How To Avoid Bullet Setback

Repeated chambering of the same carry round can have unpleasant consequences. Speer ambassador and professional shooter Patrick Kelley discusses how problems can arise and explains the easy way to avoid them.

[@djarnoldo516]

Good advice, Patrick, too few concealed carriers understand this. I mic my carry mags every six months and use for practice any rounds that are set back by more than nine thousandths compared to new rounds. In practice, I have shot rounds with setbacks as much as 30 thousandths, and the rounds fired perfectly. But, it's good to be aware of this effect and plan accordingly.

[@hoppinggnomethe4154]

I just slowly close the slide to avoid the slamming the bullet into the feed ramp. Then I give the back of the slide a love tap, unload the mag, slap the mag to make all the rounds are seated properly, and reinsert the mag.

[@stephenpetrikowski3009]

Good video. I always see this question come up online, usually after they've already achieved bullet set back and are asking if it's ok to shoot.
Personally I always dedicated a few rounds per each box of carry ammo as chamber rounds so I can never have to chamber the same round more than a couple times. Then those rounds become range ammo.

[@AlphaSierra375]

I've had it happen with my Hornady Critical Defense (115gn). I just use a bullet puller to reset the OAL. I would otherwise just shoot that one round if I had more defensive loads though.

[@WraithChornobyl]

Hornady is pretty prone to that as a brand. Unfortunately, I have even noticed it in Premium Underwood 10mm.

[@lando916]

Just happened to me 😬 luckily I decided to swap slides on my glocks just for fun and found that the ejected round was setback. Must have been the home defense ammo I’ve used in it for awhile probably the one I always send out when clearing. Scary 😱

[@adonikam1]

It happens more than you say it does! Especially with 357 Sig or 400 Corbon!

[@deenoberry3360]

My kahr is bad about setback. No matter amo or how I load round lasts about three loads then it's done. My other cccw a Beretta px4 sc never had setback.

[@graywind4326]

I don’t understand loading and unloading your gun each time after carrying. Buy a steel box or any case that you can throw a padlock on. Take holster off with gun in it. Kydex does not retain moisture. Lock it up until next time you carry. I carry daily. Two guns a pistol while out and a revolver while at home. I Do the same with each. I shoot the chambered rounds at practice sessions and the carry mag at regular intervals to make sure heat and humidity never effect it. Less often my spare magazine.

[@blackops8996]

Nah

[@paulx2777]

Just carry all the time, at home too. At night put the gun on the nightstand. In the morning put it back in your holster. Then you never have to unload the gun.

[@RaymondTusk74]

@@paulx2777It only takes about a week before it’s full of belly button lint and dry as a bone. So ya, if you carry all the time then you are lubricating the gun a lot too. Bullet setback isn’t a huge deal in my gun though, and I shoot often enough to just rotate the round occasionally. It’s much more likely to be a problem in a 1911.

[@TheTigerDogg]

Yeah. No one ever talks about this stuff.

[@mdoehrman]

Why not just avoid the feed ramp in the first place? If you are worried, just place the round in the chamber and let the slide go home, load the mag and have a nice day.

[@hoppinggnomethe4154]

Great way to damage the extractor

[@Z_BoyPanduh]

@@hoppinggnomethe4154maybe if you do it a few thousand times…😂

[@John_jingle_hiemer_schmit]

I avoid this issue by never unloading my guns.

[@chltmdwp]

Then how do you lube your gun?

[@SaltyStones]

What do you do when cleaning it then? Do you even clean it? Lol

[@Commonwealth_Prepper]

@@chltmdwp oil doesn’t evaporate. The rails are good and oiled or I use light grease.

[@Commonwealth_Prepper]

@@SaltyStoneslight coat of oil in the barrel. Oil doesn’t evaporate so the slide rails are always oiled or greased. I keep it on a cleaning schedule every couple of months. I use an oily rag to clean the outside and oil it every couple weeks.