the pistol do this every time, or only when the slide was already locked? On a lot of pistols (often as a defect, not a design feature) the slide releases itself when a new magazine is loaded. Someguy1221 (talk) 04:57, 27 May 2018 (UTC)

No, I don't think so, I would have remembered had he been talking about mis-operating guns. Also I know the type where boltslide gets locked back when the last shot is out, and after putting in a new magazine you press a lever on the left (as it faces gunner) to release the boltslide, making it ready. He had been familiar with those types, and they were all .44 or above (only some family friends in police had those - Indian civilians, as a rule, can't buy above .32). No, he was only talking about .25s, I am sure. At that time I thought that since much force is not required to "bolt" this ladies pistol, so maybe the force required to push in the mag may also used in part to slide. : O.P.           — Preceding unsigned comment added by 27.255.223.93 (talk) 23:48, 27 May 2018 (UTC)