Problem with grip on Glock 35

[mattmcg]

I'm hoping for a bit of guidance and advice for a grip problem I'm having with my Glock 35. I know that I should have both thumbs pointing toward the target (I'm a righty, so left thumb under right thumb). My problem is that when I do this, I am messing with the slide release and accidentally hold it down once the last round is fired causing it to go back into battery! The G35 has an extended slide release with a little nubby on the end of it which I like tremendously but is is definitely getting in the way.

Have others experienced this? How were your hands positioned to avoid this issue? Should I just deal with it going back into battery?

 

[1911user]

Many replace it with the older style slide release and adjust position of the left thumb out just a bit to be sure.

 

[Chris Rhines]

Some go farther and carve the outside of the slide release off entirely, so it cannot be tripped from the outside. Of course, this means you have to slingshot the slide when reloading.

Ideally you shouldn't be touching the gun at all with your thumbs, but I know that this doesn't always work.

I almost never reload from slide lock, so I just leave it alone.

- Chris

 

[Therapydude]

I've suffered from the exact same problem shooting Glocks (including those without an extended slide stop). Like you, instead of going to slide lock, I would end up with the weapon in battery with an empty chamber.

Personally, I have average sized hands with slender digits. Despite many top shooters using a thumbs forward position, it just does not work for me. I am right hand dominant, so when shooting my G34, I place my right hand on the grip so that my right thumb is parallel to the bore, but lower than a "both thumbs forward" position (I let it fall into the shallow thumb groove molded into the side of the grip). Next, I wrap my left hand around the grip so that my left thumb crosses over the right thumb making a "+" shape. The intersection of the thumbs is at the joint closest to each thumbnail (thumb interphalangeal joints, to be precise). This position allows me to make equal contact with the gun from all sides, and prevents accidental manipulation of the slide stop or mag release.

This technique works well (for me) on most DA/SA and DAO semi-autos, as well as revolvers. Unfortunately, it doesn't work with the 1911 if I let my right thumb ride the safety. However, if I disengage the safety and then lower my thumb (the way I grip a Glock), then it works a little better.

Best of luck

 

[HSMITH]

If you are shooting to slide lock more than once in a great while and doing it on purpose where you have enough movement to reload during that movement you are missing the boat entirely. Unless there is a large advantage to shooting to slide lock and a free reload during movement don't do it.

 

[Bix]

I lock the pad of my strong thumb down onto the basal joint of my weak thumb, so that both digits are stacked on top of each other. This feels like a very strong grip compared to other thumb arrangements I've tried, and it has the benefit of keeping everything clear of the extended controls on my G34.

 

[Joe D]

There is no real disadvantage shooting a Glock to slide lock. If the gun is set up right the slide will drop when you seat the mag firmly. First thing I remove is the extended slide lock. I can usually find a Mall Ninja that will be happy to swap his standard one.