Thanks for all the replies...I hope it can remain "civil" as in much of life, there isn't just one "right" way to do things...and for those instructors who would smack someone for not using "THE" way, they have no business instructing.
As to terminology...in the Brownells catalog a 1911 slide release is called a "slide stop"...a Glock is called a "slide release". On a Ruger MKII/III it is a "bolt release". Which is kinda ironic because most people I know who are into 1911s use the part as a "release" whereas most people I know with Glocks slingshot. Both systems have extended "releases" so to say this part should not be used as such is silly.
Back when I started shooting combat style matches in the early 1970s everyone used the slide release. I believe the first change from using the slide release to slingshot was the SIG Academy. Reason being that the placement of the slide release being high up on he grip and very small contributed to many a student botching a reload. Glocks are in about the same place and about the same size.
If one carries a DA semi-auto like a Beretta 92, P38 or older S&W that has a hammer drop safety on the slide if using the slingshot method there is the possibility under stress of activating the safety in which case a shooter gets nothing but squish upon pulling the trigger. I have seen this happen about a half dozen times since I started firearms training in 1991.
And as has been pointed out, when one uses only the slingshot method, one a) turns a handgun into a handsgun and b) if ones support hand becomes unavailable to help with the reload one may balk...I have seen this happen in one handed reload training when a student who always loads slingshot would have to stop and look at his gun when just a thumb or index finger on the release would have send the slide home.
Great comments....Bob
