Knowledge of basic gun safety practice and the ability to field-strip and service the firearm is necessary to ensure that the pistol works flawlessly in an emergency.
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Hold the pistol upright with the barrel pointed in a safe direction away from your body. Place one hand under the pistol grip to catch the magazine. Press the magazine release button--located behind the trigger guard on the left of the pistol--inward with your thumb. The magazine will drop out of the butt of the weapon. Clear the weapon of ammunition by pulling the slide located on the top of the pistol back and forth three times to eject a chambered live shell.
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Pull the slide back into the fully open position until the slide stop lever--located on the left of the weapon above the trigger--engages the front notch on the left lower edge of the slide.
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Visually check the breech mechanism to ensure that there is no ammunition left in the pistol. Place the magazine and all ammunition in another room as a safety precaution while servicing the firearm.
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Use the end of a plastic ball-point pen to depress the spring cap located on the front of the weapon below the barrel opening. Push the spring cap inward until it clears the barrel bushing surrounding the front of the barrel.
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Rotate the barrel bushing 90 degrees clockwise while maintaining pressure on the spring cap until the half round opening at the bottom of the bushing clears the spring cap. Withdraw the spring cap and the recoil spring from the front of the weapon. Be careful; the spring is under tension and may cause injury if it slips during withdrawal. Lay the spring and spring cap on one side.
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Rotate the barrel bushing counterclockwise 90 degrees. Grip the bushing between finger and thumb and slide it out of the weapon. Lay the barrel bushing on one side.
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Hold the left side of the pistol uppermost and pull the hammer located at the back of the slide backward until it is in the fully cocked position. Locate the slide stop lever situated above the trigger on the left side of the pistol frame. You will see two notches on the lower left-hand edge of the slide. Grasp the slide and move it back until the rear take-down notch lines up with the corresponding protrusion on top of the slide stop. Push the end of the slide stop fulcrum--located on the right of the weapon above the trigger--flush against the pistol frame. Withdraw the slide stop from the left side of the frame and lay it on one side.
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Grasp the slide and push it all the way forward to remove it from the frame. Turn the slide upside down. Flip the barrel link on the back end of the barrel toward the front of the weapon. Remove the barrel by sliding it out of the front of the frame. Lay the barrel and slide on one side to complete the disassembly process.