I forget which manufacturer, maybe Ruger for their Mk series .22’s or Kahr, advises in their manual to always use the slide release lever to drop the slide on a fresh magazine, never slingshot as the slide release method always results in more positive chambering of the round.
The manual that came with my K9 advised to use the slide release lever. I have been able to induce a couple of failures to go completely into battery with questionable reloads by trying the slingshot method with that gun. Rap on the back of the slide drove the round to battery - but why set yourself up for that? Yeah - as someone mentioned, that lever is a booger. I have developed a habit of using both thumbs on the K9 slide release...left thumb over the right. Don't even think about it anymore.
I don't remember what Ruger says about the MK release, but I have noticed that the slide stop (not the slide notch) tends to wear some. So on that gun, I tend to slingshot it - but not always (it's a cheap part, after all).
Everything else (1911, HP, Buckmark) gets my right thumb on the release lever. Haven't noticed any wear from it on those.
I'm with JOG on the "fine motor skills" thing. Ain't nothin' to it if the gun fits your hand.
