Poll: Do you even slide stop bro?

[Koda]

Apparently there is a debate on if you use the slide stop to release the slide or use the overhand method. Which one do you use?

5 Things to Know About Slide Stops—A Pistol's Most Misunderstood Control

When you've fired the last round in your pistol's magazine, the magazine's follower pushes up against the slide stop and causes it to catch in a recess in the pistol's slide. Here's what you need to know about that functionality.

www.outdoorlife.com

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[2Wheels4Ever]

I'm not opposed to using the slide stop as a release. It's your gun, use it however you wish. If it wears out, the gun is still functional.

However, I personally enjoy pulling and releasing the slide like a sling shot or bow and arrow. It's just more fun and I'm not wearing parts out in the process.

 

[osprey]

I usually don't use slide stop as a release but do occasionally on glocks without too many worries. A fine 1911 is another matter. When dry that is.

 

[solv3nt]

When dry that is.

You just need more lube.

 

[titsonritz]

This is what I do, with or w/o front serrations...

If I was right handed or owned a Glock Gen 5 I'd used the slide release, by placing my thumb above the release to be bump off when the mag is inserted and slammed home, nothing is faster.

Method 5 shown here...

 

[Certaindeaf]

I use the dust cover for dust protection, nothing else.






Lorl

 

[gmerkt]

I voted for the overhand method, but that isn't to say I've never used the slide stop to load a round into the chamber.

I would say that I avoid using the slide stop to release the slide to close the action on an empty chamber. To me, that's unnecessary slamming of metal. But it probably doesn't hurt anything. Shooting a gun certainly subjects the parts to violent action.

The other thing is, depending upon the pistol, sometimes it's difficult to release the slide with the lever. Which you wouldn't want to deal with under emergency conditions.

Knowing your pistol might dictate how you let the slide go using the overhand method. If it's an easy locker, you don't necessarily have to let it slam home, you can do it gentle like. But some guns want it to slam home for reliable full seating into battery.

The overhand method for me is to grip the slide from the rear using left thumb and forefinger pointed forward. I don't do the kind of "backward hold" with the thumb pointed toward my chest.

 

[Koda]

I voted for the overhand method, but that isn't to say I've never used the slide stop to load a round into the chamber.

I would say that I avoid using the slide stop to release the slide to close the action on an empty chamber. To me, that's unnecessary slamming of metal. But it probably doesn't hurt anything. Shooting a gun certainly subjects the parts to violent action.

The other thing is, depending upon the pistol, sometimes it's difficult to release the slide with the lever. Which you wouldn't want to deal with under emergency conditions.

Knowing your pistol might dictate how you let the slide go using the overhand method. It if's an easy locker, you don't necessarily have to let it slam home, you can do it gentle like. But some guns want it to slam home for reliable full seating into battery.

Ive heard on some finley tuned 1911 triggers with light triggers that dropping the slide on an empty chamber can wear the sear or something.

Ive also been taught to never gently return the slide home, and by using the overhand method your using the full travel of the slide as designed to chamber the round.

I may have just exposed my own bias on this matter...

 

[gmerkt]

Ive also been taught to never gently return the slide home,

I agree that out of caution, most defensive shooters wouldn't do this. I was thinking in my own terms, shooting recreationally. When I have a well-broken in gun of a certain type, sometimes it just works so smoothly and easily, it doesn't need the slap. BUT if I were in a defensive shooting situation, I probably wouldn't be thinking about how gently or how hard to do it. I'd just yank it back and let it go.

 

[osprey]

Don't ride the slide or the charging handle when trying to put a live round in battery. Sometimes I break this rule in a hunting situation to be stealthy and in the case of an ar the fa gets used.

 

[Pete F]

My AMT Hardballer is more reliable using the slide stop. For some reason racking the slide causes jamming of the bullet on the ramp. I normally use the slide stop on all of my handguns.

 

[Member 3687]

To Sling shot the slide is great if you have both hands that are usable but it's hard to do when you only have one hand to work with.

I do it both ways and try to train one handed with both week and strong arm. If the slide is already held back with the slide stop you can put the gun between your knees use your good hand to put in a fresh mag and hit the stop to send the slide home or rack it on your belt to send it home.

You just got to do what you got to do to get back in the fight.

Just my opinion.

 

[Diamondback]

What I do depends on what stance I'm in... arms fully extended in a Weaver, Isosceles, Chapman or similar I'll slingshot, in a closer-held "protected gun" position as a southpaw I'll use my right fingertips just after I slam the mag in.

EDIT: As a bonus, other than the mag release the "protected gun" scenario with my 1911 is very similar to how I reload and release bolt on an AR.

 

[Alexx1401]

Needed a 3d option for most of the time I do often use it. I have some pistols that I do not only because its so damn hard to use. Some pistols that have the hold open have a stop that is damn hard to get at and or hard to release that way. On those I do not even try.

 

[Alexx1401]

Ive heard on some finley tuned 1911 triggers with light triggers that dropping the slide on an empty chamber can wear the sear or something.

Ive also been taught to never gently return the slide home, and by using the overhand method your using the full travel of the slide as designed to chamber the round.

I may have just exposed my own bias on this matter...

Now THAT is a different thing there. I do NOT drop the slide on my 1911's dry. I have had some that would cause the hammer to fall to half by doing that. MANY shops will hand someone a 1911 slide back and ask them to NOT drop the slide dry.

 

[L84Cabo]

Please...can't we just let the poor horse die in peace?

Godspeed little slide-stop horsey!

 

[Koda]

Please...can't we just let the poor horse die in peace?

Godspeed little slide-stop horsey!

it was an impulse post after reading that article. I actually thought of the dead horse after I posted it but too late...

 

[P7M13]

Option three : I'm slide bistopstual. AC/DC -- overhand, slide release, lock the slide back using the lever, etc.
Option four : What the heck are you rambling about now?
Option five : all of the above - ain't worried about my fine motor skillz, I'm uncoordinated AF.

I would have voted for option five ....

 

[JohnnyMac]

Sometimes a guy just ain't got enough hands to go overhand....

 

[3MTA3]

Until I read this I always thought the slide stop was also intended as the release. If it wasn't supposed to be used for that then why make it a button or lever when you could easily design a mechanism that didn't protrude?

Generally speaking I don't use it and use the slide. This also has me thinking about my AR's since I do use the stop on those as a release where I could use the charging handle.