Cycle Of Operations (M9 Pistol)

Front 1

Cycle 1

Back 1

Feeding
A spring-loaded, 15-round staggered stacked magazine inserted into magazine well positions the top cartridge into the path of the slide with the front of cartridge pointing at the barrel ramp. The magazine is locked into position by the magazine release, which can be located on the left or right side of pistol frame magazine well.

The slide is thrust forward by counter recoil force of compressed recoil spring. The lower part of slide bolt face catches the top part of cartridge rim and strips the cartridge from the magazine, pushing the cartridge up the barrel ramp toward the chamber.

Front 2

Cycle 2

Back 2

Chambering
The cartridge, fully aligned in front of bolt face, is driven into barrel's chamber by forward motion of slide. Chambering is complete when the slide completes its forward motion and the extractor snaps into extracting groove on cartridge rim.

Front 3

Cycle 3

Back 3

Locking

Front 4

Cycle 4

Back 4

Firing
The M9 has Double Action (DA)/Single Action (SA) trigger function. With weapon loaded and hammer decocked, a first shot can be fired DA by pulling trigger to rear. By pulling trigger, the trigger bar is drawn forward and mover hammer rearward. The trigger bar also operates safety lever to lift Firing Pin Safety Lock. The Safety Lever also draws the sear out of register with hammer while raising firing Pin Safety Lock allowing free travel of Firing Pin.

Continued movement of the trigger causes the Trigger Bar to release the Hammer. The Hammer strikes the Firing Pin which in turn strikes the Cartridge Primmer.

With weapon loaded and hammer cocked, the first shot can be fired SA by pulling trigger rearward. By pulling the trigger the trigger bar is drawn forward pivoting the safety lever. This action lifts the firing pin safety lock freeing the firing pin and moving the sear thereby releasing the hammer.

Front 5

Cycle 5

Back 5

Unlocking
The M9 uses the blowback principle of operation of thrust the barrel/slide group rearward against recoil spring. After recoiling about 1/8", the barrel is canned down and arrested by the locking insert in frame while the slide continues rearward. This action starts the extraction and ejection cycle of operation while compressing the recoil spring.

Front 6

Cycle 6

Back 6

Extracting

Front 7

Cycle 7

Back 7

Ejecting

Front 8

Cycle 8

Back 8

Cocking
The rearward travel of slide forces the hammer back as the slide rides over the hammer while continuing to compress recoil spring creating counter recoil force. The hammer is locked down by the sear as the slide moves forward by force of the compressed recoil spring.

Forward travel of the slide starts the cycle of operation all over again.