Complex sentence: Short recoil operation differs from long-recoil operation in that the barrel and slide recoil only a short distance before they unlock and separate: the barrel stops quickly, and the slide continues rearward, compressing the recoil spring and performing the automated extraction and feeding process.
Split into simpler sentences: Short recoil operation differs from long recoil operation in that the barrel and slide recoil only a short distance before they unlock and separate. The barrel stops quickly, and the slide continues rearward, compressing the recoil spring and performing the automated extraction and feeding process.