Slide release vs. racking the slide back

[OmutaX]

As I am just a regular peon and not an operator or competition shooter, I use the overhand method as it reinforces muscle memory of tap, rack, banging for any situation.

 

[LiveLife]

muscle memory of tap, rack, banging for any situation.

Be careful of automatic tap-rack-bang drills. In case of squib situation where a bullet gets dislodged in the barrel, automatic muscle memory tap-rack-bang will result in serious damage to pistol and injury to the shooter.

At matches, I have seen guns blow up several times when time-saving tap-rack-bang was used. Now, I am more careful to pay more attention to what my pistol does when it does not fire "bang" normally so I can investigate properly. It is more like lock slide-tilt/inspect chamber-tap-release slide-bang.

It is also for this reason why I advocate the use of quality factory JHP for SD/HD purposes.

Be safe.

 

[MCMXI]

Not at all as M&P pistols have ambi-slide lock/release.

Surely there are left-handed shooters using pistols other than M&Ps and therefore may not have the option of an ambidextrous slide release. I imagine they'd have no choice other than to release the slide by pulling it back.

 

[thorazine]

Releasing a slide lock is a fine motor skill that can become extremely difficult to do under the stress of a dynamic critical incident.

Pressing a lever downwards (typically) is a fine motor skill?

Making coffee in the morning (which is stressful) is more of a fine motor skill in my opinion. =/


If you cannot operate a slide release under stress then perhaps it would be best to turn in your drivers license.

 

[LiveLife]

Surely there are left-handed shooters using pistols other than M&Ps and therefor may not have the option of an ambidextrous slide release. I imagine they'd have no choice other than to release the slide by pulling it back.

Thankfully we have pistols with ambi-slide lock/release options. Yes, left-handed shooters using non ambi-slide lock/release pistols either use their left index finger to release the slide or sling-shot the slide with their right hand. Lefties have learned to adapt in the righty's world.

Most left handed shooters I know all have migrated to the M&P for this primary reason when the M&P offerings came out. Of course, left handed shooters point this out to other left handed shooters.

It's similar issue with smaller handed shooters. After range testing various semi-autos, they migrate over to the M&P with small grip insert or choose other small grip pistols like Taurus MilPro lines. My wife with her smaller hands is comfortable shooting my M&P45 and PT145 - the controls on both are quite ergonomic and reachable by her hands. She states she does not have to "reach or force" the controls as they function with minimal effort on her part.

We set weak handed match stages and practice shooting with our left/weak hands. I am right handed, but can comfortably release the slide lock and mag release on my Glocks with my left index finger. It takes some practice, but we should all be including ambi-shooting drills as part of each range session. Of course, when I am shooting M&P pistols, I use my left thumb to release the slide lock/release.

 

[MCMXI]

Yes, left-handed shooters using non ambi-slide lock/release pistols either use their left index finger to release the slide or sling-shot the slide with their right hand.

Interesting .... I just tried releasing the slide on one of my SIGs (P220) with a left hand hold and using my left index finger. It's not hard to do but it's a little awkward since I have to change the grip on the pistol. I've always found the SIG slide release easy to reach with my thumb without changing my grip. I'm right-handed obviously. I can't even reach the slide release with my thumb on my Kimber but it's easy enough to insert the magazine and use my left hand, change my grip or pull back on the slide.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

By the way, how does this slide release issue affect left-handed shooters?

Since I am lefthanded my left index finger is quite accurate and quick. On my 1911 and my XD I can release the slide and my finger is right there headed for the trigger. My LCP doesn't have a lock open on last shot feature and that pistol is so small I even struggle to find the mag release. The only pistols I really dislike are those with decockers only on the left side for righties, I decock those with my left index finger as well but I won't own one.

I practice using overhand and the slide release methods and will usually go with overhand and always let it slam home on it's own.

I used to have a well worn Springfield microcompact 1911 that released every time I slammed a mag in. When I moved on to newer pistols I found had developed the very bad habit of expecting that to happen.

 

[AKElroy]

Solve both problems with a gun that drops the slide as soon as the mag is slapped home. My CZ 85b is either broken, or designed to drop the slide everytime a mag is inserted. If it's broke, i'm not fixing it. I'm actually liking it in the informal cactus-killing drills I use.