Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Slide lock or slide release?

Not sure if this will stir up the same controversy as hot/cold carry or, God forbid, blue tape vs. all other colors, but should a semi-auto pistol have a slide release or just a slide lock?

In the opinion of myself, God and John Moses (not necessarily in that order), a pistol should have a slide release. I will make exception for the tiniest pocket pistols but a real combat oriented pistol needs to have something that can feed a round from a fresh magazine with the use of only one hand. Never mind that it generally takes two hands to load a fresh magazine, but once done, you should not have to slingshot the pistol to load it. If you want to, that's fine, but you shouldn't have to.

Being left handed, this is a nit pick which has just about turned into a deal breaker for me on the S&W M&P. Their manual tells you to slingshot the slide, that the slide lock is not what that miniscule stamped metal part is for. The ambidextrous slide lock/release (gender confused, perhaps) will work to release the slide, at least that one on the left side of the pistol will but the one on the right side is apparently there for ornamental purposes only since it is nigh impossible to depress unless you have the finger strength of a teenage boy with a free PornHub account. And even that little nub of a thingamajig on the left is not the easiest thing to manipulate.

Which is frustrating because I like everything else about the M&P 2.0. My two examples are nicely accurate, the extra grips allow one to customize it to fit, and the trigger is very good - after some take up it breaks almost as nicely as a good SA trigger. You can even switch the magazine release to the opposite side, which I have done. But it is almost impossible to release the %^*#@! slide with the left thumb! Arrrgh.

A Glock Gen 5 has a nice ambi slide release, the one on the Sig P320 is better. And even on those antique 1911's and Beretta 92/M9's, the slide release on the left side only is an extended piece that positions itself under the thumb (or my index finger) and allows good leverage to easily release the slide. Even the little Sig P365 has a fully functional left side slide release.


So, on a semi-auto pistol do you call it a slide lock only or do you agree with God and JMB that it should also serve as a slide release? All comments are welcome, I want to keep a completely open mind and not try to influence anyone here...

I've always considered it a slide release and used it as such. Was never told to do it any other way - that is until youtube "operators" taught so many that their time as a cook in the Reserves qualified them to teach others about how to get out of "non-permissive" environments and thus - the overhand slingshot was what needed to happen.

I am just concerned about more bullet testing videos. Use the thingamajig as you see fit. It is your gun do as you wish
How about those bullet testing videos? Where are the bullets?
They should have just used a 9MM the Magnificent Farce and one shot would have been all it took.

I've always used the slide release but in a recent class we were instructed to use an over handed slingshot method for 2 reasons.

1. Muscle memory, helps with clearing a malfunction if that's the only way you do it.
2. Gross motor skills might be all you have in a stressful situation. Leading back to muscle memory, grabbing the slide with your off hand and pushing the pistol forward with your strong hand.

As for the 2.0 M&P's, the slide release does break in or you can work on the detent they added to stop auto forwarding when inserting a magazine. Personally, I liked it when all I had to think about was slamming a mag in and pulling the trigger.

I never bought the "gross motor skills" as a reason to overhand release the slide vs the JMB designed lever. I don't consider squeezing a trigger as sights line up a "gross motor skill" yet people are expected to perform that just fine under stress - relative to releasing the slide.

Since I never "slingshot" it is a slide release...

I rack the slide by grasping the top and pulling back while pushing the gun forward. I do this for the same reasons TWR expressed.
To me the slingshot method means pinching the back of the slide and pulling back (like a slingshot).
There are even rear slide attachments that can be added if you are into this retarded style of slide operation.
I seldom if ever use the slide release lever.
Shooting with my wife last weekend she kept trying to use the slide release on her Shield to no avail. I reminded her of the overhand rack as she had been trained. It was like a light went on.

Who would dare argue with Larry Vickers?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LmjakoWKwU

I use the "slide stop lever" (which is what Glock calls it) on my Glock 19, activated with my strong hand (right hand) thumb.

For 1911's, I release the "slide stop" (as named by St. John Browning), with my weak hand (left hand) thumb.

I used to slingshot everything but found it was a smidge slower.

I've never done the slingshot method, it seems foreign and slower to me. Of course, I mostly shoot 1911s and BHPs, so it's more natural to me to use that way, as a slide release


. I have an M&P, too, but seldom shoot it much. I'm right handed, but usually work the slide release with my left thumb. It just works better for me that way. My M&P is an older one, a police trade-in, and still pretty tight. It's "okay" but has no character, like all the plastic-framed pistols, in my mind, anyway.

Slide Slammer

Does it have the contact point textured on the bottom or the top? If the top, then slide release.

And the slide doesn't slam when the pistol is functioning properly? I don't drop the slide on an empty chamber, but when I'm shooting, I don't do that with an empty magazine, either.

I'll see your Larry Vickers and raise you a Jim Wilson.

It's a slide stop, not a slide release.

I'll see your Larry Vickers and raise you a Jim Wilson.

It's a slide stop, not a slide release.

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Yeah, the good (retired) Sheriff has a lot of real world experience and I respect that, I always enjoyed his writing.

But he ain't in the same league as Vickers.

Another great vid, this one from John Lovell, Warrior Poet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3NBGH5TMgs

Know and use both/either as needed. Don't lock yourself into a box... be versatile/flexible.


(Oops, just watched the videos... hopefully my post wasn't a spoiler for anyone.)

Release.

I always question authority - I want to know why they recommend what they recommend. In some instances someone will adopt a technique and since they are subject to the same ego and pride as any other human, recommend their way as the best and then find rationalizations to back it up. OR - perhaps they are used to training non-gun enthusiasts who aren't going to really practice much so they need a one size fits all approach.

It's like the guy who told me X brand trucks suck, never ever ever buy an X brand truck - and he should know since he was an expert in brands X, Y Z and a few others. So I asked him why, and his response was that they don't come in any color he liked. Point is, ask the reasoning behind someone's recommendation and then judge for yourself if that reason is something you can use. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.

I'd say go with what suits you. For some 51 years now a semi-auto pistol to me meant a 1911 or a Ruger Mk of some kind. From age 16 when my Dad bought a Colt Gov't Model I learned to use my index finger to release the magazine and then to reach up and drop the slide with that same finger. Slingshotting a Ruger Mk pistol means pinching the ears with the thumb and second joint of the index finger, not reaching over the top. Same same with any pistol now, I use thumb and forefinger if I want to use that method at all. Up until this year my only other centerfire auto was a Beretta 92FS and I can operate that the exact same way as the 1911's I used for so long. Grabbing the whole slide on that really risks activating the decocker and safety, if my thumb and forefinger contact the decocker at all they are pulling up on it.

To me using the lever attached to the protusion that engages the slot in the slide is a faster method since I can be re-acquiring my grip simultaneously, second fastest is the slingshot with thumb and forefinger since the arm and hand have to travel less distance to re-acquire the grip. To someone else maybe a totally different way works best.

Now since the nice pistol manufacturers have begun putting a metal nub on the right hand side of their products, and allowing the magazine release button to be moved over as well, I've been practicing using my thumb to release the mag and drop the slide. The right side mag release is definitely nicer, as is the right side whatever you want to call it on a Glock G5 and a Sig P320. With a full magazine they disengage the slide easily and I'm ready to go. The S&W bugs me because I'd like to use that as well but the right side WYWTCI is practically useless.

There is a definite advantage in finding one method and then sticking with it, that's what caused me to sell or put away four pistols with different controls and different trigger actions and go with totally striker fired, ambidextrous pistols.




Fwiw, I did buy an X brand truck and it was a wonderfully reliable vehicle for the 13 years I owned it.