I don't think anyone has disagreed with the practice of topping off the gun before reholstering.
You do it and teach it differently than me, that's fine. But suggesting that I'm some kind of "outlier" is silly. Performing a slidelock reload isn't complicated. Performing a slidelock reload requires exactly one small additional action compared to an in-battery reload. Reacquiring a proper grip on the pistol after a slidelock reload isn't any harder than after an in-battery or "tactical" reload.If you are that outlier who has worked through the out of battery reload and are able to perform more manipulations faster than most can perform less and reacquire your grip consistently, then it is a better option FOR YOU to go ahead and run it dry. For others, I like the idea of the solution with less manipulations, as I now have a cleaner solution with less chance to mess up and a fully functional gun in the process. Every situation will be unique, and is full of decision making during the fight.
I don't disagree one bit with the proposition that an in-battery reload is, if time & circumstances allow, a valid option. But just like a tac load, it's a reload you perform when you want to, when you think the situation is appropriate. By definition it is something you do when you have time to do something other than shoot. In class, I refer to both tac/retention reloads and in-battery reloads as voluntary reloads. You do them because you choose to, because you think you have the time and safety to do so. A slidelock reload is an involuntary reload, something you need to be able to do as quickly and efficiently as possible because you probably don't have time and safety on your side.
The example Chuck gave, above, is a great one on so many levels. When he performed the reload, Soulis was not trading shots but rather he was behind cover and so was his adversary. Luckily, instead of performing the traditional "lull-mandated tactical reload" he just did a speed reload which could very well have been the difference between life and death since his opponent intended to have a shorter "lull" than Soulis did. Note that when Soulis was out in the open shooting at an escaping Palmer, he emptied his gun instead of performing a reload. Why? He was actively engaging a target and put his focus on shooting, not round counting.