Man shoots himself at local IDPA competition

[AcridSaint]

That's exactly what we have to say. There are too many circumstances where you may have to reach over the slide and rack it to charge a weapon. If you always work on safely performing that action you will be better off in any situation.

You don't buy that you'll lose fine motor skills - OK, that's your choice. I do buy it, even under minimal stress you start doing strange things with a weapon. Yes, you can train yourself to overcome this through muscle memory, but then how well are you trained when clearing a malfunction under stress? If you're practicing the same way every time and doing it safely, you are giving yourself a better chance at surviving and being safe. You must develop safe handling habits with this technique if you are going to use a firearm defensively, period.

What do you do with your slide release when a magazine fails to lock the slide? What do you do on a Glock that slams the slide home while you're inserting a magazine? How do you clear a malfunction? All of these things require you to operate the weapon safely with just one hand on the grip. If you cannot operate the weapon safely performing these actions then you have no business operating it at all unless under supervision.

If this is the one skill that you believe is most probable to cause an accident, why neglect it until you really need it when you have an opportunity to safely practice it every time you charge the weapon?

 

[thosialg08]

I didn't even know people did it any other way besides pulling back on the slide and then just letting go...except for speed shooters I guess utilizing the slide stop.

Edit: pulling back using only my thumb and index finger - less to get in the way

"Keep your booger hook off the bang lever until you're ready to shoot!"

And that quote is hilarious! Secretaries were asking what I was laughing at...been lurking for a while, first post. Is it that hard to keep your hand away from the loud end?

 

[spacecoast]

What do you do with your slide release when a magazine fails to lock the slide? What do you do on a Glock that slams the slide home while you're inserting a magazine? How do you clear a malfunction? All of these things require you to operate the weapon safely with just one hand on the grip. If you cannot operate the weapon safely performing these actions then you have no business operating it at all unless under supervision.

All good points. There was no information that the gun even had a slide release, or if it did, if it was one that could be reached easily in a time-sensitive situation like IDPA.

 

[TXGunNut]

Lesson learned. Sometimes we need to UNLOAD our pistols and with an UNLOADED mag watch and if possible have another shooter watch how we manipulate our weapons during draw, initial load and reload.
While you're at it, locate the "reset" button.....never mind. You won't find one.
I had a ND many years ago but I had to break two major safety rules to pull it off. It'e easier than you think, don't think it can't happen to you.

 

[Oldwoodsloafer]

There is an alternate:
Switch to a revolver like real shooters use!

On the other hand (pun intended), there's always someone out there who could screw that up too.

 

[USP-45]

I just finished two weeks of shooting at my police academy last week. During the training they insisted on our use of the slingshot method instead of the slide lock/release or riding the slide. It only took two times of someone riding the slide for us to learn that this was not a good idea, they had us drop mags, eject the live round, and slingshot our G22's for three minutes the first time and four minutes the second. Some of the guys litteraly had blisters or bleeding fingers....

Now even whenI shot my USP last weekend I was slingshoting the slide instead of using hte slide release (the USP is designed to use the slide release, in the Glock Armory School they will tell you not to use te slide lock to release the slide).

If you always use the one method then it is hard to screw it up at some point. We shot 2000-3500 rounds each, some of the guys had never even held a gun before, but we had no AD's or other unsafe issues.

 

[alienbogey]

I've never cared for the hand-over-the-top slide racking method for a couple of reasons, and getting body parts very close to the muzzle is one of them. Accordingly, I've never seen any reason for the current fad of forward slide serrations. Look at the new S&W SD9 pistol:


http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...lected=buynow&parent_category_rn=&isFirearm=Y


Now, how in the world is a shooter supposed to actually use those forward serrations without getting the hand dangerously close to the muzzle? At best they're nothing but pointless eye candy, like fake hood scoops on a car, at worst they're an invitation to shoot off a finger like the original subject of this thread.

Dollar to donuts the first SD9 shooter to do so will sue S&W over it.

 

[raimius]

I do a lot of shooting with gloves, so I use the overhand method.
You have to do what works for you--and practice!

 

[Double Naught Spy]

and when in a life threatening situation, you do not have seconds to fumble with a tiny slide release.

I would not consider the slide release to be tiny on any of the guns I own, nor does it require fine motor skills to manipulate. The action is a simple press or swipe.

you use your left hand grab the entire slide, and yank it back and let go. you have just successfully reloaded or chambered a round.

Yep, that sounds really great. Sounds like it would work 100% of the time. Then again, I have seen pressured nervous folks not be able to grip the slide properly and watch one hit herself in the face in trying to do so.

 

[greyson97]

I would not consider the slide release to be tiny on any of the guns I own, nor does it require fine motor skills to manipulate. The action is a simple press or swipe.

YMMV but most instructors and self defense shooters, as well as other members on this board say otherwise. try doing some slide lock reloads, using the slide release, as fast as you can.

and secondly

Yep, that sounds really great. Sounds like it would work 100% of the time. Then again, I have seen pressured nervous folks not be able to grip the slide properly and watch one hit herself in the face in trying to do so.

if you have pressured folks who cannot grab a slide and yank it back, how do you expect them to hit a slide release?

 

[Head-Space]

Yeah, and "Hey let me show you my quick draw!" The Glock flies full length of the pistol range. I've seen people shot in the leg (First Responder) as they sweep their MOB rig across their torso. Just came off the unsupervised range where the area behind the bench was blocked with cleaning gear. People walking back and forth in front of the muzzle. Sure, the bolt was open, but it's a bad habit to develop.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

if you have pressured folks who cannot grab a slide and yank it back, how do you expect them to hit a slide release?

Simple, hitting the release requires a lot less movement, strength, and time.

Funny how the folks can also pull triggers, which isn't a gross motor skill action either.

 

[WESHOOT2]

slide stop slingshot rub tummy pat head

How about "Hack gunowner blows unwanted hole in self from lack of appreciation of projectile function?"

I've attended USPSA or IPSC or Bianchi Cup or IDPA matches since 1994 but I've never seen anyone shoot themself.

The 'carelessness through familiarity' thing can be oh-so true, but it's dangerous; I mean, it's a gun!



Not me, not never. I mean, it's a gun.

 

[wayneinFL]

Funny how the folks can also pull triggers, which isn't a gross motor skill action either.

And under stress a lot of people don't do that very well.

 

[wayneinFL]

Funny how the folks can also pull triggers, which isn't a gross motor skill action either.

Under stress a lot of people don't do that very well.

 

[45Gunner]

Machines are built to do the work of man. With regards to the semi-auto pistol, a simple push on the slide stop pin releases the slide, stripping a round from the magazine, chambering it, and returns the slide to battery. Why would anyone want to do monkey motion with their hands when the simple application of pressure with a thumb will accomplish the same thing without the work? And...once body parts are in motion, the chances of shooting one self greatly increases as demonstrated in the OP.

 

[WESHOOT2]

because...

Some guns require/demand/insist that the slide be FULLY retracted before it will successfully strip that top rd and guide it correctly into the chamber; that's why.

 

[MikeGoob]

i say its a trigger problem not the slide