We’re about to see some crucial lessons from the gun range that might actually save lives in real situations, all hinging on technique.
Konstadinos Moros, who oversees legal research and education at the Second Amendment Foundation, shared valuable insights through a video he posted last Tuesday. He was trying to figure out the issue with his Colt 1902 pocket hammerless pistol, which was jamming. This discussion took place in a newspaper article from July 27. Before grasping the root of the issue, he detailed his challenges in a video.
“This Pocket Hammerless is quite gentle when shooting, but it’s struggling to eject the spent casings,” Moros noted on July 27 as he tackled the jamming problem. “I keep running into either this issue or the stovepipe. I think I’ll try a different magazine along with a more thorough cleaning.”
Timing matters:
A new recoil spring helped, but the actual cause of the problem seems more ridiculous. https://t.co/p9e5rUvnWj pic.twitter.com/fQfv1VPhQJ
— Kostas Moros (@MorosKostas) August 12, 2026
A “stovepipe” jam happens when a semi-automatic weapon fires but the cartridge doesn’t fully eject, often poking out awkwardly like a chimney. This type of jam usually occurs because the ammunition lacks sufficient force to push the slide back fully, although this situation required a bit more troubleshooting.
After receiving suggestions from comments on the July 27 post, Moros experimented with a different round, switching from a 60-grain jacketed hollow point. Unfortunately, the issue persisted, leading him to replace the recoil spring before he finally pinpointed the cause.
“The new recoil spring helped, but the real issue turned out to be even more absurd,” Moros explained in a Tuesday video, revealing that his thumb had been hitting the slide, causing the jamming. After adjusting his grip, the pistol functioned perfectly.
In the comments, one firearms instructor mentioned Moros’s experience as a teachable moment, highlighting why he instructs his students to keep their thumbs off the slide of a pistol. Following their discussion, the instructor tagged a colleague, offering assistance to Moros in improving his technique.
There’s a lesson here, for sure. Exercising your Second Amendment rights matters, but alongside saving for a reliable firearm and ammo, it might be wise to budget for a solid firearms safety course as well.
