Racking your Slide?

[Sixer]

It seems like every handgun manual I have shows (what I consider to be) an improper way of racking the slide.

-See exhibit A (from the Sig P229 owner's manual)

Does anyone actually rack their slide like this? I can't think of any advantage to this. I do notice that a lot of actors will rack the slide like this in movies ( see Clint in Gran Tarino).

With the movies and EVEN the owner's manuals showing improper technique, what's to keep a new shooter from adopting this practice? OR is this a technique that anyone actually uses and finds effective?


P.S. Here is a great link from Kathy's website on this topic.
http://www.corneredcat.com/RunGun/rack.aspx

 

[Keltyke]

What are you, the Racking Police?

Gimmee a break! What's "improper"? I often use the "slingshot" method. The "proper" method is whatever is the easiest and most reliable to chamber a cartridge for the shooter.

I will agree I see no need to put your finger on the slide release.

 

[ZX10Aviator]

not how I do it, but I never said my way was the right way.

 

[Dustin0]

You need to put your finger on the slide release if the mag is empty. The only thing i could think of.

 

[KnightZero]

I can understand the reasons for both forms. I use hand-over the slide on my XD40, but there's only room for the two finger slingshot method on my Taurus. If I clear my Taurus with the hand over the slide and then ride the slide forward, I almost always catch my finger in the ejection port. With the spring on my PT140 pro, and a good snap, that can hurt quite a bit. I can imagine that those with large hands would have even more difficulty with the size - I have the small and puny hands of a computer technician.

As far as the slide lock, I normally engage that with my firing hand thumb, instead of the support hand finger.

 

[labguru]

I think that you need to fully read the instructions! Sig, in the manual is explaining how properly load and unload the firearm, during which they would like to have the "noob" lock the slide open and visually check the chamber. They then instruct the user to either use there thumb to release the slide catch or to fully pull back the slide and let it slam into battery. This is there reasoning for locking the slide open.

 

[ElectricHellfire]

I like using my shooting partner's forehead against my rear sight. He always gets mad for some reason.

Just sling shot it.

 

[Sixer]

What are you, the Racking Police?

Gimmee a break! What's "improper"? I often use the "slingshot" method. The "proper" method is whatever is the easiest and most reliable to chamber a cartridge for the shooter.

LOL, no racking police here! But every time I've taken a new shooter to the range they always try to rack the slide with their finger and thumb. I was taught that you want to avoid this method because it does not utilize the strongest muscles in your hand. If you’re in a stressful situation you don't want to rely on two fingers to rack your slide...

You can decide what's "proper" and "improper" as I could care less how you want to rack your slide. Just curious as to why this method is so often shown in movies and manuals...

P.S. I prefer to be called "The Rack Inspector"

 

[Zhillsauditor]

P.S. I prefer to be called "The Rack Inspector"

Too late; however, you can take "Pistol Rack Inspector".

(.)(.)

mmm, nice rack.

 

[scsov509]

P.S. I prefer to be called "The Rack Inspector"

Now that's funny...

 

[shortwave]

Sixer, would that be " The Rack Inspector" or "Mr. Rack Inspector"?

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

I've seen people get their palms bit by the slide/barrel using the over hand method. The pictured method would avoid at least that happenstance but I'll stick with the "overhand" method or just use the release.

 

[madmag]

I'll bite and give a serious response. I have a hand injury that would make it very difficult for me to rack the way your drawing shows. I use the over-hand method...as I suspect most do.

I sometimes think these manuals are out to just get the idea across. In a basic way they are correct. You rack the slide back and then engage the slide latch, they just show a way that most would never use. Probably drawn by someone that never fired a pistol in their life.

P.S. I told my wife I wanted to be a rack inspector and she slap my across the face and told me to cool down.

 

[Keltyke]

I was taught that you want to avoid this method because it does not utilize the strongest muscles in your hand.

That's true, Mr. Rack inspector.

I have large hands. Every time I try to rack "hand over slide" I get bit by something. I have strong fingers and have no trouble slingshotting. The only pistol I haven't been able to rack that way so far is a NIB Kimber SIS. Oh, and a NIB Taurus PT-25, too.

To each their own.

 

[woodland]

I've seen people get their palms bit by the slide/barrel using the over hand method.

Well, that will only happen if you are riding the slide back. If done properly, the top hand continues back once the slide is fully rearward, and the slide returns all by itself. Once you have it all the way back, the slide should just be released.

 

[holypaper]

Just a noob's opinion, but I think Sig shows racking the slide in that way purely for illustration purposes. If they showed a hand racking the slide in the usual manner, they couldn't show the slide catch lever (it would be obscured by the hand). On Sig's web site, the demonstrations almost always show racking the slide in the usual manner, but the instructor does do it as in the illustration at least once. He made no comment, but it was as if he wanted us to get a good view of the slide snapping forward. I guess it's not too big a deal.

 

[sserdlihc]

Sixer, would that be " The Rack Inspector" or "Mr. Rack Inspector"?

NO NO NO... It is Inspector Rack It

 

[Sixer]

Would "Mr. Inspect-her Rack" be too much to ask?

Seriously though, the link I posted to PAX's website adresses the whole slide racking thing pretty well IMHO.

I think that you need to fully read the instructions!

What!? That's what GIRLS do. I don't need no stinking instructions

Just a noob's opinion, but I think Sig shows racking the slide in that way purely for illustration purposes. If they showed a hand racking the slide in the usual manner, they couldn't show the slide catch lever (it would be obscured by the hand).

Bingo! I cannot disagree with that. I'll have to check some of my other manuals, but it seems like the Sig manual is not the only one that uses this illustration.

 

[csmsss]

Personally, I don't know why anyone cares which way anyone else operates the slide on his/her pistol. I do mine the wrong way! Heaven forfend! But then again, I rarely touch the slide except when I'm goofing off and can't think of a scenario where I would ever need to touch it in an actual self defense situation (at least for my pistol, a 1911 design).

But then again, I realize it's a fairly popular hobby for some to obsess over every little mechanical nuance of gun handling and shooting - that's just not a hobby I share.

 

[pichon]

I like using the edge of a table like Tom Cruise in Valkyrie (even though I have all of my fingers.) Very macho . I actually prefer left hand over the top method and pushing the gun with my right.