ilikerams
Single-Sixer
If the part labeled the slide stop is meant to hold the slide open on the last shot, why would a manufacturer make them ambidextrous?
Slide stops?
- Thread starter ilikerams
- Start date
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
ilikerams said:
When loading a just emptied pistol, the slide stays open for reloading. The shooter inserts a loaded magazine and depresses the slide stop with his thumb to close the slide and chamber a round. Hence a right handed shooter would use his right thumb, while a left handed shooter uses his left thumb.
I know this is hard to conceive, as most thinking shooters use handguns that don't require magazines or shoot without cocking the hammer.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
I was a little facetious there. There are two ways to load an autoloading pistol: Either insert a loaded magazine and rack the slide to load the chamber, or pull the slide back until locked open and insert a loaded magazine, then depress the slide stop to chamber a round.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
Gee, I've always called it a slide release or take down lever. One part many functions. Seems like Mr. Browning new what he was doing.
Bkat
Blackhawk
You can also just give the slide a tug backwards which releases the stop and chambers a round, on all the semi-autos I'm familiar with, although it's probably a split second faster to depress the stop.
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2012
- Messages
- 10,907
Using the slingshot method gives you muscle memory to clear a jamb. It's also the same motion for all auto's. I never use it as a slide release.
Different manufacturers recommend different manuals of arms. Most recommend using the slingshot method. I own a Kahr pistol & they recommend to use the slide stop as a slide release. It would seem Glock is making it easier to use the slide stop as a release. I have seen it debated which is best.
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
Well, I answered way out of my league here. With the autoloading pistol I'm about as dumb as a box of rocks.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
Bkat
Blackhawk
Good article on the pros and cons for each method.
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-slide-lock-reload-method-slide-release-vs-slingshot/
Conclusion: mostly personal preference
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-slide-lock-reload-method-slide-release-vs-slingshot/
Conclusion: mostly personal preference
Pat-inCO
Hawkeye
One word answer . . . . . . marketing.ilikerams said:
As a Left handed user, I find no "problem" releasing the slide by pressing
the lever with my index finger. In point of fact, it assures my finger is NOT
on the trigger. :shock:
Marketing.
And now the rest of the story. I recently bought a FNX-9. I also went to the NRA carry guard expo in Milwaukee and visited both the FN booth and the Glock booth. At the FN booth I told the rep that I could only release my slide from the left side but not from the right, and even then it was hard to do. They had a FNX-9 demo there and neither I nor the rep could release that one from the right side either. When you push down on the right side release it just bends and the left keeps holding the slide. The rep told another guy at the booth about it and the look they shared made me think that they knew all about it. Anyway I later went to the glock booth and tried the gen 5 model 19 which also has the ambidextrous slide stop. It worked easily from either side. I own and like both a lc9s and a sr9c, but to release the slide on either with the slide stop I have to use both thumbs. When I owned my series 70 Colt I was able to release the slide with my trigger finger(I'm left handed). So what do you think, are only some of them stops and releases and others only stops, or what?
Valmet
Single-Sixer
The fact that glock put them on the new Gen5s kills it for me. I generally sling-shot anyways but either way you're left with one extra lever that doesn't get used on the gun. Kinda hoping that is omitted like S&W did on the Shield with the thumb safety but doubtful, knowing Glock.
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
The term "slingshot" is used to describe a way of racking the slide to chamber a round. to me this conjures up holding the pistol in the right hand (if right handed) and pulling the slide rearward with the thumb and forefinger grasping the slide grooves, akin to aiming and shooting a slingshot.
The Army way (from my Army days) taught the shooter to reach across the pistol so the palm of the hand sort of covers the ejection port and more or less "pushing" the slide rearward. In this way, if loaded, the ejected round is sort of popped into the palm of the hand.
And, as to the saber drill.......................
Bob Wright
The Army way (from my Army days) taught the shooter to reach across the pistol so the palm of the hand sort of covers the ejection port and more or less "pushing" the slide rearward. In this way, if loaded, the ejected round is sort of popped into the palm of the hand.
And, as to the saber drill.......................
Bob Wright
blackhawknj
Buckeye
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2010
- Messages
- 1,945
? I depress the slide stop on my Colt Government Models, Star Model B , Browning HP and S&W M639 and M659 with my left hand. The slide stop of my High Standard Victor is on the right side, after 45 years I still find that confusing. I have a Mauser M1914 and CZ-27 with no slide stops, Clearing them can be a challenge.
Won't work on my 1911. You have to use the slide release.eveled said:
:shock: Bob Wright, you need to give us the saber drill in another thread. Oh yeah, I would be interested, since I am trained in European sword and dagger arts, and a smattering of Japanese sword art. FWIW I use both the slide release, and slingshot methods. Just depends how I feel at the moment. :shock: 
gramps
gramps
I've heard it too that the slingshot method is easier on the internal parts, and if you use the lever as a slide release it will eventually round off the lever.
But then why would Kahr Arms say to use the release? Just because it's faster? Is it more reliable over the slingshot method?
But then why would Kahr Arms say to use the release? Just because it's faster? Is it more reliable over the slingshot method?
Kevin said:
I don't recall why being stated but I do remember that being how they said to do it in the owners manual of my CM9. I caught myself sling shotting a couple of times & it didn't cause a problem but I am trying to do it their way with that little gun.
toysoldier
Hunter
Pat-inCO said:One word answer . . . . . . marketing.ilikerams said:
As a Left handed user, I find no "problem" releasing the slide by pressing
the lever with my index finger. In point of fact, it assures my finger is NOT
on the trigger. :shock:
Marketing.
Same with the mag release---I can use my index finger on a right-hand mag release. The safety and decocker are different. If present, they need to be ambidextrous.
Poco Oso
Buckeye
Clearing drills were always noted as Tap... Rack...Bang, as I recall. No mention of slide release. I remember reading a piece by one of the big-name custom gunsmiths that he thought they put the serrations on the wrong side of the stop. :wink:
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2012
- Messages
- 10,907
Fox Mike said:
Are you sure? Does it jamb? You have to let it drop, don't ease it closed.
With cartridges in the magazine the sling shot mimicks what happens when the gun is shot. I do it that way because it works on all my guns. No need to remember were the lever is.
GunnyGene
Hawkeye
ilikerams said:
There's well known method in Reliability Engineering, called Parts Count Reliability, that is used during the design (or redesign) phase of any machine to derive an initial ball park estimate of the inherent reliability of the machine to perform it's intended function. Simply put, the more parts there are the less reliable the machine will ultimately be.
For example; An ax has 3 parts - the head, the handle and a wedge to hold them together. A chain saw has hundreds of parts to perform the same function as the ax (cutting wood). Which would you say has the highest inherent reliability?
Now apply that to a basic pistol design that is redesigned ( & incorporates additional non-essential parts) to accommodate the desires of different customers or regulatory agencies. :wink:
The Blackhawk Kid
Blackhawk
ilikerams said:
probably for RH & LH shooters? 8)
