One hand slide racking a 1911

[sm]

El Tejon brings out a great point - worth a re- read.

det.pat , the picture is fine, great detail, and thanks for sharing.

Tamara posted a pic once of her showing how to do a one-handed chamber check - this method also works to rack a slide. The picture describes much bettr than words.

 

[Soap]

Buy non-snag free sights.

But like El Tejon said though, you should be able to rack it regardless.

 

[Navy joe]

Or if you're really bored you can do the Chow Yung Fat Thumb and index finger rack as demonstrated with a pair of Browning BDMs in the "Matrix"

Works only without FLGRs though, and I can do this quite nicely with a pair of UNLOADED BHPs.

 

[Smoke]

I've seen the "butt/shoe" technique and hate it because the muzzle is usually pointing at flesh.

Ok. But I consider this to be one of the places where I'd say "I'm not concerned with where my muzzle is pointed right now"

I'm assuming that if I have an arm out of action, need to reload/clear a jam in a big hurry.....that some one else is already pointing another muzzle at me and repeatedly pulling the trigger.

Do what you must to get back in the fight.

Smoke

 

[det.pat]

that was done in the matrix? i don't remember it. i been doing this since i was a kid. i told it to a buddy a few years ago and he said i couldn't do it [my hands aren't that big] and then i showed and hew was amused. i gotta watch the movie again.
pat

 

[mordrid52]

that was done in the matrix? i don't remember it.

It is in Matrix Revolutions. When they are in the elevator going down to the Merovingian's club, Seraph does a double one-handed press check on his pistols.

 

[det.pat]

i'll just have to watch it again, so there
pat

 

[Horsesense]

I wouldn't recommend practicing this but, in a life or death situation, use you teeth… as someone already said.

 

[Dbl0Kevin]

If you have decent hand strength you can just do what I do. Making sure the hammer is cocked makes this even easier, but simply hook your thumb inside the trigger guard, put the bottom of the pistol grip up against your body and use your index finger to push the slide back right below the barrel. If you've ever seen a Steven Segal movie it's basically the way he always checks to see if the gun is chambered....except you bring the slide back all the way.

 

[SkyDaver]

I tried out the edge of the shoe method, and it worked very well.

Turn your foot so that the sole of your shoe is turned up. Put the top of the slide against the edge of the shoe. Press.

Muzzle isn't pointed at body, and you can use large muscle motion.

 

[Archangel]

det.pat, thanks for the picture. I can do a chamber check like that, but with my little baby hands, I can't possibly hope to rack the slide all the way.

Question, though. Assuming a jam, can you rack the gun like that and let whatever is jamming up the gun fall free? It looks like you hand is pretty thoroughly covering the ejection port.



Strambo and Navy Joe - I completely agree that sometimes you might be better off going h2h, or running away, etc. Just looking to have all the right tools in my toolbox, though.

 

[det.pat]

i usually can, this is an emergency procedure after all, and if wounded i may not be able but it's another part of the arsenal. most of the time i can leave the first two fingers slack and manipulate a casing or round. forward slide serrations help this a bit. i can usually clear stovepipes by catching them between my fingers and letting the slide snap forward.
pat

 

[PaleRyder]

I personally wouldn't base any of my racking procedures on something I saw in a movie.

 

[Dave R]

Plain Friction?

I have practiced one-hand racking just using friction of slide vs. pant legs. Works fine with jeans. You do have to smack the slide against your leg hard enough to leave a bruise. But even with snag-resistant sights, I was able to rack the slide 100% of the time with a good hard push.

May not work with polyesters, though.

 

[joerng]

this comes up alot

i know that this is a problem that comes up alot. the way that i do it is on the back of my shoe. but you can do it on the corner of a building or anything,(safety is never out the window.) but you could also fix the pistol by placing the pistol grip behind your knee and kneel, barrell facing forward then you can work the slide and clear malfunctions with no problem. also you can reload mags one handed by placing the pistol under arm upside down barrell to the rear. hope this helps. joe

 

[joerng]

i

j

 

[Krinkov]

After seeing this thread I tried the techniques with my 1911 and my Browning Hipower.

I couldn't do it.

However, I think there is a technique that is being over looked here.

Assuming that your weapon is now with an empty magazine and for some reason the slide did not lock back after the last round (it has happened with some pistols), the following would be the technique I use:

1. Before ejecting the empty magazine, leave it in place and then try to rack the pistol using the method described by others above where you place the thumb over the backstrap and the pinky in front and flex the hand. Doing this with a fully charged magazine may not allow the round to fully go into battery but with an empty magazine you should be able to get it to at least lock the empty slide to the rear.

2. then drop the magazine, load new magazine and drop the slide using the slide release.

3. You're good to go.

Note: when loading the fresh magazine I turned the pistol upside down on the floor and inserted the magazine that way.

This method worked for me and if I practice I could probably master it pretty quickly.

Now, with my PPK/S I may have a harder time because it does not have a slide release.

 

[Krinkov]

Another method of racking the slide (with the empty magazine still in place) is to have the gun upright, barrel facing away, with your hand over the slide and thumb in back under the beavertail (using a 1911 as a model).

Bring the frame back against your leg while you flex your hand to bring the slide back. The frame against your leg will keep the whole gun from moving back, allowing the slide to work to the rear.

With the empty magazine in place it will lock back.

Drop the magazine, load new magazine using the method in earlier post and drop the slide release.

It works.

 

[cracked butt]

I haven't tried it yet, but the thought that comes to my mind is to grab the slide with the good hand and press the grip against something solid to pull it back.

 

[Ivy Mike]

my one handed drill consists of gripping the grip (with muzzle pointed right if right arm is good or left if working with left hand) between the lower portions of my thighs (think "pooing in the woods" squat, but bring knees together)
I grab the slide, rack it back and release. Works 100% of the time.

Empty magazine with slide locked back:
Drop spent mag, lay pistol on your thighs, top of slide down. Insert new mag, grip the gun and hit the slide release.

 

[Sam]

Heard plenty of neat ways to do it on this thread, however, the fastest, easiest, most versatile, least gymnastics and dexterity required, least position sensitive and probably safest mode is to snag that rear sight.
All of the high speed, low drag (read snagfree) rear sights out there are snag free in the wrong direction!

Sam

 

[The Rabbi]

One word: Revolver.

However, a revolver is just as hard to reload one handed. If its your chosen carry gun, you should practice one handed operation just in case....

That's what G-d invented back-up guns for. I'll bet I can pull my back up a lot faster than I can one-hand reload either a revolver or a semi.

But let's face it: this doesnt happen a lot. In fact I'd like to see any actual cases where 1) the gun malfunctioned and needed to be racked; AND 2) the shooters strong hand was injured or otherwise occupied. Not too many.

 

[Fatelvis]

Det, I have doubts that your method would work quickly or easily under stress. I like "pushing the slide against a barracade method". It is quick, can be done forcefully to eject a problem round/empty, and can be done repeatedly. Another great reason for dumping full length guide rods!!

 

[SKeefe]

Wish my digital camera worked.

Grab the slide (so that the gun is upside down), put the curve of the grip against the forearm of your other arm, and rack the slide.