I would have liked to see the article address the XD/XDms in-particular, given the fact that for many of the guns in this lineup, the grip safety must be properly actuated in order to cycle the slide....also because the author showed an XD in the leading picture in that article!
This becomes especially important in the combatives context (of which contact-distance concerns were touched-on in the article) as it is both necessary to not only clear more common stoppages, but also to properly mortar the gun.
"Mortaring" a reciprocating-slide handgun is a "combat" stoppage-remediation technique. It isn't without its pitfalls (the biggest of which is launching the gun downrange), but when the gun is locked-up tight and you have to get back in the fight, the technique should provide the shock/impulse needed to free the slide, when even the most forceful "racking" cannot.
Typically, because of the inherent dangers of this technique, it's not taught at the novice/beginner level for stoppage reduction. That said, I continue to find it surprising at the relatively small population of shooters who know it, have practiced it, and/or have used it successfully in a training context.
I really believe that in order to be a competent defensive/duty shooter, one needs to have this technique solidly practiced and in their toolbox:
With the muzzle in a safe direction,
firmly grasp the slide with your non-dominant hand as if you are going to rack the slide.
Do this with the thumb pointed back at your body: it will be an extremely difficult an angle to attack the gun with your thumb pointed towards the muzzle as in the pinch technique favored by the author of the cited article above.
Now, using your strong/dominant hand, open-palm strike the tang of the weapon.
Aim for the web of your hand to contact the tang (with the XD/XDm, proper technique should have you
simultaneously contacting the grip safety and deactivating it, thereby allowing the slide to cycle its full range). As you make contact, quickly close your hand around the grip so that you can retain ("catch") the weapon.
This forceful blow should shock the slide free.
This is a tried-and-true method that is taught specifically as stoppage remediation on reciprocating-slide semi-auto handguns.
Should you launch the weapon downrange, do *NOT* attempt to catch it. Simply let it drop, and retrieve it afterwards. A properly designed and mechanically sound defensive/duty grade handgun will have a inertial/drop safety that will prevent it from "going off" from such an event.
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I also wanted to point out that Steve Fisher of Sentinel Concepts also presented an interesting take on stoppage remediation:
www.handgunsmag.com
www.range365.com
www.youtube.com
- all that I can say is that through hundreds of thousands of rounds fired, I've only ever had one instance where the FTFire was due to a failure to seat the magazine properly, and that particular stoppage occurred on the second shot out of the holster. In that instance, I had failed to insure the magazine was properly seated after an in-holster administrative reload away from the firing line: revised methodology/technique means this has never again been an issue.
