What is "Short Stroking" or "Short Stroke"

[rambone]

What is "Short Stroking" ?

What types of guns does this happen to?



I was under the impression that it only applied to pump shotguns. I have seen some first time shooters not fully perform the pump action - giving it a half pump - and cause a spent shotgun shell to be jammed into barrel. The spent shell will not eject unless you force it out using a cleaning rod. Anyone had this problem?

 

[mikea46996]

Nevermind..... Thought we had an X-rated thread here...

 

[VUPDblue]

That's exactly what it is. It happens in the AR platform too when either the round is under powered enough to keep the bolt from recoiling fully, or the buffer spring is too stiff.

 

[bigcraig]

It can happen to any SA gun.

Possible causes can be the following:
1) Underpowered ammo.
2) Clogged gas system.
3) Leak in the gas system.
4) High friction from improperly installed/built firearm.
5) Too heavy recoil/buffer spring.
I am sure I am missing a few more.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

What is "Short Stroking" ?

Think of it as when weapon fails to go into battery. Usually applied to manually operated repeating weapons, specifically slide-action shotguns.

*Disclaimer: I am not a gunsmith. In fact Kirk is the last person that should touch your guns.

 

[dburkhead]

What is "Short Stroking" ?

What types of guns does this happen to?



I was under the impression (now I think I am wrong) that it only applied to pump shotguns. I have seen some first time shooters not fully perform the pump action - giving it a half pump - and cause a spent shotgun shell to be jammed into barrel. The spent shell will not eject unless you force it out using a cleaning rod. Anyone had this problem?

The term I've heard is "short cycling" which means that the bolt/slide/carrier does not come all the way back. This can lead to failure to fully eject a cartridge (stovepipe), failure to chamber the next round, or simply partially pulling back the spent cartridge and shoving it back into the chamber.

 

[Robert Richardson]

Happens mainly in gas guns when the action doesn't cycle back far enough to eject the empty case and then rechambers the round.Kinda sucks when it happens.

 

[rambone]

Thanks guys. I guess I was correct after all. When I did a search I mostly came up with references to problems with the gas system, and not anything to confirm that it happens to pump shotguns when someone gives it a wimpy pump. I tell my first-time shotgunners "Do it hard - you're not going to break it." However they commonly jam it by doing a short pump. Hopefully this thread helps someone else.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Correct or not, I've also heard that term applied to not allowing a trigger to re-set upon firing a round...when you go to pull the trigger again, nothing happens.

-J-

 

[cosermann]

short-STROKING - manually operated arms, pump shotguns, lever actions, etc.
short-CYCLING - semi-auto arms

There's a difference, subtle yes, but a difference nonetheless.

 

[kingnereli]

I worry about this when I hear people say they carry there handgun with the chamber empty. Under the stress of a self defense situation it is pretty easy to "short stroke" the slide and end up with a FTF. I've seen it happen to guys just practicing their draw with dummy rounds. Something as simple as your hand slipping off the slide can do it. Granted, not as easy as short stroking a pump shotgun, but it could happen.