your slide lock technique

[twofifty]

Thanks to all those who expressed their likes and dislikes for front slide serrations.

This got me wondering about the circumstances where you would lock the slide back while manipulating the HG, and how you would go about doing so. Whether your HGs have front serrations matters not in this thread.

Here's one example in my life:

At an IPSC safety area, I sometimes lay my HG down to do something else. My practice is to clear the gun then lock the slide back with the slide lock - there is no mag in the gun. All controls are on left side of frame.

When doing so, I grasp the slide front from above by pinching it with my left (weak) hand fingers/thumb (I'm right handed) to pull it back, then flip up the slide stop with my weak hand middle finger. Strong hand stays firmly on the grip, so muzzle control is absolute.

I don't know why, but manipulating the slide & stop with my strong hand feels really awkward, and muzzle control is less assured.

What's your preferred technique, and why?

 

[txhoghunter]

Same as yours. It is because when I am in a situation to clear a jam I teach myself to keep my strong hand on the grip while I manipulate the slide to clear the jam with my weak hand. That way I will be able to fire without having to regrip with my strong hand.

 

[ZeSpectre]

I've trained myself to run all the controls of my firearms with either hand if at all possible (though I admit that locking the slide of a SIG while the gun is in the left hand is HARD.)

But I'm a firm believer in learning to handle pistols in "all four" modes.
-Strong hand, single handed
-Strong hand, two handed
-Weak hand, single handed
-Weak hand, two handed

 

[txgunsuscg]

Strong hand controlling pistol and manipulating slide stop, weak hand grasping rear serrations, pulling directly back. After dropping the source of ammunition, of course....

 

[Zerodefect]

Overhand rack. Lift slide stop with strong side hands thumb.

 

[drw2514]

The slide stop on most pistols is too far away for me to reach it with my strong hand, so I generally HAVE to manipulate it with my weak hand or change grip. I've done it both ways, but I usually find myself using my weak hand to rack the slide and changing my strong hand grip in order to manipulate the slide stop. Might not be the best technique, but I'm somewhat hindered by my tiny girly-man hands

 

[FoMoGo]

Over slide grip.
Thumb and pad of index finger of weak hand on slide serrations.
Lowest section of index finger against the rear sight.
Push slide to the rear, thumb up slide stop with thumb of strong hand.


Jim

 

[1911 guy]

I use the same movement when locking back for admin purposes or for clearing a malfunction.

Rotate slightly to right, this tips the pistol while retaining a firing grip and keeping the muzzle downrange.

Grasp rear of slide with off hand (left, for me) and yank firmly to rear.

Right thumb slips slide stop up into notch.

Strip out magazine.

Either reload or holster a cleared weapon, whichever is appropriate for the circumstances.

 

[usp9]

I rack with the weak hand, usually forward of the ejection port, then use my strong hand thumb to push the lever up to catch the slide. If the gun is hot I grasp behind the ejection port.

 

[Loosedhorse]

Right hand shifts from shooting position to put upward pressure on slide release lever, while retaining ability to put pressure under the beavertail and to keep finger out of trigger guard. Left hand uses overhand grip of rear of slide (heel of hand on left serrations, 4 fingers on right serrations, everything clear of ejection port). Both hands are high (about eight inches in front of your chin, to keep your eyes up), muzzle is pointed downrange. Right hand pushes forward, left pulls toward you. "Click."

This is the first step in reducing a double feed jam, so I'd learn to do it quickly. I feel left overhand grip is stronger and more dependable under pressure than a "pinch" grip with thumb and finger.

On some guns the slide won't lock this way (for example, HK P7).

 

[usp9]

On some guns the slide won't lock this way (for example, HK P7).

The P7 does have a manual slide lock. It's on the left, behind the trigger.

 

[Dimis]

only times i can think of having to lock the slide are to show clear at a match/range/shooting event or when the gun has a serious malfunction but either way I...

Strong Hand 2 Handed (for me right handed)
1.Drop (remove) magazine
2.place support hand in the over the top fashion on rear of slide with the "ball" of my thumb on the left side serrations and my fingers on the right side thumb facing chest with gun still downrange
3.pull with support hand and extend (push) slightly with strong hand
4. break grip slightly with control hand and push slide lock up with strong thumb

Support Hand 2 Handed (for me left handed)
1.Drop (remove) magazine
2.place strong hand in the over the top fashion on rear of slide with the "ball" of my thumb on the right side serrations and my fingers on the left side thumb facing chest with gun still downrange
3.pull with strong hand and extend (push) slightly with support hand
4. using support hand index finger push up slide lock

there are a few ways to do this one handed but i prefer the sight hook method

Strong Hand 1 Handed (again I'm a righty)
1.Drop (remove) magazine
2.place strong hand thumb on slide lock and apply pressure upward
3.snag the rear sight on belt or nearby hard surface with gun pointed AWAY from yourself
4.push vigorously forward

