Mechanism for selectively preventing cycling of a semiautomatic handgun

1. A mechanism for selectively preventing cycling of a semiautomatic handgun having a frame and a longitudinally reciprocating slide, the device comprising:

a pivotal blocking lever on one of the slide or frame and that is selectively movable between a first position that allows the slide to cycle when the handgun is fired and a second position in which a blocking member mechanically bridges between the frame and slide to block cycling movement of the slide when the handgun is fired, wherein the blocking lever pivots coaxially with, but on an opposite side of the frame from, a pivoting manual safety switch.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the blocking member on the blocking lever includes an abutment that moves in an arcuate path along a recess in the frame and into a notch formed on the slide.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein pivotal movement of the blocking lever causes substantially linear movement of the blocking member in a channel in the frame to move the blocking member between the first and second positions.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the blocking lever is mounted on the slide and moves the blocking member along a substantially linear path between the first and second positions.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the blocking lever includes teeth that engage teeth on the blocking member such that pivotal movement of the blocking lever causes substantially linear movement of the blocking member between the first and second positions.