Using the Glock "slide lock" as a slide release

[Striker]

Just wondering....how many folks do this?

I've transistioned (non-Glock program) to Glocks from "slide release" type autos. While practicing wounded arm/one hand reloads drills, I use the slide lock to release the slide and chamber a round (I know, bad tactics, form, and situational awareness to shoot your gun dry, but it happens) as I did with "conventional slide release auto's" Up to this point no problem with 19/23/27/30 platforms. However when I recently attempted the same procedure with my newly aquired M36, I found that the bottom "ear" on the frame side of the slide lock hit the top flat of the mag body and prevented enough depression to release the slide. It was disconcerting to say the least, and took me a few seconds to respond by wiping the slide on my belt to release it. (I later changed out 4 slide locks and used 8 different mags....same result most of the time).

After discussions with the Glock techies, I now understand and acknowledge that the approved Glock manual of arms does not discuss /approve the procedure of depressing the slide lock to release the slide and chamber a round. But then again...... I have to wonder why Glock OEM "extended slide locks" are now a standard/option part on many Glock models?

Any and all opinions/thoughts are welcome!

 

[Top_Notch]

I think one stands a better chance of stripping a magazine round and having the slide go into battery by racking the slide as opposed to just thumbing the slide stop (as a slide release). Not to say it won't work, as I have done it both ways. But, I think the "better" way is not to use the slide stop as a slide release if possible. For that reason alone, I now practice the racking method (to ingrain my practices) instead of releasing the slide stop.

(Plus it seems to have slightly buggered my slide stop on my 19)

 

[Striker]

TN,

I agree, but remember the the situation occurred during a wounded arm/hand drill, where I was practicing one handed manipulation of the weapon.

My specific point is that it occured only with a Glock 36. I am unable to replicate with any other Glock models that I own.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[bofe954]

I am not sure that I completely understand the description of the problem, but you could just get the factory extended slide lock. By the way I believe it is just standard on the glocks intended for competition use. Like the crazy stuff for 1911's.

I believe that it is not standard because of the increased possibility of accidently riding the bottom of the slide lock with your thumb and inadvertantly locking the slide back prematurely. If I catch a goofy grip while drawing sometimes I kind of push my thumb up into the slide stop with my weak hand. I did this once in IPSC match with the factory smooth slide stop.

Then the logic would be something like, why increase the risk of accidently locking the slide back shooting the gun the way you shoot it 99.999% of the time just to make it easier to drop the slide for the 0.0001% shot. I realize if the 0.0001% shot is THE shot it matters, but you get my point.

 

[Kor]

Striker, another thing to look at is the frame dimensions on the Glock 36, which are subtly different than any of the other 9mm or .40 Glocks. I once had to install an extended slide-stop on a customer's G36, and I had to tweak it with a couple of padded channel-lock pliers to make it work right. Your situation sounds like it could be solved with some very judicious Dremel tool work, I'd order one or two of the units from www.lonewolfdist.com and do a little experimenting, they shouldn't be too expensive. I'm not 100% sure, but Lone Wolf may be offering an aftermarket extended lever especially for the G36.

 

[Striker]

Kor

First of you reminded of a great line I've not thought of in a while

"Why woman, I am Mulay Achmed Mohammed Raisuli the Magnificent, Lord of the Rift, Sherif of Morraco, Defender of the faith! The blood of the Prophet runs through my veins and I am but an instrument of His will!"

Second and more to point, I'm unfortuantely constrained by the beauracratic overlords who have issued the edict of no aftermarket parts allowed.

But I think you are correct. I think the geometry of the straight wall mag body is such that when I depress the slide lock it flexes inward and catches on the top flat. I have a few extra slide locks and will see if I can bend the bottom ear a bit to clear. (I'm concerned though as it appears that the part is tempered, and I don't know how tweaking it will affect the part) I'm also going to do a bit of dremeling on the mag body itself to taper the sharp edge of the flat and see if that helps

 

[victory]

On all guns you should chamber a round by grasping the slide overhand with your entire hand, pulling back, and letting fly. This has nothing to do with the design of the gun as you should do it on every gun.

