And this is pretty much why I've lost shooting interest in shooting multiple handgun platforms with any regularity.Originally Posted by JSGlock34
I've found that the combination of HK's huge slide release levers and my large hands means I can actuate the release without shifting my grip any more than flicking my stronghand thumb. I'm personally inclined to avoid any platform that has a slide release that would slow me down.
Being left handed, the standard Glock slide lock/release can be a little hard to get to. This doesn't prevent me from using the preload technique Todd mentioned, simply that I need to really pull my digit back and tuck it into the gun's slide to find my purchase. I have found, however, that this technique works best when you compromise your strong hand's grip on the gun ever so slightly. Just before I insert that fresh magazine, I loosen the tension my strong hand is imparting around the gun but keep my index finger on that spot on top of the slide release, meaning that the could "jiggle" in my palm if I was to shake it. That way, when I load the mag, the baseplate bumps the frame of the gun upwards, which is in turn STOPPED by my finger's placement on top of the slide release. The pressure on the release sends the slide home and I move to re-establish a two-handed firing grip.
It really is as fast as a in-battery or speed reload.
Can you expand on this? I noticed that you dropped the slide prematurely twice in class back in March. I know you were not up to speed with the G17 at that point but I figured the pre-loading of the slide release was the main contributor. I can easily see how the slide would drop without a round if the reload isn't very smooth due to the pre-load. This seems like a risky technique to me; however, I realize that it is very efficient.
I'm rethinking my position on the slide release on reloads. I've been using the overhand slingshot to be consistent across platforms, but these days I'm pretty well only shooting Glocks when in bottom feeder mode.
I shot the IDPA classifier this past Sunday and missed EX by 1.46 seconds. On the first reload, I wasn't smooth on releasing the slide, and it cost me some time. On the next emergency reload, I pushed harder and used the (extended) slide stop to release the slide and actually was a lot smoother and thus faster.
My thumb getting hung in my pocket on a tactical reload in the last stage also cost me. I figure not being smooth on those two reloads easily cost me at least a full second.
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As to the which hand, like Caleb, in the past I have used a similar approach of using whichever thumb works best in a particular platform. Back when I was issued a S&W 4006, I released the slide with the support hand thumb. On a Glock, I use the strong hand thumb.
The gun I was borrowing had an extended slide stop which works for me on gen3 guns but apparently not on gen4. That's why I put the Vickers stop in my test gun.
There is also a risk of dropping the slide if the mag hits the frame hard enough without inserting into the mag well, which I was also experiencing before I put the grip plug in my gun.
Pre-loading the release is by no means a guarantee against dropping the slide prematurely, just as other techniques all have their potential pitfalls. But it has been the least fumble prone technique I've found, and is definitely the fastest.
Vickers endorses the support hand thumb under most circumstances. I think you give up some speed for a more bomb-proof technique.
Personally I think it depends on the individual and the type of handgun - imagine that!
For me, the possible added speed is not enough to counter the negatives in the shooting hand slide release technique. I will stick with the support hand release because it completely eliminates the possibility that I will end up without a round in the chamber. Think of it this way: why do you need to reload from slide lock? Because you need to put rounds into a dangerous target NOW. Mission statement: get rounds into gun and sights on target and eliminate the threat. Under those circumstances and with that mission statement I dont want to end up without a round in the chamber. As a result, I will stick with the (marginally) slower support hand slide release technique. Like Jay said, everybody is different, this is just what works for me.
I think of it along the same exact lines, which is precisely why I use my shooting hand to release the slide.
Using the weak hand adds approx. 0.25sec to the reload. If we follow the logic that, to quote, "you need to put rounds into a dangerous target NOW," that quarter second is getting me back into it about one shot later. That's one fewer shot I'll get to take or, more importantly, one extra shot the other guy gets to take.
Looking back over the last 100 FAST drills I recorded, I prematurely dropped the slide once. So that's a 1:100 chance of dropping the slide before the round is chambered. That's with a relatively new gun where I'm still working out the kinks in terms of slide release levers, magazine insertion, etc. But let's say that 1:100 is a constant and I'll never get better.
It takes me approximately 1 extra second to recover if I accidentally and unintentionally drop the slide prematurely.
For me, the equation works out strongly in favor of hitting the slide release with my strong hand.
Furthermore, because my SH thumb is usually in the vicinity of the lever, to use my WH I'd need to flag my SH thumb, further compromising my grip. Again it's just a personal preference, but I like to be able to drop the mag and drop the slide without changing my SH grip on the pistol.
I had never pre-loaded the slide stop lever until you showed it in class. While I have been a bit concerned I would actuate it pre-maturely it hasn't happened yet and I am aware of the possibility.
I will say this though .... my re-loads are faster. I can't give you a # to quantify that statement but I know they are faster. jlweems can probably attest to this as we both shot the IDPA Classifier this past Sunday and he, as well as several others, commented on my re-loads. jlweems even asked me what I was doing differently.
The part I quoted above further shows Todd's wisdom. I am more concerned with shifting my grip around during a re-load than pre-maturely dropping the slide.
Always a bit of a balancing act. Gain a little speed, lose a little reliability, give up a little security, get a little control, etc. I still use and teach the slide-rack for most of my people as it is universal and multiple-use. I've never been convinced on the importance of shaving small fractions of time off the reload for most shooters there that aren't going to be as dedicated as we would like them to be in their training. On the other hand, as was mentioned, those small fractions can add up over the course of a match and make the difference between one level of classification and another.
"PLAN FOR YOUR TRAINING TO BE A REFLECTION OF REAL LIFE INSTEAD OF HOPING THAT REAL LIFE WILL BE A REFLECTION OF YOUR TRAINING!"
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