Releasing the slide from slide lock.

[atomicbrh]

I am new to this sport of what some call "gaming" but have extensive experience in handgun self-defense. I was always taught that if I go to slide lock on an empty magazine, drop empty mag, reload, grab back of slide and let it go to load next round. The theory goes that no brand of handgun has the slide release lever in exactly the same spot but they all have a slide that when pulled back will release and load a round.

This way anywhere in the world with any semi-automatic handgun you might be forced to pick up you have built in muscle memory that will never fail when you are under pressure.

I can see dropping the slide by thumbing the slide release on a 2011 or custom 1911 but I shoot production and I have to shift my grip to thumb the slide release.

Which is the correct way?

[GrumpyOne]

The correct way in production is not to go to slide lock.

[twodownzero]

I slingshot the slide myself. I don't trust my thumb to hit the slide stop reliably. If God gave me a longer thumb, maybe I'd use it.

I shot my gun empty today in single stack, reloaded on my way to the next array and slingshotted. I still won the stage despite not winning the match. In other words, it must not be that slow.

[retarmyaviator]

Wasted time and effort trying to help someone and recieved a rude PM for the trouble.

Edited July 16, 2012 by retarmyaviator

[atomicbrh]

The correct way in production is not to go to slide lock

GrumpyOne. Elaborate on this reply. I can think of many techniques to accomplish this.

[atomicbrh]

deleted this reply

Edited July 16, 2012 by atomicbrh

[bigfish]

In a game where .10s of a sec count the best way is what ever is the fastest way. For me in production when I reload my m&p dfrom slide lock I have my strong hand thumb on the slide release during the reload so I can release the slide as the gun returns to the shooting position, but you really have to keep track of the rounds in the gun so you know the gun is going to lock open on that shot (my hands are small enough that my thumbs dont naturally reach the release during a normal reload). In uspsa the stages are required to be 8 shot nuetral so unless you have makeup shots or are gaming a stage you should be able to time your reloads so that the slides not have to lock open

[Pat Miles]

The correct way in production is not to go to slide lock

GrumpyOne. Elaborate on this reply. I can think of many techniques to accomplish this.

If all stages were Production friendly, most are and some are not, there would be a place in the stage where you would be on the move to another location before you shot the gun dry. This is where you should reload. Unless it absolutely cannot be helped you never want to do a standing reload which takes a surprisingly long time. If a particular array of targets takes only 5 or 6 or seven shots to accomplish and then there is movement to another location to engage another array DO A RELOAD! It may sound counterproductive but a standing reload is a time killer. You may need to gear up with several mags and pouches but they are necessary. Watch some of the better Production shooters run stages, ask them why they shot it the way they did. You will soon learn the "why's & wherefores of Production.

You have a decision to make and it may just save your life some day. We shoot a game, nobody returning fire like on the street. In the real world some of our tactics may just get you hurt or worse. Think about it.

Pat

[Sheperd80]

The correct way is to buy an m&p so you dont have to do either. Just slap in the mag and go

[Sheperd80]

But yeah what OP says makes sense from a tactical stand point. However in competition youre typically focusing on perfecting one gun, and thumbing the release seems faster to me. Ive gotten in the habit of doing it anyway with my m&p just incase it decides to stick when i slap a mag in. Hasnt happened yet but atleast i know my tyumb naturally goea there anyway.

[GrumpyOne]

The correct way in production is not to go to slide lock

GrumpyOne. Elaborate on this reply. I can think of many techniques to accomplish this.

Pat said it best. This is a game, where every split second counts....anything to save some time, will move you up. Even though thumbing the release is quick, and slingshotting the slide is quick, its not as quick as not having to do it.

[msg73]

Some people practice releasing the slide stop with their left thumb (for right handers)as it puts the support hand closer to the final grip position vs slide lock.

[Carmoney]

I don't trust my thumb to hit the slide stop reliably. If God gave me a longer thumb, maybe I'd use it.

As Mike Plaxco used to say, "The reason the Good Lord gave you a left thumb is to drop the slide on a .45."

[kevin c]

Some people practice releasing the slide stop with their left thumb (for right handers)as it puts the support hand closer to the final grip position vs slide lock.

I do this.

I have small hands, and, even with the extended release on my G34's/35's, I can't get to it with my strong hand thumb w/o a major shift in the grip after doing the reload.

[Tim/GA]

The correct way in production is not to go to slide lock.

Watching the open and limited shooters at the ProAm was a blast. They are not used to 10 round mags and the looks of surprise that they were out of ammo was funny. Making it worse was that most of those guns did not hold open after last shot and the courses were all steel and not 8 round neut. so all were hitting slide lock more often, even found myself using weak hand thumb a few times.

