Slide release or rack the slide??

[OCEquestrian]

The slide on my VP9 releases when I slam a full mag into the gun..

Same with my USP compact.

It's a HK thing...

[gpark09]

An instructor who only teaches one way and insists in one way only is some one who I would have problem having to respect.

It's just one's preference how you do it.

Competitive shooters will always go for the slide stop/release, so do huge percentage of shooters . Especially, those Beretta shooters, like to go for slide lock because of the safety matter.

A lot of 1911 shooters prefer support hand thumb slide stop/release for the safety ergonomic reason. Including Beretta shooters.

Rest would just do good old rack or slingshot for their own reasons.

I almost forgot those rare slam the magazine species.

For me, I use slide stop/release, but occasionally use other methods as well depends on the pistol I am shooting at the time.

But, here's one species I do despise. People who always BS about fine motor skills and s**t. Aiming is fine motor skill, trigger press is fine motor skill. I don't know what and why they are crying about it. Are they all monkeys or something? What's up with that fine motor s**t?

[deephouse]

Slingshot

[tawadc95]

Watch Dave Spaulding's you tube video on the subject, he'll answer your question with his usual street learned wisdom.

[tawadc95]

Failed to mention that Dave gives decent reasons for each method with the exception of slingshot and compares them all with a shot timer.

[dracer]

every gun manual I have read call it a slide stop , and to release the slide pull it back ( these are the ones that came with the pistols )

[Usmc0844spare]

I use slide release because its what I've always done but racking the slide makes a little more sense in terms of delivering a little more oomph to chamber a round.

Also, depending on the design of the slide release racking the slide would save some wear on the release.

That being said I am unaware of any instances where using the release has worn it down enough to where it no longer functions properly. My beat to S Model 59 still works fine.

[CenterX]

[vintagearms]

In Glock armorers school and in all my LE training, I have always been taught to slingshot, not use the slide stop. In doing force on force training under stress (sims), slingshotting was 100% effective while using the slide stop wasn't.

[IVC]

And you're also right that most reloads are tactical. I think I went into slide lock once during the whole match and that's because I blew my load on a Texas Star.

Just remember that different games have different rules. IDPA doesn't allow ammunition to be left behind, so they almost always shoot to the slide lock. Also, most would consider "tactical reload" a reload where you keep your unspent magazine, not what you do in USPSA.

I saw your first stage from your first match on Enos forum, but no video of Texas Star. Are you going to post it? I would like to see the order you took and the transition times...

[Dago Red]

IMO the rack/slingshot is best to practice all the time. Guys have covered it: slide stops don't always engage, some are hard to release, gun to gun there are differences in position, so on. Doesn't mean I don't sometimes use my slide release, but I try to practice slingshot and when I'm going fast that's what I do.

Red

[IVC]

First: muscles have no memory. Your brain runs the show.

"Muscle memory" is just a term, of course it's all in the brain. We still call it "muscle memory," though.

Here is one link with details for those who are interested...

[Ron-Solo]

I always rack. It minimizes the chance of malfunction FTF, out of battery, etc.

When the pistol reaches slide lock after the last round in a mag is fired, I was always trained to chamber the first round on a fresh mag by pulling the slide back and releasing.

Two reasons: 1.) The extra bit of force exerted on the spring when you pull the slide all the way back helps to ensure the round goes fully into battery. 2.) Releasing the slide with your thumb requires fine(r) motor skills than an over-the-top, full hand approach in pulling the slide and releasing. With the adrenaline dump that inevitably occurs during a firefight, fine motor skills are pretty much gone.

I've seen a semi-auto fail to return to battery too many times when using the slide lock to release the slide.
I was taught and prefer the overhand slide rack.

Yup

Its called a slide stop, or slide lock. Its there to stop/lock the slide open after the last round is dispensed. It can be used as slide release as well.

[oldveteran]

With my S&W Shield I can not push the slide stop using both thumbs. My Sig P365 releases easy with one thumb. However I still rack it, I think it helps to use the same movement in the event of a stovepipe, etc.

[MASTERLAB]

I rack the slide.

Two main reasons:
1. The slide release tends to be less reliable in my experience. (I respect if you feel differently)
2. I'm left handed and my Glock doesn't have a slide release on the correct side

I will say I feel much cooler using the slide release, but that's for fun and not how I train.