What is the immediate action for a pistol?

• A. Clear, Check, and Go
• B. Tap, Rack, and reassess
• C. Fire again immediately
• D. Inspect the holster

Answer: (B)

When a pistol experiences a stoppage or round not feeding properly, the immediate-action drill to restore function is Tap, Rack, and Reassess. Start by tapping the base of the magazine to ensure it’s fully seated and to address a weak feed. Then rack the slide firmly to chamber a round and clear any misfeed or failure to eject, bringing the pistol back into battery. Finally, reassess to confirm the slide cycles, a round is chambered, and the gun is ready to fire. If the weapon still malfunctions after these steps, proceed with a more thorough malfunction drill. The other options don’t reflect the quick, standard approach used to rapidly restore handgun function: they either use nonstandard wording, suggest firing again immediately, or involve an action (like inspecting the holster) that isn’t part of addressing a stoppage.