Why Do Some Guns Fire With/Or Without A Magazine?

Introduction and Featured Handguns

The video opens with a malfunction concern that turns out to be a handgun that will not fire without a magazine inserted. The host explains the topic: why some handguns fire with or without a magazine, and whether that is a desirable feature. Three pistols are used as examples: a Glock 45 equipped with a Holosun 509T closed-emitter red dot, an FN Five‑seveN, and a Smith & Wesson M&P 9 2.0. The M&P 9 2.0 and the Glock 45 will fire with the magazine removed, while the FN Five‑seveN will only fire when a magazine is inserted. The host notes that all Glocks are designed to fire with or without a magazine and sets up a comparison of pros and cons for each approach.

Why Some Prefer Magazine Disconnect Safeties

The discussion turns to why a magazine disconnect safety can be beneficial. The host focuses on law enforcement, security, and potentially military users. In a struggle where a suspect attempts to take an officer’s handgun, the officer can press the magazine release. The magazine may fall out or at least dislodge during the fight. If the firearm is equipped with a magazine disconnect, the gun will not fire when the attacker gains control and pulls the trigger, because the magazine is no longer properly seated. The attacker may assume the gun is broken and discard it, giving the officer a chance to regain control and reinsert a magazine. This is presented as a deliberate tactic that can turn the magazine safety into a defensive advantage in close-quarters disarm attempts.

Civilian Safety Concerns and Negligent Discharges

The host then addresses civilian use and common safety issues. Many less-experienced shooters, and even some who have been around firearms for years, mistakenly believe that removing the magazine makes a handgun safe. They drop the magazine and then pull the trigger, forgetting that a round may still be chambered. The Smith & Wesson M&P 9 2.0 shown in the video includes a warning on the frame stating it is capable of firing with the magazine removed. The host references numerous incidents, including gun store and home CCTV footage, where people remove the magazine and then unintentionally fire a round. The point is that a magazine disconnect can help prevent this specific type of negligent discharge, although proper adherence to the basic safety rules—especially keeping a finger off the trigger—remains essential.

Law Enforcement Experience with M&P .40 Variants

Drawing on prior police experience, the host describes being issued a Smith & Wesson M&P .40 that would not fire without a magazine inserted. With that earlier model, even if a round was chambered, removing the magazine meant the trigger would move but the gun would not fire until a magazine was reinserted. After several years, the department switched to a newer generation of M&P .40 pistols that did fire with the magazine removed. This contrast within the same platform illustrates how departments and manufacturers have shifted between configurations, reflecting different priorities regarding safety features versus uninterrupted function. The example underscores that magazine disconnects are a design choice rather than a universal standard, even within a single handgun family.

Tactical Risks of Magazine Disconnects

The video then explores why a magazine disconnect can be a liability in a fight. Under stress, even trained officers can establish a poor grip when drawing from the holster. That bad grip can inadvertently press the magazine release, causing the magazine to fall out or become slightly dislodged. Using the FN Five‑seveN as an example, the host shows that if the magazine is not fully seated, the pistol will not fire. In a close-range confrontation, this could turn the handgun into what is described as a “dead man’s gun,” leaving the user unable to fire when it matters most. The host recalls a state police academy scenario using a blue Glock 22 SIM gun, where a bad grip caused the magazine to fall. Because that training gun would still fire the chambered round, a center‑mass hit was still possible. With a magazine disconnect, that first lifesaving shot would not have been available.

Mechanical Complexity and Reliability Concerns

To conclude the technical discussion, the host notes that a magazine disconnect adds another internal mechanism that can fail. This component is specifically designed to prevent the gun from firing when the magazine is removed. The concern is that if this part malfunctions due to impact, debris, or wear, the handgun might fail to fire even with a magazine properly inserted. The host favors simpler designs with fewer potential failure points, citing Glock pistols as an example of handguns known for functioning reliably under adverse conditions. The overall argument is that while magazine disconnect safeties can offer certain advantages, especially in disarm attempts or with untrained users, they also introduce tactical risks and additional mechanical complexity that some shooters prefer to avoid.