Do you use the slide stop lever or slingshot method to return the slide to battery?

[DMK]

Slingshot

For the same reasons as rbernie.

If you get a stovepipe or FTE, flicking the slide catch won't help you. If you practice slingshot all the time, it becomes second nature and works on every gun. Some of my guns don't have slide catch levers.

Plus I don't want to wear out that little notch.

 

[CleverNickname]

Overhand slingshot. Thumb-and-forefinger slingshot is awkward, doesn't provide as much grip on the slide and looks goofy. However I shoot Glocks most of the time and they have a tendency to drop the slide by themselves when a full mag is inserted so the vast majority of the time I don't even have to both with dropping the slide myself.

 

[AndyC]

Reloading - slide-stop.

Jam-clearance is a different animal.

 

[Storm]

When a round will be loaded into the chamber I slingshot it. When it will be closing on an empty chamber I slow up the slide by the grip of my hand.

 

[SuperNaut]

Clint Smith on the T.V. recommends slingshot, Correia in real life recommends slingshot, my habit is to use the lever (not really out of preference).

I know what I'm supposed to do, but some habits are very hard to break. Does anybody do Tap-Rack-Bang drills?

 

[pax]

Does anybody do Tap-Rack-Bang drills?

Yep.

Best way to combat a flinch is to mix snap caps in with live ammunition during your regular practice. You get in a bunch of reps clearing malfs (tap-rack-assess-bang), and work on your flinch at the same time.

pax

 

[SuperNaut]

Ah, that's a good idear Pax.

 

[Soybomb]

FYI, Browning, Colt, S&W, Glock, Ruger, Walther, and SIG all refer to it as a slide stop/catch in their manuals. The only ones I've seen that refer to it as a slide release is H&K and Kahr.

Does that really matter what they call it through? You seem to imply if they call it a slide stop, thats all it is to be used for.

From my walther P99 manual, loading section.
"Push down on the slide stop. The slide will snap forwarding, loading the chamber as it closes."

 

[S&Wfan]

I will NEVER, EVER use the slide STOP to release the slide in order to load a fresh round into my autos. I slingshot that sucker so it will go forward as quickly as possible but . . .

A DIFFERENT REASON THAN HAS BEEN MENTIONED YET . . .

I agree with the Tap-Rack-Bang drill and practice it often. I think it best if one ALWAYS slingshots the slide forward, rather than have different ways to do it in different situations. In a moment of mortal stress, your moves should be repetitive and based on instinct and simplicity!

HOWEVER . . . HERE'S THE DIFFERENT REASON . . .

ACCURACY!!!

Many automatics throw their first round to a different spot on a target, due to the slide speed being different as the gun initially goes into battery with a fresh round!

Have any of you ever had this problem?

You can generally solve this problem, and TIGHTEN UP YOUR AUTO'S TARGET GROUPS . . . by slingshotting the slide forward so the slide goes into battery much closer to the speed it does after shucking a fired round!!!

Thus, I shudder when I see someone ever-so-slowly release the slide STOP as they ALSO assist the slide forward by limiting it's forward speed with their hand!!! The poor cartridge just barely plops into place as the slide goes into battery.

Doing this will insure that your first round will not seat into battery the way it will normally after the first hot round is fired . . . and virtually assure you that your first round fired will NOT got to your normal point of aim spot.

If I ever have to use my autos for self defense, I want my first round to go DEAD ON to the spot I'm trying to hit.

SLINGSHOT THAT SLIDE . . . AND LET IT RIP FORWARD WITH MAXIMUM SPEED . . . so it seats firmly into battery like it does after shucking live-fired rounds.

DO IT FOR BETTER ACCURACY . . . IT MAY JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Food for thought . . .

T.

 

[pax]

Good grief ... purple? All caps? Is this really THAT important?

*shakes head and wanders away*



pax

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I was taught for many years to use the slide stop release. Then I switched as fine-motor-movements go to crap under stress, and my carry gun I can't modify like my 1911 to give it a robust, external, slide stop, so the sling-shot style for releasing the slide after reload was the better tactical choice. I think releasing the slide-stop is faster IF you have a robust, external slide-stop lever. I would prefer such.

LD

 

[Lonestar49]

Time is the quesiton IMHO.

...

I prefer using the slide release for the simple reason that it allows me to do it with, while having, a good 2-hand grip, while getting on target at the same time ~ faster ~ than taking the time to hold the gun one handed, and sling-shot the slide with the other hand, then getting a 2-hand grip and back on target, taking much longer.

I've never seen a bad shot because of this method, and if I do, it's because of an error on my part, not the action of the slide and its chambering of the first round, in simple truth, of what I've seen, a few times, out of 100's of shots per range visit with any of my guns.


LS

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Many automatics throw their first round to a different spot on a target, due to the slide speed being different as the gun initially goes into battery with a fresh round!

Could you explain why? I haven't heard that before so I'm curious. It doesn't seem like the round would go any deeper or shallower into the chamber and the chamber isn't loose enough for it to wobble around side to side.
With most of my guns it seems like dropping the slide stop slams the slide home with as much speed and pressure as pulling it back another 1/4 inch and letting it go.
I should work on consistency and doing it one way or the other. For tap-rack-bang drills I always slingshot. For more casual shooting I use the lever about half the time and slingshot the other half. With an AR I always use the bolt release.

