Slide Release or Rack It?

[Walleye Hunter]

My buddy's trying to tell me that the one and only way to reload the semi-auto pistol is to seat the new, loaded mag and rack the slide. I have historically just hit the slide release with my thumb after reloading it and all of my pieces slam closed with more than enough force to seat the round and I like being able to do it one handed. Is one way any better than the other?

[bogey1]

Some people dont like to do it that way because they say it rounds off the end of the release lever.
They say to hold open the slide, then hold down the release lever and then let the slide go home.
I'll do that on expensive pistols, but others I do what you do.

[JAKIII]

I do it both ways, depending if I’m at the gun range or defending myself from a home invader.

Racking is cooler though...

[Daycrawler]

IMO the slide release is faster. That is for me and he way I was taught when I was young. However I have been taught several different ways to rack a slide with only one hand.

[Gunowner99]

I rack it to prevent rounding.

[Just1more]

Reason not to - in a high stress situation we loose our small motor skills - finding a small button not so easy - grabbing “over” the top of the gun (slide) and pulling back is a lot less finicky in a panic - (so I am told)
Also. When you pull back on the slide there is a little more room to pull it further to the rear, thus giving it the “best” chance to strip a round and load into the magazine. I know it works with the slide stop but that’s what it was originally designed for - to stop the slide.
Ruger also told me it causes premature wear on the slide stop part.

I see people doing both though Personal preference in the end

[philadelphia patriot]

I rack it. A Glock rep said the slide stops on Gen 1s we’re not meant to send the slide forward. On (at least) the Gen 3 and newer, you can use it to send your slide forward.

[ExFlyinguy]

Depends if it's a 9 or 45

[Walleye Hunter]

Depends if it's a 9 or 45

All nines here in semi's. I could see wear on the part being an issue and hadn't considered a panic situation, good thing to think about. I am programmed to use the slide release with no thought involved. My H&K manual deems it user preference and it's right there at my thumb on them. My Sig P-210-6 has the slide release placed pretty much out of play and cumbersome to use for that purpose but it's not a carry piece.

[KPShooting]

I rack, only because some of my pistols the slide release is fucking difficult to manipulate with the thumb. Either too hard to press or too far away for my stubby finger to get at it without turning the pistol away from what I'm shooting.