Hi guys!
Let me explain my perspective on this.
I was one of the primary firearms instructors at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center from 1980 to 2016. KLETC is the central academy for the state of Kansas and we trained between 300 - 350 new officers each year. Additionally, we conducted firearms instructor classes as well as in-service training classes. During my tenure I developed and conducted more of these classes than any of my co-workers.
By the very early 1990’s, Glock had become pretty well entrenched in LE, when we used to run the records it seemed that over 60% of our shooters were using Glocks. Early on we standardized on a 9mm 147gr FMJ loaded @ 990 (PF=145). We shot that round for most of my career. With the advent of the .40 S&W we began using a 180gr FMJ loaded @ 890 (PF= 160). For .45 we always used a 230gr FMJ @ 825 (PF= 189).
The reason that I detail the ammunition used for training is because in any in-depth discussion of brass-to-face I do mention that perhaps one reason I’m not familiar with the phenomenon is that we used heavier, slower ammunition.
While I feel that needs to be pointed out in order to be fair, I don’t think that is the reason we never saw BTF as a problem. I think the real reason we never saw BTF as an issue is that we were firearms instructors not firearms watchers. By that I mean firearms training at our facility was not 16 shooters on line with a guy running the line and two instructors (or less) as is common at many of the high-speed courses folks love to attend. Rather we tried, and almost always succeeded in getting a 2 shooter to one instructor ratio. Our staff instructors were definitely inter-active and our guest instructors that weren’t interactive enough, or not able to give good instruction, generally weren’t invited back. BTW, our firearms instructor course required officers to do an ‘internship’ by coaching during one of our classes.
What I’m trying to point out is that by the time shooters fired their first live round, their draw stroke, grip and finger placement on the trigger had been analyzed and corrected during dry-fire drills - in the classroom and on the range. During range exercises they were closely monitored and coached.
I’m not saying we never had a shooter eating brass. We did. But it was corrected without pistol modifications.
That is where I’m coming from with my perspective.
Now, I’m going to go out on the sandiest road I can find, snuggle my PSA mid-length M4ish clone into the sand and run over it with my Dodge Ram.
Good enough?
ETA: Out of fairness, just thought of another reason I may not have seen a lot of BTF. Generally our Glock reps furnished us with parts so we were able to armorer service and upgrades on all Glocks that came through our basic classes, Sig pretty much did the same thing. I think it largely depends on the relationship you have with your reps.
The bullet keeps the cartridge trapped in the chamber until the ejector hits it.