Stainless Steel Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 Hi All: Subject: Front cocking serrations. I used to belong to one of the most active gun clubs in the nation (SSA). They were into IPSC, steel challenge and bowling pin shooting big time. I would still be a member except that they lost their local range due to urban encroachment. They since moved to a range too far away for me. In this club, you just weren't COOL if you did not have front cocking serrations on your gun. I never did have a gun with the front serrations until recently, so I was never one of the super Cool guys there. However, I had some great fun shooting with those guys! I literately shot tens of thousands of rounds with them. Now that I own a new Springfield Loaded with front cocking serrations and have had time to experiment around shooting the gun and doing pinch checks; I just don't get it. What is the big tactical advantage to front serrations. I really don't see any advantage in speed or ease doing a pinch check with the front versus the back serrations. I really am not comfortable putting my hand that close to the muzzle. On the Dan Wesson forum, I have noticed a big backlash against the front serrations. They don't like the looks. As far as looks go, I can take them or leave them. Will someone please tell me why some people just have to have front serrations? Thanks! Stainless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 Depends on your definition of "pinch check." The term technically refers to the old technique of curling your support hand index finger around the front of the slide, below the barrel, sticking the thumb into the front of the trigger guard, then "pinching" the two fingers together. And yeah, having my index finger right under the barrel is not my favorite thing in the world, either. A better technique is to come up from underneath the gun, grab the sides of the slide, toward the front but well back from the muzzle, with the thumb on one side and all four fingertips on the other, and press to the rear. Front cocking serrations do give you a lot more traction to accomplish this, though I've done it many, many times on guns without them. Pulling the slide to the rear by coming over from the top and using the rear slide cocking grooves works just as well. Different strokes for different folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stainless Steel Posted January 17, 2003 Author Share Posted January 17, 2003 Duane Thomas: Is this THE Duane Thomas that writes for Handguns? Stainless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 To paraphrase the great Russell Hammond, "Yes, on my better days I'm THE Duane Thomas." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 Dude! Helllll-oooooo! You totally need front cocking serrations! They, like, totally add more surface area for your gun to vent all the heat 'cuz you're, like, shooting these amazing splits, and jumping, and running from box to box and hitting the drop-turners, and it's all happening so fast with your screaming hot loads! Yeah! Front cocking serrations! No. They're sorta like white-wall tires I guess. Lata, DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 I like the look of them. That's about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 I like the look and they are very usefull if you use Swenson safeties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ankeny Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 The most functional cocking serrations that I ever had were cut right in front of the ejection port. Other than the added expense, I don't know why more makers don't put 'em there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 Wouldn't that weaken the gun in the locking lugs area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 I have front serrations on one Limited gun and I like using them to show clear to the R.O. It's not so awkward to hold back the slide so the ejection port and barrel hood are lined up while you angle the muzzle down and hold the gun up for the RO to see. DogmaDog, air cooling fins? Dude! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dick W Holliday Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 Some of the NC shooters may have heard this story but an NC shooting instructor had finished for the day and had gotten into his vehicle and his car gun was a P9 he put a round in the chamber using the front serrations and when the gun closed on the live round it went full auto and shreaded his weak hand...after some surgery doctors were able to move some of the remaining fingers around.......Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted January 17, 2003 Share Posted January 17, 2003 I dig 'em, as long as they're not to big and ugly. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 http://www.speedshooter.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=SVP40ED1 This is what I am building right now. I think the serations are cool, but then again I am putting a utility rail on also, just in case I want to shoot at night in LasVegas, I here they do that from time to time and it sounds fun. For $60 buck what the heck, I can say the fluting is dustcover lightening right? I don't want it to be too heavy. There is no accounting for taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wakal Posted January 19, 2003 Share Posted January 19, 2003 I'm with Ron...my favorite Limited gun has no front serrations and no rear serrations...but it does have middle serrations 6" lightened slide with the only serrations just forward of the ejection port. I wasn't sure if I liked it when I first started shooting the pistol, but I'm very fond of it now. One of those things that I wouldn't have bought if I was buying (instead of winning), but now would buy another just like it...if you follow that twisted logic My current carry gun (a 5" .45) has the forward serrations, and the "cool" factor is pretty high...although the "use" factor is pretty low. Since I do like the way it looks (for no good reason whatsoever), I'll machine them in my new carry gun (Commander-sized STI in 9by23) too. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Norris Posted January 19, 2003 Share Posted January 19, 2003 Quote: from Dick W Holliday on 4:32 pm on Jan. 17, 2003 Some of the NC shooters may have heard this story but an NC shooting instructor had finished for the day and had gotten into his vehicle and his car gun was a P9 he put a round in the chamber using the front serrations and when the gun closed on the live round it went full auto and shreaded his weak hand...after some surgery doctors were able to move some of the remaining fingers around.......Dick This is the reason I come from underneath the gun to use the front serations. Much less of a risk involved. I will agree the front serations are useful whaen unloading at a match as the give the RO a much better view when used from under the gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted January 20, 2003 Share Posted January 20, 2003 Quote: from Dick W Holliday on 2:32 pm on Jan. 17, 2003 Some of the NC shooters may have heard this story but an NC shooting instructor had finished for the day and had gotten into his vehicle and his car gun was a P9 he put a round in the chamber using the front serrations and when the gun closed on the live round it went full auto and shreaded his weak hand...after some surgery doctors were able to move some of the remaining fingers around.......Dick Maybe I should put a connector over to the similar thread running on the 1911 forum. I posted the opinion that putting a "hand grip" about 1/4" from the muzzle of a pistol was a dumb idea and got shredded by all the morons over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkmccoy Posted January 20, 2003 Share Posted January 20, 2003 I used the front serrations to "show clear" on my P14-15 limited one time. It was at the end of a ~30 round stage and I raised a large blister on my weak hand when I touched my hand against the barrel. I don't see any "good" reason for front serrations. Yes, grasping the slide from underneath would be much safer. Serrations in the middle of the slide would be even better. Of course, we must also consider the "coolness" factor. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dani Posted January 20, 2003 Share Posted January 20, 2003 It depends of the gun, my safeties are big, positioned high and the slide of the Tanfoglio is realy thin so when you grip the gun it's allmost impossible to load it with the rear serrations, (specialy in a stage)so for me the front serrations are a must. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPSC CHIK1 Posted January 21, 2003 Share Posted January 21, 2003 i have had front serrations on my pistols since before i used a scope. i ALWAYS reach from under the frame and have never touched the barrel. i now use Chuck Heitt scope mounts and you cannot touch the left rear of the slide and i abhor cocking levers. i too hold the pistol with the port at the hood so the RO can more easily see my empty chamber. No coolness factor ever entered into my decision to have front serrations. and one of my old shooting buddies suffered a severe gash on his palm when he used the rear serrations and the pistol slam fired, bomars are sharp DVC SharonAnne L 2387 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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