Support Hand 1 Handed (still my left)
1.Drop (remove) magazine
2.place support hand trigger on slide lock and apply pressure upward
3.snag the rear sight on belt or nearby hard surface with gun pointed AWAY from yourself
4.push vigorously forward

some of us don't have "snaggable" sights so another technique ill use for low profile sighted guns is the knee grab

Strong Hand Knee Technique one handed
1.Drop (remove) magazine
2.place gun upside down facing outward in between knees with serrations pinched between knees firmly
3.place middle finger or index finger on slide stop applying upward (well technically downward) pressure
4.with web of hand on frame closest to slide as manageable push vigorously forward

Support Hand Knee Technique one handed
1.Drop (remove) magazine
2.place gun upside down facing outward in between knees with serrations pinched between knees firmly
3.place middle finger or index finger on slide stop applying upward (well technically downward) pressure
4.with thumb wrapped around grip and other fingers on frame enclosing trigger guard (minding the trigger as much as possible) push vigorously forward

those are a few ways to skin the cat i guess

 

[LiveLife]

Hmmm, I don't know if this has been mentioned:

Left hand overhand rack with left fingers cupped around the ejection port is to catch the ejecting round.

If you have difficulty with grip control, I use this with "weaker" females - pistol slide is held firm with left thumb and index finger on the slide serrations (practice holding the pistol with just the left thumb/finger) and left elbow bent sharply with pistol right in front of the chest - right hand on the grip (index finger resting along the frame) with right elbow bent sharply.

With a deliberate force, push both arms/hands toward the center of the chest (push with "V" of the right hand) with locked wrists and equal force of the chest muscle and rack the slide back. With the slide pulled all the way back, your bent/locked elbows/arms should comfortable hold the slide back while the right thumb lifts the slide stop.

This method primarily uses the chest muscles and not dependent on hand/wrist/forearm muscles. If a 4.5 ft 100 lb woman can comfortably rack the slide and lock, so can you.

 

[1911 guy]

One wrong answer, Drill Instructor.

There are two reasons to never catch the ejected round with your left hand cupped over the ejection port. One is highly unlikely but possible, the other a sure thing.

1) It is possible, albeit unlikely, for the ejecting round to be fired by striking the ejector when the slide travels to the rear. It's never happened to me or anyone i personally know, but I've seen it posted a few times with pics of a blown out case.

2) catching the round is a waste of time. If you're clearing at the range or such, you'll have planty of time to bend over and retrieve it. If you're trying to get a gun back up and running when it matters, you've just occupied your left hand with a piece of useless junk.

 

[LiveLife]

At an IPSC safety area, I sometimes lay my HG down to do something else. My practice is to clear the gun then lock the slide back with the slide lock - there is no mag in the gun. All controls are on left side of frame.

When doing so, I grasp the slide front from above by pinching it with my left (weak) hand fingers/thumb (I'm right handed) to pull it back, then flip up the slide stop with my weak hand middle finger. Strong hand stays firmly on the grip, so muzzle control is absolute.

I don't know why, but manipulating the slide & stop with my strong hand feels really awkward, and muzzle control is less assured.

What's your preferred technique, and why?

1911 guy, OP asked what's MY preferred technique and why ...

What you do and why is your preference.

Even with an empty pistol, I clear it as it was loaded. You really don't want loose rounds bouncing/rolling around in the safety area at the match - I always catch my rounds with my cupped left hand and I don't have to go chasing after it or bend over. What if you got a stiff back/legs/knees?

Especially at a busy indoor range, letting an ejecting round will often send it bouncing/rolling forward of the "red line" that you can't cross - period. Also, when I am function testing dummy rounds during load development and testing OAL, I always cup my left hand to catch the round. If it lands on the floor/concrete, it will deform the nose and may shorten the OAL and I have to use another dummy round.

 

[Sandstone_Pointer]

I am a lefty, but my M1911 has a right-handed preference for things like ejecting and locking the slide. So, I defer to a right-handed approach to lock the slide open. As a lefty you learn to defer often (as my mother used to say: "It's a right-handed world"). Anyway, I really haven't figured out a safe & flawless way to engage the slide lock while maintaining a left-handed grip.

I transfer the weapon to my right hand while dropping the weapon to waist level and stepping a quarter turn to the right. This keeps the barrel pointing in the same direction - hopefully down range. I grasp the slide with my entire left hand on the rear serrations and push the slide back using my right thumb to engage the slide lock.

I prefer this method because it flows very naturally (ergonomic), it is very positive (no weak "pinch" to escape your grip), and it is an inherently safe move. I reverse the procedure to release the slide since I find it difficult to push the slide lock (with either hand) without first pushing the slide back a fraction.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Gun in strong hand, thumb applying steady upward pressure during the rack, slide in overhand grasp, while keeping gun pointed away from my body. Nothing remarkable.

 

[bergmen]

Overhand rack. Lift slide stop with strong side hands thumb.

That's how our gun club teaches this for both the CCW class and IDPA.

