Slideracker

[Loki999]

Hi All,

I was reading some old treads on this forum, and i am wondering if there are some big changes/innovations for the use of sliderackers?

I am doubting to put one on my new gun.

Last match i was using a slideracker that i can remove, i never train with it and it caught the nail on my thumb on the second stage.

What do you use and what do you think of putting a small one on the right side (for a righthand shooter) I am considering the angeled one from SVI.

Any drawbacks to put it on the rightside? my consideration is that is not in the way that much.

For a table pick-up it is not very helpfull but i have big safety and the gun is shorter

[Bigpops]

I have one on my open gun and can't imagine running without it. My hands are fairly big and I could not imagine trying to rack without it with the C-more mount and everything in the way.

On the RH side for a RH shooter? I have a friend that has a setup like this. Took some time for him to adjust to it, especially when dealing with a malfuction. Also, depending on the size of the racker you may experience the brass ejecting into it.

A good size racker on the LH side for a RH shooter is also nice for table starts, depending on the size and shape of the arm.

There you have it...my $.02

[Torogi]

I have been wondering on the location of slide racker too. RH side for RH shooter is a bit awkward. but how about those angled mounts? is there enough clearance for say, angled slide rackers (LH side) and the other end of c-more (90deg angle).

[Xfactor]

I have been wondering on the location of slide racker too. RH side for RH shooter is a bit awkward. but how about those angled mounts? is there enough clearance for say, angled slide rackers (LH side) and the other end of c-more (90deg angle).

Matt Cheely makes a racker that's long enough to use with the 90* offset mounts... it's straight, and comes off the top of the slide at a slight upward angle such that I've never had an issue with getting whacked in the thumb (even with my XL hands).

[COMATZD]

I'm RH and use a small racker on the right with my 90* mount. It only took me 2-3 matches and some practice sessions to feel real comfortable with it. And I don't catch my thumb anymore...

Danno

[ExtremeShot]

Last match i was using a slideracker that i can remove, i never train with it and it caught the nail on my thumb on the second stage.

The location of the dovetail is the big thing when trying to keep it away from your thumb. If you put the dovetail in the scalloped part of the slide, then you're going to possibly hit your thumb. However, the racker can be bent up out of the way (it's real easy to do if its a steel racker - heat it up and bend it in a vice).

If you are still planning the design of your slide, consider leaving some meat behind the breachface and put the dovetail up there. No problems hitting your thumb unless you like to stick your thumb straight up (and then I'd say you have a grip problem). You do however need to make sure it won't hit your scope mount.

What do you use and what do you think of putting a small one on the right side (for a righthand shooter) I am considering the angeled one from SVI.

Any drawbacks to put it on the rightside? my consideration is that is not in the way that much.

For a table pick-up it is not very helpfull but i have big safety and the gun is shorter

I make my own rackers. I don't like them on the right side because you have to tilt the gun over and cross arms to use it. Beyond jacking the gun up for table starts, having a racker is quicker if you need to clear a jam. ...and it does help with loading and unloading.

D

[Torogi]

in behalf of the OP, thanks for the input guys. i dont shoot open but trying to know things before i jump into it. Ive always liked slide rackers on LH side (for RH shooter) that are angled like Z to give clearance on the thumb issue. But when holstered, does it get on the way?

[Jaxshooter]

I have two 9mm Open guns with 90 degree mounts and left side sliderackers. One has a modified Sidewinder and the other has a Quinn that is designed for use with his mount. Both are dovetailed into the slide right behind the breech face

Edited May 10, 2010 by Jaxshooter

[Loki999]

Thanks for the replies!

at first i'm going to shoot without a slideracker, if that doesnt work out i may put one on the RH side before the gun is titaniumnitrited.

[RussB]

Any drawbacks to put it on the rightside?

Yes, it's very awkward. When clearing a jam the round can fall back into the gun too.

[Loki999]

That's good one!

Thanks for all the great tips!

[ExtremeShot]

Here's some pictures of the latest slide racker I made...notice it's high on the slide and right behind the breachface.

http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss276/dkent72/Slide%20Racker/

Darren

[RussB]

Here's some pictures of the latest slide racker I made...notice it's high on the slide and right behind the breachface.

http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss276/dkent72/Slide%20Racker/

Darren

Nicely done, Darren

[Jan R.]

Darren,

Nice work!

To the OP:

I use a sidewinder on the left side of the gun (I am right handed). It is in with a ball detent so it is easy to remove for cleaning the gun. I've seen right handed shooters use right sided rackers but it always looks awkward to me. Why would you want to reach across your sight picture to clear a jam during a stage?