What was most odd to see was how often the pros in open were racking the slide after a reload and ejecting a live round. I was helping set steel for their open match so I saw all 8 stages and saw it done quite often.

Edited for spelling, not used to typing on this Ipad!

Edited July 20, 2012 by Tim/GA

[jester121]

In uspsa the stages are required to be 8 shot nuetral

Please expand on this?

[GrumpyOne]

In uspsa the stages are required to be 8 shot nuetral

Please expand on this?

USPSA rules state that a COF can require no more than 8 shots from a single shooting position. While more shots may be available from that position, they also must be available from another position.

[jester121]

Ah, that rule. I hadn't heard "neutral" used to describe that before, and was trying to make a connection to IDPA's "revolver neutral" thingie.

Thanks!

[OUshooter]

Ive got big hands and have no trouble reaching the release on my g35 w/o changing my grip. Its like everything else with this game whats fast for one may not be fast for another. A few quick drills will tell you which is best for you.

[atomicbrh]

USPSA rules state that a COF can require no more than 8 shots from a single shooting position. While more shots may be available from that position, they also must be available from another position

Making it worse was that most of those guns did not hold open after last shot and the courses were all steel and not 8 round neut. so all were hitting slide lock more often

Apologies, I shoot a lot of non-typical steel matchs because I cannot make local USPSA matchs due to other obligations. That's why I was asking about slide lock.

Edited July 20, 2012 by atomicbrh

[msg73]

USPSA rules state that a COF can require no more than 8 shots from a single shooting position. While more shots may be available from that position, they also must be available from another position

Making it worse was that most of those guns did not hold open after last shot and the courses were all steel and not 8 round neut. so all were hitting slide lock more often

Apologies, I shoot a lot of non-typical steel matchs because I cannot make local USPSA matchs due to other obligations. That's why I was asking about slide lock.

In general, you shouldn't go to slide lock unless that last round will clear a section of the stage and you can reload while moving to the next section. Otherwise, it only adds time and not capacity. For example, if you had three 10 round mags and had to use all of them for the stage: shoot 10, slide lock reload, shoot 10, slide lock reload, shoot 10 versus shoot 9, reload, shoot 10, reload, shoot 11

You still have 30 shots total but would save time from not doing two slide lock reloads.

[ProGunGuy]

Some gun are even set up with no slide lock function. Friends Brazzo's is like that. You should always try your best not to let the gun run dry in USPSA

[Seeker]

The correct way in production is not to go to slide lock

GrumpyOne. Elaborate on this reply. I can think of many techniques to accomplish this.

If all stages were Production friendly, most are and some are not, there would be a place in the stage where you would be on the move to another location before you shot the gun dry. This is where you should reload. Unless it absolutely cannot be helped you never want to do a standing reload which takes a surprisingly long time. If a particular array of targets takes only 5 or 6 or seven shots to accomplish and then there is movement to another location to engage another array DO A RELOAD! It may sound counterproductive but a standing reload is a time killer. You may need to gear up with several mags and pouches but they are necessary. Watch some of the better Production shooters run stages, ask them why they shot it the way they did. You will soon learn the "why's & wherefores of Production.

You have a decision to make and it may just save your life some day. We shoot a game, nobody returning fire like on the street. In the real world some of our tactics may just get you hurt or worse. Think about it.

Pat

Pat's answer is what I have been taught. USPSA is pure and simple, a game. No thought is given to elements of self defense since USPSA targets do not shoot back. If one wanted to maintain their "street" skills razor sharp then they should shoot the course of fire using the defensive methods that they prefer. However If they want the most time efficient method of shooting production , Limited 10 or Single Stack, then the mantra I have been taught is "If you are moving, you should be reloading" Because of this, many SS stack shooters have 6 spare mags on their belt and many production shooters have a minimum of 4. A good self test is to use a timer on two eight shot arrays separated by approximately 3-5 yards with 10 rounds in the gun. First shoot the two arrays shooting all 10 rounds and then reload when you are at slide lock. The second time shoot the fires 8 shot array and reload while moving to the second array. Method two should require less time.

To answer your original question, since I'm left haned, I use my left index finger to manipulate the slide release when shooting a 1911 style firearm. When I shoot a glock, I use the slingshot method.

YMMV

[jmorris]

Although the best method is to reload with a round in the chamber while ther is nothing to shoot, the 2nd best is setup your pistol/method so the slde drops when you seat a fresh mag.

[msg73]

the 2nd best is setup your pistol/method so the slde drops when you seat a fresh mag.

How would you set this up? Isn't it more of a by product of the platform...Glocks, M&Ps, etc can do this but 1911s/2011s can't.