Instruction manual

20
4. If desired, the bolt can be left in the open position, being held there by the bolt
stop. If it is desired to close the bolt, again look to be certain the chamber is
empty. Assuming that the magazine is not in the pistol and that the safety is
“on” (S), retract the bolt to its rearmost position, release it, and the bolt will
snap forward (on Mark III models). On 22/45 models the bolt stop button must
be depressed. Keep your fingers out of the receiver!
5. With the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, push the safety to the “off” (F)
position and pull the trigger to decock the pistol. The pistol can be dry fired as
long as the firing pin stop is in place (see NOTE in step 5 on page 25).
6. If the magazine contains cartridges, they can be removed by pressing down
slightly on the magazine button (to ease the spring tension) with the thumb,
and then sliding the cartridges forward and out of the magazine, one at a time
until emptied.
7. Push empty (unloaded) magazine into grip frame until the latch locks it in
place.
TO EXTRACT AND
EJECT A CHAMBERED CARTRIDGE
When the pistol is fired, the same gas pressure that drives the bullet forward also
acts through the cartridge case to push the bolt to the rear. That action causes
extraction and ejection of the fired cartridge case. But, when the bolt is operated
by hand, there can be a failure to extract the cartridge from the chamber, or a
failure to eject the cartridge clear of the pistol. These failures usually are the
result of the bolt not being pulled rearward vigorously, coupled with an
accumulation of bullet lubricant in the chamber. From the foregoing it is clear
that the gun user must:
1. Always visually check the chamber after opening the bolt to eject a chambered
cartridge. If the bolt is not vigorously retracted when being operated by hand,
the extracted cartridge can be ‘ejected’ into the grip frame of the magazine-
well.
2. Thor
oughly clean the chamber and extractor as often as necessary to prevent
the accumulation of grease and dirt.
3. If an empty magazine is in the pistol when the bolt is being hand retracted to
extract a cartridge, the cartridge may drop on top of the magazine. Then when
the bolt goes forward, the cartridge will be chambered again! Always remove
the magazine before clearing the chamber, and visually ensure that no
cartridges remain in the gun.