Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Sling shot or slide release lever?

This.

Most of my life, I practiced using the slide release, but in the last few years I primarily use my left hand (all fingers and thumb) over the top of the slide like this:



Occasionally, I automatically slip into the use of the slide release, without thinking about it. This is with Glocks, and I don't find the factory slide release to be difficult to use.

What made you decide to slingshot?




Dave

I started studying what top trainers were advising lately. I figure they know better than I do on such matters.

The theory is that it's a more sure method under stress, but I see your point on that, thus I'm not overly concerned that I occasionally slip back into using the slide release. It would be the only choice, if you were shot in the left arm or hand.

They don't.

Take that FWIW.



Dave

This; it's just ingrained for me.

FWIW, I've seen people have problems when trying to slingshot, mainly because they don't always just let the slide slam home; never saw a problem with dropping a slide release & a failure to slide home with a round.

MM

Well, he's spoken. We can all go home now. It's settled science.

You're more than welcome to debate anything I post.

But before you retort, please keep in mind, I know more than you.



Travis

+1 on that......

Been shooting combat pistol courses since the early 1970s before IPSC was formed. Back then there were only a few of semis that were being used...1911s, Browning HPs and S&W DA semis... No one I remember used slingshot until the 1990s. It wasn't until SIGs and Glocks became popular that slingshot became in more common use and some shooting academies starting teaching it mainly because SIGs and Glocks don't have the most user friendly slide release in both size and location. Because LE started using more and more SIGs and Glocks it then spilled into their training also. Almost all the shooters I see today at IDPA matches use slingshot.

I'm old school and use the slide release almost exclusively. When "speed loading" my strong hand stays in the shooting position and as the support hand slams the magazine home it then rolls into position and the left thumb hits the slide release...it is a lot faster than slamming the mag home, grabbing the slide with the support hand, pull back and then have to relocate the support hand to the firing position...

One style of gun I've observed that should not be used slingshot are those with a hammer-drop safety like a Beretta 92 and S&W Gen I,II,III autos. I've seen several students grab the slide, yank back, have the slide drop and pull the trigger only to have nothing happen because they activated the hammer-drop into the safety position. Never saw it happen during practice but have several times during scenario shoots when the stress is way up....

Have also seen those who only use slingshot do all sorts of gyrations trying to get the slide forward during one handed exercises. Catching the rear sight on the pocket is the most used one. When I point out that all they had to do is use the slide release with their thumb or triggerfinger they get that "oh yea" look on their face... It's what happens when you never use it...you forget that it is there...

To me it is important to know all of them as your favorite may not be most advantageous when most needed...

Bob

A legend in your own mind.

If anyone has a link to what could be considered the proper or correct method for a Lefty to invoke the slide release, I would be grateful.

I consider myself never to old to learn the right way of doing anything.

Thanks,
LD

There are good trainers and bad trainers. I've been to Gunsight, LFI, and DTI (Farnam) classes; all 3 taught the slingshot method. I used the slingshot method until I started competing and that's when I started using the slide stop.

The "theory" of why they don't teach the slide stop thing is two fold...

1 - In a gun fight you'll be under the tachy-psych effect (fight or flight) and you lose fine motor coordination, and thus, you may not be able to hit the slide stop.

2 - If you run the gun dry, slam in a new mag and hit the slide stop in one very quick motion, you could release the slide before the mag is fully seated and end up not chambering a round. Now at IPSC matches, I cant count how many times I've seen exactly that happen; I did it myself a couple of times when I first started using the slide stop. I fixed the problem by only dropping the slide stop with the thumb of my left hand, rather than using my right hand thumb. Since my left hand has to seat the magazine, there's no threat of getting the timing off.

Since I stopped competing, I have gone back to the slingshot method.

You're more than welcome to debate anything I post.



Travis

I always use the sling shot method for a couple different reasons.

It's easier for me grab the slide than to hit the slide release while keeping a good grip on the pistol.

If you own different types of pistols it works with all of them no matter where the slide release is located.

I read this from Clint smith I believe. If you have a minimum spec chamber( that's already dirty) and your trying to load a maximum spec cartridge the slide will need the extra inertia to go into battery.

Dink

Maybe if your eyes are crossed, and your drool is hitting the floor.




Dave

That actually makes a lot of sense.

Except the extra inertia/dirty chamber part.




Dave

What extra inertia? From slide lock to the slide fully to the rear is what....1/8" of an inch? Compressing that spring 1/8" of an inch is what makes the difference? Give me a break.

How to release a slide is by far the best litmus test to separate actual shooters from the rest of the pack.

That's probably a great reason to not do it.

I read that along time ago but have never looked up the cartridge/chamber dimensions to see how much crud would have to be built up in the chamber to cause problems.

Dink

When I had to reload as efficiently as possible you used the slide stop. When you weren't forced to reload as efficiently as possible you used the slingshot technique.

That should tell you a lot.

I can't even Imagine how it would ever make a difference. Lock the slide back, then pull it all the way to the rear, then ask yourself if THAT much spring compression is going to make a difference.