Dan

 

[Zerodefect]

I am a lefty, but my M1911 has a right-handed preference for things like ejecting and locking the slide. So, I defer to a right-handed approach to lock the slide open. As a lefty you learn to defer often (as my mother used to say: "It's a right-handed world"). Anyway, I really haven't figured out a safe & flawless way to engage the slide lock while maintaining a left-handed grip.

I transfer the weapon to my right hand while dropping the weapon to waist level and stepping a quarter turn to the right. This keeps the barrel pointing in the same direction - hopefully down range. I grasp the slide with my entire left hand on the rear serrations and push the slide back using my right thumb to engage the slide lock.

I prefer this method because it flows very naturally (ergonomic), it is very positive (no weak "pinch" to escape your grip), and it is an inherently safe move. I reverse the procedure to release the slide since I find it difficult to push the slide lock (with either hand) without first pushing the slide back a fraction.

Lefty:
Overhand rack, curl your trigger finger back to lift up on the slide stop lever.

Easy on a custom 1911, hard on most stock 1911's, nearly impossible with a Glock.

Check out slide stop levers from 10-8 or Greider. The beefy Greider safety on the Dan Wesson Valor is a breeze to hit lefty, best slide stop lever I've ever used.
http://www.originalmetaloy.com/products.html

But if bullets are zinging past your head, your probally better off doing what your doing allready. Switch to righty to lock back and malf clear.

I would do it exactly like your doing allready, but it's neat to mess with people that you know are watching you shoot the "goofy foot" IDPA stage.
"Lock back and show clear."
"Clink"
" Did you just do that lefty?"

 

[Loosedhorse]

On some guns the slide won't lock this way (for example, HK P7).

The P7 does have a manual slide lock. It's on the left, behind the trigger.

usp9, I never said that the P7 doesn't have a slide lock. However, please put upward pressure on it (as I described in my post) and report back to us how well that worked.

In fact for my thumb, it doesn't even work consistently with backward pressure, as designed. Most dependable for me to switch hands and use the left hand index finger.

left fingers cupped around the ejection port is to catch the ejecting round

Not sure fingers covering the ejection port is a great idea. +1 1911 guy. Would add if you're trying to clear a jam, and you use this over-the-port grip from "muscle memory," the risk of an open slide ignition is higher, and the chance that the cleared round is not caught (nder stress) and falls back, re-jamming the gun, is perhaps one less thing to worry about in a defensive situation.

 

[Sandstone_Pointer]

Lefty:
Overhand rack, curl your trigger finger back to lift up on the slide stop lever.

Easy on a custom 1911, hard on most stock 1911's, nearly impossible with a Glock.

Check out slide stop levers from 10-8 or Greider. The beefy Greider safety on the Dan Wesson Valor is a breeze to hit lefty, best slide stop lever I've ever used.
http://www.originalmetaloy.com/products.html

But if bullets are zinging past your head, your probally better off doing what your doing allready. Switch to righty to lock back and malf clear.

I would do it exactly like your doing allready, but it's neat to mess with people that you know are watching you shoot the "goofy foot" IDPA stage.
"Lock back and show clear."
"Clink"
" Did you just do that lefty?"

Zerodefect -

That lefty method works! I can't believe I couldn't make that move before - I think I was trying too hard. Mine is an old (90+ YO) Army-issue M1911 and this move is not difficult at all. If anything, it is almost intuitive --- just slide my left finger up and brush the slide lock. Incredible! Thanks for the new trick.

 

[kev778]

I am a lefty, but my M1911 has a right-handed preference for things like ejecting and locking the slide. So, I defer to a right-handed approach to lock the slide open. As a lefty you learn to defer often (as my mother used to say: "It's a right-handed world"). Anyway, I really haven't figured out a safe & flawless way to engage the slide lock while maintaining a left-handed grip.

I transfer the weapon to my right hand while dropping the weapon to waist level and stepping a quarter turn to the right. This keeps the barrel pointing in the same direction - hopefully down range. I grasp the slide with my entire left hand on the rear serrations and push the slide back using my right thumb to engage the slide lock.

I prefer this method because it flows very naturally (ergonomic), it is very positive (no weak "pinch" to escape your grip), and it is an inherently safe move. I reverse the procedure to release the slide since I find it difficult to push the slide lock (with either hand) without first pushing the slide back a fraction.

I am exactly in the same boat Pointer. I am left handed as well and living in a "right handed world" has essentially made me ambidextrous in many activities, from scissors to guns and I find that I have a distinct advantage to others in certain things.

Anyhow. I have a Colt 1911 and Sig 226 and all controls/levers are right handed. I have adapted as you and just move the gun to my right hand, push the slide back with a left overhand grip and push the slide lock up with my right thumb.

I can also lock the slide holding the gun in my left hand and using my left fore finger to push the slide lock up while pulling the slide with a right hand grip using fore finger and thumb to pull. However, I need to turn/tilt the gun over to see that my left finger is on the slide lock and not the de-cocking lever on the 226