I hope folks read more than just the title. So im watching a show with a gun exchange and the person has to reload and you can see they are nervous to get the new magazine in so they can fire again and it made me think. Do any guns have two magazine where you can either manually switch to the other magazine or maybe automatically do it when the first one is empty. With the idea that if you need to fire while in the middle of changing out the empty magazine you could. I feel like this seem obvious enough that someone must have tried it. I mean considering the crazy gun things I have seen. Since im not aware of anything I figure if it has been done it had an issue or was just not useful enough to make worth it. So for the folks that are really into guns, especially wierd protoype ones. Has there every been anything like this?

    • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      8 hours ago

      “Tap rack bang” (below copied from wikipedia, and I’m just as surprised as you are that they have an article on this.)

      Tap, rack, bang (TRB) or tap, rack, and go (TRG) is jargon for the response to a failure to fire in a firearm with a removable magazine.[1] This is designated as an "Immediate Action" and involves no investigation of the cause (due to being under fire in a combat or defensive situation), but is effective for common failures, such as defective or improperly seated ammunition magazines.[2][3]
      
      Tap – to tap the magazine. This is to ensure that the magazine is properly/completely inserted in the firearm so that it feeds properly. As typically taught in tactical firearms courses, the "tap" is applying pressure on the floor plate of the magazine to lock it into place. It does not constitute 'smacking' the magazine, as this can irreversibly damage the magazine's lip.[4]
      
      Rack – pull back sharply and then quickly release the ~~cocking~~ charging handle/slide of the firearm.[5] This will eject a misfired round, which could be a possible cause of the stoppage, and to chamber the next round.
      
      Bang/Go – aiming and firing the firearm again.[5] If the firearm again does not fire or fails to extract the spent round, it may indicate a more serious problem with the firearm, requiring maintenance. For instance, if the firing pin is too lightly striking the primer on a cartridge, it may indicate a worn-out spring or firing pin.
      Some failures, such as a "stovepipe", require more complicated maintenance that requires investigation of the underlying problem, or remedial action.[2] With issues such as a squib load or hang fire, the "tap, rack, bang" procedure should not be used.[6][7]
      

      And of course

      if the firing pin is too lightly striking the primer on a cartridge, it may indicate a worn-out spring or firing pin. Some failures, such as a “stovepipe”, require more complicated maintenance that requires investigation of the underlying problem, or remedial action.[2] With issues such as a squib load or hang fire, the “tap, rack, bang” procedure should not be used.[6][7]

      A second mag wouldn’t fix any of that, either, so adding one wouldn’t be a solution.

      Finally if the problem is the mag (feed lips or worn spring), a tactical reload (removing the mag, retaining it, and swapping to a full one) would be the move if you can, or just lose the mag and insert a new one if you can’t.

      The real solution to OP’s question though is “train reloads,” before you get into a gun fight. In a situation with high stress you want to have practiced it enough that it becomes muscle memory and you can do it without really thinking about it. You can train it in your bedroom without ammo no less, no excuse not to train reloads. If you’re really bad you can add an aftermarket magwell to many guns that make it easier to reload (at the cost of concealability).

      • Semester3383@lemmy.world
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        6 hours ago

        Stovepipes are pretty common if you limp-wrist your pistol. Similarly, some pistols don’t go back into battery if you don’t keep a rock-solid grip on the gun (I know for certain that this is an issue with the Walther PDP-F). Hang fires are something I wouldn’t worry about in a gun fight; if it doesn’t go bang, immediately cycle the slide and drop the round. Squibs on the other hand… If you get one of those, well, you aren’t shooting with that gun any more, not until you can clear it. If it goes pop instead of BANG, then you definitely should not try a second time.

        Honestly, if you, as a non-cop/non-military person are in a gunfight, the odds that you will need to reload are incredibly low. The biggest reason to carry a spare magazine along with your carry gun is so that you can drop your mag and swap out if you have some kind of failure. But even that is highly unlikely, assuming that you have bought a reputable firearm in the first place (e.g., not KelTec, Taurus, or a Sig P320), and have kept it maintained. Keep in mind that gun fights outside of police standoffs and military engagements are almost always very, very fast; like, less than five seconds most of the time.

        • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          3 hours ago

          Oof on that Walther lol, go Glock or CZ! But yeah a new mag ain’t the fix for any of those.

          Avg civilian encounter is 3s no reloads, but yeah it never hurts to be prepared!