Talking amongst a number of combat vets, who are routinely training to hone those skills, in the capacity of professional soldiers and/or law enforcement, I will hear some say "slingshot", but it is a given amongst them, that this term does not describe the use of the thumb and finger to pull against the rear of the slide, like a slingshot. To eliminate confusion, you will now hear this poor technique of thumb and finger as being called slingshot, as that is what it mirrors, with the correct overhand technique being described as a power stroke, same as used to clear a malfunction.
Why the slingshot is bad and power stroke is good? Under stress, it is easy to ride the slide home w/ slingshot, not so w/ power stroke. The power stroke uses large muscle groups and gross motor skills. Such power stroke is also the same technique used to clear a malfunction.
Use of the slide lock is indeed a bit faster, but it does carry baggage in combat. It is a weaker technique requiring fine motor skills, and it is a completely different and added technique having no value at clearing a malfunction. Also, it does not maximize slide travel and spring power to aid placing the pistol into battery. Now, the trend is to save the slide lock for timed competition, while saving the power stroke for two way gun fights.
There are some exceptions, such as certain pistol designs can be placed on safe while the slide is quickly worked with a power stroke.
Me personally, I would only consider a combat pistol that could readily be power stroked, either 2-handed, or 1-handed off strong sights. Would not use extended slide lock as it adds risk of engagement with a high straight thumb combat grip.
Your life is on the line, so you're going with the slower method? This thinking makes zero sense to me. If my life is on the line speed is definitely needed!
I do so because of experience in combat. I did shoot competition, on a National level at one point, and I did Master the slide technique, for reducing times in competition, and I did carry that technique over, professionally, to use in combat. But, just like techniques have evolved in clearing rooms, houses, and buildings, so have techniques for handling an Emergency Reload. Because of this, in real life, and in realistic drills, in and out of vehicles, rooms, houses, buildings, etc...I now use ONE technique, to address all administrative, malfunction, and emergency reloads...by using a Power Stroke, both 2-handed, and 1-handed.
But, when going head to head in a competition for time, I will switch to a slide lock for that particular match. But if being shot at, NO.
I do know some, fairly high speed pros, who still favor a slide lock on their personal combat pistol, but that number seems to be shrinking. But those guys are so in tune with their pistols, they can determine a malfunction in real-time, just from the sound and feel. In addition, it is rare for them to screw up, and find themselves in need of an emergency reload, as they can conduct tactical and speed reloads to avoid the slide locked back emergency.
There is nothing wrong with using the slide lock in combat, just realize, it does carry some baggage.
Also, for those who believe, that their heart rate will not go up, when bullets are flying in their direction, and those same people believe that they will not experience physiological changes as that rate goes up....Well then, I'm willing to wager that I can make you void your bladder with nothing more than a realistic simunition training drill that likely would overload your senses and have you overwhelmed. People screw up simple tasks just from peer pressure of being watched.
