Noob pistol question: Slingshot vs overhand

[MrCleanOK]

I rotate the gun 90 degrees about the bore axis and slingshot it. I like to keep my bits away from the business end, and I feel I have a stronger and more natural grip if I rotate the pistol to meet my support hand.

 

[Mad Magyar]

When I carry in the cross-draw, I use the over-weakhand method. I noticed on the range this morning, I used both methods mentioned & the slide release.
Hmmmm

 

[M47 Dragon]

...racking in fluid motion (which involved pushing straight forward with the strong hand as you racked the slide overhand). Overhand simply seems to me -- as previous posters have noted -- to allow more efficient use of force to rack the slide, but moreover, can get your sights on target faster.

+1.

When reloading, one normally brings the pistol in closer to the body, which accommodates this style better, IMO.

 

[cowssurf]

I put the gun in my mouth with a cherry stem. When I spit it out, the slide is racked and the cherry stem is tied in a bow on the front of the trigger guard.

 

[Lonestar49]

The latest, greatest, method..

...

I suggest sling-shot method, gun pointing down range.. kinda a push-grip/pull-slide, easy-motion, effect..

But on my latest, "most modern" hand-gun, with the computer chip, I simply say "rack" and the gun does it itself..

I love going into the new-age.. lol


Ls

 

[jfdavis58]

What a quaint and comedic list of techniques! Tongue, toes and cherries all brought great laughs!

I'm going to be a bit 'stuck-up' with my answer. Sorry.

Google: Gregory Boyce Morrison, The Modern Technique of the Pistol, Jeff Cooper, Editorial adviser.

Buy yourself a copy.

Read chapter VI, Manipulation. Pay particular and sharp attention to the many pictures. (Yes, it covers revolvers too!). Be especially observant with arm position, firearm distance from the body, SAFE MUZZLE DIRECTION.

 

[Sniper X]

Chuck Norris uses neither, he just slams in a new mag, and the pistol releases it's own slide in horror of making Chuck Norris mad.

 

[Ltlabner]

Whatever method you use, keep the weapon pointed downrange.

Had a Bersa 644 (.22LR pistol) slam-fire on my friend when he was racking the slide the other day. Honestly, it scared the crap out of both of us.

 

[BWB]

Perhaps a fine point, but worth mentioning that if you drop the slide from lock back with the slide release you are shortening the normal feeding stroke by about 1/4 inch. Yes, it usually works fine, but like a lot of these things it depends on where you are and what's going on to decide if it matters. Speed is rarely an issue, since your hand is right there from the reload anyway, reliability always is. Good habits ingrained as muscle memory might stand us in good stead someday.

 

[testify4]

...we were taught, courtesy of the USMC, the Israeli method of drawing and racking in fluid motion (which involved pushing straight forward with the strong hand as you racked the slide overhand).

That's the method I use. I overhand, but added in the strong hand pushing forward after an instructor gave me that tip, and it feels much smoother and sure. As M47 Dragon mentioned, it also has the advantage of keeping close to the body and keeping that elbow in.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

on my taurus, if i slam a full mag home, it releases the slide for me...I think i'm calling Taurus tomorrow to see about getting that fixed...

Now if you could just get it to fire at the same time, that would be perfect! A true automatic

Noo! We'll have carolyn mccarthy and sarah brady trying to ban guns with that "slide thingy that reciprocates promiscuously"

I use the overhand method mostly. The slingshot method seems too slippery and I injured my index finger on the weak hand so I can't use it for a while anyway. Some day I'll be as cool as Steven Segal and press check my 1911 by pushing the slide back from the muzzle with my weak hand index finger