Jan

[Loki999]

to the OP:

I use a sidewinder on the left side of the gun (I am right handed). It is in with a ball detent so it is easy to remove for cleaning the gun. I've seen right handed shooters use right sided rackers but it always looks awkward to me. Why would you want to reach across your sight picture to clear a jam during a stage?

My consideration is, that the gun most of the times doesnt jam, and on the left side for me it's uncomfortable every time i shoot.

[Loki999]

Darren,

That is nice slide racker, and not in the way!

i used to shoot standard and i'm just not used to a slide-racker, but this could work for me.

Thanks for the tip.

What do you think of the material to use for a racker, should this be titanium only because of the added weight?

Edited May 11, 2010 by Loki999

[RayFromHouston]

Here's some pictures of the latest slide racker I made...notice it's high on the slide and right behind the breachface.

http://s583.photobucket.com/albums/ss276/dkent72/Slide%20Racker/

Darren

Nicely done, Darren

Ditto.... But I have about half of the space behind the breachface than you do to install a "racker"...

[ExtremeShot]

Darren,

That is nice slide racker, and not in the way!

i used to shoot standard and i'm just not used to a slide-racker, but this could work for me.

Thanks for the tip.

What do you think of the material to use for a racker, should this be titanium only because of the added weight?

Thanks! I don't think the weight matters too much. Mine is made out of tool steel. I ended up getting it hard chromed when I did my frame. As you can see in the pictures, I drilled out the end to reduce weight.

If your dovetail is lower (like in the scalloped area), just heat the racker up and bend it out of the way. My other open gun is this way. I'll see if I can find some pictures of it.

Darren

[lvipscshooter]

I have tried a couple different ones, and ended up with a banged up thumb and a nasty jam for my efforts I no longer have a racker on my open gun!

[Beebs317]

Who do you trust to cut the slide for a sideracker? or is there another way to attach it?

[AZGunut]

I think slide rackers are a regional or local thing. when we shot Double Tap I didn't see any open guns without a racker, but here in AZ its about a 50-50 thing. I would never put one on my gun and hate the way they gun feels when you rack it as you torque it to one side. For some it is a must have, but it mostly a technique thing like a Swenson safety for riding the slide.

[Loki999]

For some it is a must have, but it mostly a technique thing like a Swenson safety for riding the slide.

Maybe we should have a topic in the training section what time for an A on 15 meter? magazine on the belt, gun in holster.

shooters with slide-rackers vs shooters without.... it would be fun to try

I will post my time's soon, on my current open gun i have a slide-racker i can remove.

Edited May 19, 2010 by Loki999

[AzYooper]

For some it is a must have, but it mostly a technique thing like a Swenson safety for riding the slide.

Maybe we should have a topic in the training section what time for an A on 15 meter? magazine on the belt, gun in holster.

shooters with slide-rackers vs shooters without.... it would be fun to try

I will post my time's soon, on my current open gun i have a slide-racker i can remove.

I really like your idea of a test, but maybe not that one. My reloads from the belt are not that fast at all, but others say I can clear a non-firing round with my racker in lightning speed. I suspect the difference in times between no racker and racker is going to be very small and my crappy reload would ruin the comparison.

I am thinking a better test would be 20 rounds in a magazine, randomly one of those rounds will not fire and five easy targets. As the shooter quickly hits the five targets over and over there will be a round that needs to be cleared. With a timer the exact time could be found and all the other splits could be calculated in as well if there is the possibility of shooters at different levels.

[Neomet]

I had one and then took it off. The advantages to me were that I was shooting a Tanfo at the time and there isn't a heck of a lot of slide to grab compared to the 2011s, and that I believe on an Open gun it is faster on empty gun starts. Down sides are the potential for UTR (unintended thumbnail removal) and the way these things are magnets for barrels, fencing, and port walls. Also since I am a lefty and have the slide racker on the right it puts my pinkies out there in direct line to get fragged if I happen to have a detonation while clearing a live round. Jams, I think it depends on what kind of jam you have. A high primer you can probably deal with slightly faster but a stovepipe or deathjam I don't think it will make much difference. Besides which I think they are all ugly as sin not that really matters all that much.

I went to a 2011 and didn't have the slide cut for one. Don't miss it at all except on those fairly rare empty gun starts. Just not worth it for the downsides to me.

[TwoShot]

I am a lefty and my open gun came from the smith with a sidewinder on the right side of the slide. I was told it was tuned to eject and miss the "backwards" slide racker. That wasn't the case, I had empty cases flying every direction bouncing off the racker. Switched it to the left side, didn't like reaching over the gun and it gave no help on table starts. My problem was solved when my good friend Sudden Death cut the racker in two and welded it making me a custom left handed slide racker. It is easier to get to, helps on table starts and I don't have to remove it when I take the slide off the gun.