Preference or tactical advantage: releasing the slide.

[Don P]

We have a slide release on all modern semi-autos that I can think of, yet some people chose to release the slide with their other hand.

Is there a reason for this beyond personal preference

Actually they are slide LOCKS. Yes you can release the slide depressing them and IMO that puts them under greater wear.
We were instructed during training with many LEO's and LE instructors that, under stress motor skills diminish and trying to hit the slide lock to release the slide may be missed, and here is the point they made- you miss the slide lock lever, you take your eyes off the target/person and look down at the gun in order to release the slide, you now have regain site picture/focus and the target/person being engaged. If you sling shot the slide you maintain eye contact with the target/person. Its almost improbable that one would miss grabbing the slide to sling shot it closed. I tend to agree with them using the sling shot method during competition matches, sling shot works.
As a side note I will RO shooters during a stage and watch them go to slide lock, change mags and try to hit the slide lock and miss it then grabbing the slide to sling shot it.

 

[Striker1]

Slide Lock, Slide Stop, Slide Release...what ever you call it doesn't matter that much as long as you identify what part you are talking about and it's function.

The method you choose doesn't matter that much either as both might have advantages and disadvantages. Some pistols have slide stops that lend themselves well to releasing the slide while others do not...look at Glock or Beretta for examples of each.

Attempting to address the over-hand method by using the argument of "gross motor" skills ignores the fact you must still operate the trigger and magazine release "under stress". Some say it works on ALL guns so they adopt it as universal...but..using this method on pistols with slide mounted safeties can result in placing the gun on safe when you don't want to. On the other hand, attempting to use the smallish factory Glock slide stop to release the slide may not be that reliable.

In the end, each person should honestly evaluate what works best for them based on performance testing.

 

[kraigwy]

Its called a slide release because its a slide release. That is what that little button was designed for.

I use the slide release because I want my other hand free for other activities, such as reaching for another mag, holding a flash light or whatever.

I've seen too many people in using the over hand slide pull back that are too slow in releasing the slide and end up riding it forward, retarding the pressure which often causes failure to lock up.

But to confess, I'm a huge fan of one hand shooting in defense situations.

I want my pistol to fit my hand, or that is to say I want to be able to reach all the buttons that need to be reached without screwing up my grip.

 

[michaelcj]

As a lefty I sometimes wonder whether John Browning had a soft spot for southpaws.

My only "auto" at this time is a 1911 and the only "control" as stock that is inconvenient is, of course, the manual safety. {easily changed out for an ambi}.

Mag release and slide stop/release seem to be "custom designed" for lefties without having to change adjust grip.

That said, depending on circumstances, I will use both the "release" and overhand for releasing the slide.

Usually I try not to shoot the thing dry when tactical training.

Mike

 

[Model12Win]

It's a tactical advantage, or "tactivant" for short.

No matter what weapons system the operator is shooting, the slide grab will always work. Also, fine motor skills go "BYE!-BYE!" in a firefight. The slide grab is a gross motor movement, one that you can be expected to do reliably in the heat of the moment vs. flicking the small slide release lever.

It's all about the tactivant.

 

[tgace]

"Fine motor skill mantra...."

I don't buy it as wholesale as it's sold. What about magazine releases? What about bolt catches on long guns? What about punching in radio freqs and co-ordinates while under fire? What about putting in an IV on a wounded soldier as mortars explode nearby?

You will do whatever you train to do fine under stress. Try do do something new/untrained or unfamiliar? Sure stress will @#$% you up. But I wager I would hit the slide lever on the pistol I carry all day long and train extensively with just fine.

Combat pick-ups of unfamiliar weapons is a meme in search of a reality IMO....

 

[hartcreek]

I was working on a Llama .380 a while back and it had FTF issues part of the time when using the slide release. Racking the slide eliminated the problem.

 

[GEARHEAD_ENG]

My Karh will nose dive the round 9 times out of 10 by trying to use the sling shot method. The instruction manual explicitly states to only use the slide release. They make it large enough it's hard to miss on this pistol.

So not "all" guns will chamber with the slingshot/over hand method.