Manipulating a slide release requires fine motor skills. Grabbing something and yanking on it requires gross motor skills. If you are in a self-defence situation, where bullets are flying and adrenaline is pumping, the first thing that will be comprimised is you fine motor coordination. Grasping the slide overhand and racking it solves this problem.

If you only have one hand available, then use the slide release.

watch Mr Yeager: http://www.warriormindset.com/Videos/Loading.MPG

 

[Chris Rhines]

Manipulating a slide release requires fine motor skills. Grabbing something and yanking on it requires gross motor skills.

I've heard this many times before, but I think that acquiring a grip on the slide requires more in the way of fine motor skills than just mashing your left thumb down on the slide latch, particularly if your hands are sweaty (or bloody, or coated in Vaseline, or whatever...) After a reload, your left thumb should be right on top of the slide latch with most guns.

That said, I use the grasp-and-release method on my Glock. "Why," you ask? Glad you asked - on my G35 I have ground the slide latch off flush with the outside of the slide. "Why in the hell did you do that," you ask? Good question. With my normal freestyle grip, the slide does not lock back on the last round - my right thumb holds the standard slide latch down.

- Chris

 

[Feanaro]

Manipulating a slide release requires fine motor skills. Grabbing something and yanking on it requires gross motor skills. If you are in a self-defence situation, where bullets are flying and adrenaline is pumping, the first thing that will be comprimised is you fine motor coordination. Grasping the slide overhand and racking it solves this problem.

So hitting a small level requires fine motor skills? Check. Grasping a chunk of slide requires gross motor skills? Check. What about those tiny little mag release buttons?

 

[victory]

if you come up with a better way of ejecting the magazine, one that does not require pressing the button, please inform me. The point here is, grasping the slide is a better alternative method. There is no alternative for dropping the mag

Other reasoning for racking the slide includes the fact that it works on every gun, even an unfamiliar gun you pick up.

 

[Striker]

Victory, Feanero, Chris

All great comments, but as I posted earlier:

I agree, but remember the the situation occurred during a wounded arm/hand drill, where I was practicing one handed manipulation of the weapon.

My specific point is that it occured only with a Glock 36. I am unable to replicate with any other Glock models that I own.

My thoughts in posting were to stimulate discussion (certainly did that!), Seek comments recommendations for this particular situation and pistol (Mdl 36), and find out if I have a "unique" gun or if this is more widespread.

My initial thoughts is that this is perhaps a design issue with the single stack mag. But without additional mdl 36s to handle/shoot, wouldn't care at this time to make that as a statement of fact.

Keep the cards and letters comming!!

 

[victory]

Ok, to answer your question.

First off, running the gun dry isn't bad form or tactics. You can't be expected to count your shots in combat and tac-reloads are only for when there is a lul in combat when you reach hard cover and/or all known assailants are neutralized and you've done a threat scan for others. You shoot till you run dry and if there are still more living attackers you move and do an emergency reload from slide-lock. If one of your hands were incapacitated and your glock were in the condition it is in, you would have to rack it on your jeans (and that was good quick thinking on your behalf) however, it is unacceptable that your slide release doesn't work as it is supposed to.

My suggestion to you is to call glock and inform them of the problem. Then, send the gun to them to be fixed. Glock will not bill you and you will probably have the gun back in less than 2 weeks. If you don't want to do that, i suggest you take one of your four slide locks and do a little gunsmithing via dremmel. The worst that can happen if it doesn't work is you put in one of the three remaining undremmeled slide locks and send it back to glock. (where they'll probably shave down the slide lock and send it back to you good as new)

 

[Rockstar]

It's not a "slide lock"; it's a "slide stop lever".

 

[Jason Demond]

I am a racker. I have never liked using the slide lock on any pistol, as a slide release.

My Father taught me to shoot, and he was a firm believer in racking the slide.

 

[9x19]

Ooohhh, the fine vs gross non-point again!



So, perhaps we should practice manipulating the trigger using both index fingers at the same time... or perhaps we could go all fitz-like and grind away the trigger guard, lengthen the trigger to match the grip, then use the whole hand (heck, both hands) to pull it under duress... since our fine motor skills will be too degraded to rely on a single pad of a single index finger.

Riiiiggghhhhttt!