 

[Chris Rhines]

I always use the slide release. It's much faster and easier to perform under pressure, with wet or slippery hands, etc. Using the slide stop is also more positive - the tendency to unthinkingly ride the slide forward when racking the slide forward is difficult to train out, and this can lead to failures to go into battery.

I don't care for non-diagnostic weapon manipulation.

- Chris

 

[brickeyee]

The 1911 patent describes it both ways, and even describes using it to release the slide after loading a new magazine.
The thumb pad is there for a reason (at least Mr. Browning thought).

 

[sdj]

On the 1911: overhand. Interesting poll topic!

 

[S&Wfan]

Good grief ... purple? All caps? Is this really THAT important?

*shakes head and wanders away*



pax

Hi Kathy,

I guess I could have used pink or sumpthin' else. Nawww, not that important, I just like to use some space and color in my posts if I've posted a long answer. It helps "readability" . . . something I learned about writing for the old college paper way back in the early '70s. BTW, you have a really nice website and your use of colors, fonts and space makes it extremely readable too!

Last week in our little town we had the third assault on a lady within a couple of weeks, and it occurred across the street from my wife's business.

It scared her a lot, as it did several ladies who work with my wife. The victim was a well-known and attractive local TV personality who suffered twelve stitches to the scalp . . . all on the main drag in town as the three perps drug her from her back yard to the front trying to get her money.

Then the Sheriff announced a training class for ladies only to teach 'em firearms skills plus the legal and moral issues of defending oneself. Over 200 ladies have signed up already. They are required to bring their own firearm to the training, along with 100 rounds of ammo and they will also be taught a lot of the things you write about so well in your website.

My wife has always hated guns, but this incident across the street from her workplace really woke her up . . . and she even asked me to TAKE HER TO THE RANGE Saturday!!! I made sure to load some really nice, low power ammo so she'd truly enjoy the time we spent at the range.

We had a wonderful time . . . and then someone turned me on to your site!!!

I've got it bookmarked and I've shown it to her. You are a marvelous writer who writes with wonderful intellegence, warmth and humor. I read the whole darn site late into the evening and into the wee hours of the morning. GREAT STUFF!

You explain things in a way that will appeal to her as a woman, and the "cornered cat" analogy really opens things up for a lot of women I'm sure.

With your help, I think she's going to make a very fine and responsible CCW lady!

Warmest regards,

Tom Turner

PS: Although guilty on a few points, my wife told me I was not guilty of most of the things you listed on "How To Make Your Wife Hate Guns." However, you've made me really think too, of how I can support her much better. We've been married for nearly 33 years and I love her more today than ever. She's really wonderful.

Thanks a lot!

 

[Mantua]

I use the slingshot method. Just seems simpler.

 

[STAGE 2]

Many automatics throw their first round to a different spot on a target, due to the slide speed being different as the gun initially goes into battery with a fresh round!

I'm going to raise a serious question mark on this one. Fliers have far more to do with shooter flinch than anything else. Add to that the difference in slide travel between the two can be measured in less than a milimeter on most pistols and I can't see how this is true. The bullet will not wedge itself any differently from one method to the next.

And for you naysayers out there, at least for 1911 buffs the slide release is exactly that, a release. The 1911 was designed to be used on horseback, which means one hand on the reins no matter what. This is the reason for the checkering on the lever and why the slide release is used to chember a round.

 

[jungleroy]

I am recently left handed, I now overhand with whats left of my right hand, it works well for me.

 

[JohnKSa]

Given that one of my SD autos doesn't have a slide stop lever, I always use the slingshot method to avoid training myself to hunt for something that's not there should I need to reload or drop the slide in an emergency.

 

[gudel]

I use both, whatever the easiest. For my GLOCKs and M&P, I use slingshot. For my HKs and Berettas, I use the slide stop.
They do the same thing, one method is easier on certain guns.
I like HK's slide release, they're huge

 

[pax]

Tom ~





Thanks for the kind words. You made my day.

pax

 

[Bullseye57]

Slingshot always. Well, almost always, I do use the bolt release on the AR because using the charging handle to close the bolt is awkward, especially when slung-in on the firing line. On the Ruger 22 Auto, using the bolt catch lever to load the pistol will cause the bolt stop to wear, roundoff, and eventually fail to lock the bolt rearwards. Pulling the slide/bolt fully rearward allows it to use full spring tension to load the weapon, just like it would naturally during firing operation.

R,
Bullseye

 

[Correia]

Correia in real life recommends slingshot,

Uh, actually it depends. When I'm teaching the new, and the average CCW class, then I teach slingshot, because it is a big, easy to use, gross muscle thing, and I've seen a lot of newer shooters really choke on dropping the slide with the release.

That said, personally, I use the slide stop. People that shoot a lot, (competition, training geeks, and I say that with love) are gonna use the slide stop. But since they've got 20,000 repititions, it works well. So it is one of those do what works for you kind of things.

I really don't think there is one perfect way to do anything. We're all coming at this from different backgrounds and levels of experience.