 

[c_yeager]

if you come up with a better way of ejecting the magazine, one that does not require pressing the button, please inform me. The point here is, grasping the slide is a better alternative method. There is no alternative for dropping the mag

The european style magazine release in the bottom of the grip would be a solution to this very problem. Its much easier to hit a big clunky latch that is located right under your palm than a tiny little button. Of course even the Europeans stopped using that method.

With that said I agree that racking the slide with the off-hand is a better method than using the slide-stop for two reasons:

1) Racking the slide makes it travel (a little) further to the rear before returning to battery. in theory the slide will be moving a bit faster in this situation and be more likely to chamber a round. Racking manually mimicks the movement that the pistol undergoes when cycling a round. And we know that it works under that situation so, it introduces fewer variables.

2) Racking the slide is an integral part of a "failure drill" and it is easier to learn one way of doing things than two. You can't always guarantee that your slide will lock on an empty magazine* so, it helps if your used to using your offhand just incase something doesnt work.

(*using the slide stop as a "slide release" also promotes wear to this part and makes it more likely that your pistol will suffer this malfunction).

 

[Onmilo]

I installed factory extended slide locks on my Glocks.
There is suppossed to be a factory extended slide lock available for the Glock 36 and I would recommend it if you can find one.
They are easier to install than a S&W rebound spring!

 

[lbmii]

OK what could possibility be wrong with using the slide lock (dare I call it the slide release)lever? Me no understand?

This all sounds like some sort of thing that got started in some movie or Miami Vice or something!

 

[Black Snowman]

OK what could possibility be wrong with using the slide lock (dare I call it the slide release)lever? Me no understand?

See previous posts. See "Search" button in the menu bar above for additional (many additional) threads on the topic. I use the slide racking method because that's what my Glock Owners Manual said to do and it gave the reasons why (which have been listed in this thread already). I got an extended slide lock lever for my 24P so it was easier to lock the slide open and show clear in competitions.

I'll use it to drop the slide if I only have 1 hand available, but I don't make a habit of it.

 

[Longbow]

I think one stands a better chance of stripping a magazine round and having the slide go into battery by racking the slide as opposed to just thumbing the slide stop (as a slide release). Not to say it won't work, as I have done it both ways.

So long that one doesn't ride his/her hands on the slide, I think you are correct. I've seen some folks do this at the range and it just induced FTF. Always use sling shot method (pull and let go) when releasing the slide.

 

[Boats]

I'm left handed and use my trigger finger on the slide release. It is just like sweeping off a safety with one's thumb and I cannot recall a time I missed it or "forgot." Slingshots are for the back pocket of young boys and right handers with auto pistols who ride the slide lock.

As for gun unfamiliarity, the only duty sized ones you are likely to encounter that are really different are SIGs and HKP7s. Just about every other auto works with a 1911-ish slide lock location.

Then again, no non-cop or civilian is going to get to reload in a confrontation and avoid a grand jury, ICU, or the morgue after such an event.

Then again, the slide release on the Glock is next to useless for anything other than administrative handling due to its extra tiny "perfected" size.

 

[Rockstar]

Every Glock owner's manual I ever read said that it's o.k. to use the slide stop lever to release the slide for chambering a round. They also say not to use reloaded ammo in Glocks. I ignore their advice on both points.

 

[Greymoor]

What I find most funny here is that many seem to disregard the fact that he is doing a 1 (one) hand drill.

Now for you that failed to read this part please staple your left hand into your front pocket, (Please reverse this for lefties). Now I want you to rack the slide... go on rack it damn it!! Oh, you only have one hand. Ok grab the back of the slide with your teeth push forward with your right hand and pray your choppers hold out. Ah! now you have racked the slide.
If your teeth gave out give your dentist a call. If nothing else he can use one of his hands to rack the slide for you.


Be well . . .

 

[dkochan]

If two hands are available, I will rack the slide to release the slide. I often do not have to release the slide because the slide automatically releases when I slam a fresh magazine into my Glock.

 

[sigma 40ve]

Forgive me if I am repeating something someone else has said, I haven't read the entire thread. I use the slide stop as a slide release lever. If it wasn't meant to be used as such, why would Gaston make an extended version?