Question regarding putting slide into battery

[skeelo]

With an automatic, after the last round is fired, slide typically goes back into racked position. After throwing a loaded magazine back in, I use the slide release to put slide back into battery.

A lot of videos I've been watching, person shooting will often pull back on the slide to put it back into battery. Why is this done? Are they actually pulling back and pushing down on the slide release at the same time to maybe reduce wear on the slide/ slide release? Or are they actually putting it back into battery by just pulling back on the slide? I've tried this with my Kahr and Ruger, and it doesn't seem the slide will go into battery without using slide release.

[harold63]

A lot of videos I've been watching, person shooting will often pull back on the slide to put it back into battery.

When a mag goes empty, the follower pushes up on the slide lock and locks the slide back. When you load a mag with ammo in it, the follower cannot hit the slide lock and when you pull back on the slide, the slide lock goes back into the 'unlock' position (via the slide lock spring). Letting go of the slide once you have pulled it back without hitting the slide lock is called 'sling shotting'. Some people do this in favor of using the slide lock to release the slide so the notch on the slide or the lock itself doesn't get rounded off. Just remember that if you try to sling shot, you have to let the slide go...do not try to ride it into battery. You will not be able to do this with an empty mag and some semi's do not lock back on the last round. Lastly, if the slide lock is working like it is supposed to, the person sling shotting is not using the lock while they are sling shotting. It isn't necessary.

[MLittle]

With an automatic, after the last round is fired, slide typically goes back into racked position. After throwing a loaded magazine back in, I use the slide release to put slide back into battery.

A lot of videos I've been watching, person shooting will often pull back on the slide to put it back into battery. Why is this done? Are they actually pulling back and pushing down on the slide release at the same time to maybe reduce wear on the slide/ slide release? Or are they actually putting it back into battery by just pulling back on the slide? I've tried this with my Kahr and Ruger, and it doesn't seem the slide will go into battery without using slide release.

No.....you don't save any wear on the pistol by pulling back on the slide and releasing it......also known as "slingshotting". As you pull back on the slide, the slide lock lever resets to the "off" position and the slide should go fully into battery. Tension on the slide by way of the recoil spring is what moves the slide forward on the rails into battery.

Typically, I don't use the slide lock on any of my pistols to release the slide. I've always just pulled back on the slide. Why you may ask.... I'm left handed and the slide lock is on the left side of all of my pistols.

You may want to reread your Kahr manual. Kahr is one of the few manufacturers that specifies only using the slide lock to release the slide into battery. If you try to slingshot a Kahr, it may not fully go into battery.

[Splittiebus66]

Another interesting note is that overhand Slingshotting is adopted by many defensive shooting minded guys as it is a gross motor skill ( whole hand ) vs fine motor skill ( thumb actuation). Under adrenaline dump/duress in a life threatening situation people have found that fine motor skills sometimes go in the dumper so out comes the over hand method you see. The slingshotting method also goes for the simplification of things you do to get the gun in battery. Vs having 1 way to load the gun, and another way to reload the gun, you use one motion in training all the time for loading, reloading, and immediate action malfunction clearance. etc.

[skeelo]

When a mag goes empty, the follower pushes up on the slide lock and locks the slide back. When you load a mag with ammo in it, the follower cannot hit the slide lock and when you pull back on the slide, the slide lock goes back into the 'unlock' position (via the slide lock spring). Letting go of the slide once you have pulled it back without hitting the slide lock is called 'sling shotting'. Some people do this in favor of using the slide lock to release the slide so the notch on the slide or the lock itself doesn't get rounded off. Just remember that if you try to sling shot, you have to let the slide go...do not try to ride it into battery. You will not be able to do this with an empty mag and some semi's do not lock back on the last round. Lastly, if the slide lock is working like it is supposed to, the person sling shotting is not using the lock while they are sling shotting. It isn't necessary.

Ah ok thanks, nice detailed explanation. I actually don't think I tried it with a loaded clip, may give it a shot with some snap caps.

You may want to reread your Kahr manual. Kahr is one of the few manufacturers that specifies only using the slide lock to release the slide into battery. If you try to slingshot a Kahr, it may not fully go into battery.

Yea, I did actually read this in the manual and was quite amazed (as are most other Kahr owners)...however from what I've read it seems most people don't tend to stick with this method.

[ungawa]

I thought slingshotting meant grabbing the slide from the rear, NOT everything other then using the slide stop.

When your handgun fires, it does not return to chamber the next round from the slide stop position. It returns from further back, with greater authority than it would from slide stop position. Depending on model, age, fouling, or maintenance, some firearms may chamber more reliably from full rearward position than from slide stop. And, as mentioned, some people say there may be other reasons to manually rack the slide.

[rwb1500]

Ah ok thanks, nice detailed explanation. I actually don't think I tried it with a loaded clip, may give it a shot with some snap caps.



Yea, I did actually read this in the manual and was quite amazed (as are most other Kahr owners)...however from what I've read it seems most people don't tend to stick with this method.

It seems the more use a Kahr gets the easier it gets to simply pull the slide back and release as opposed to using the slide stop. I've had a few Kahrs and all the new ones where stiff as hell out of the box and needed a good snap to put the slide into battery, hence using the slide stop. I typically stopped using that method once I was sure the gun would function flawlessly using the overhand method.

[harold63]

Yea, I did actually read this in the manual and was quite amazed (as are most other Kahr owners)...however from what I've read it seems most people don't tend to stick with this method.

It isn't that sling shotting is bad for the gun or that it is a bad habit, but by releasing the slide with the slide stop, there is no chance of walking the slide into battery. It is interesting the amount of people new to shooting or new to learning the slingshot method that will tell you 10 out of 10 times they sling shotted the slide and it didn't go into battery, and 10 of those 10 times they swear they didn't walk the slide, yet when you watch them, they walk it every time. For some reason, some people just can't grasp letting the slide go once they bottom it out.

Ungawa says the slide goes back further and develops more momentum when sling shotting verses releasing the slide with the slide stop. That is 100% correct as long as the shooter releases the slide, fully, once it has bottomed (as far back or open as it will go). One last thing with using the slide stop to release the slide is there is usually no rocking of the pistol when the stop is released. The slide just slams into battery, smoothly. When sling shotting, it is important to remember to hold the gun still so the momentum isn't interrupted by any 'rocking' of the pistol when pulling back and releasing the slide. In other words, limp wristing when sling shotting may not let the slide go into battery, fully, as well as walking the slide.

[Urban_Redneck]

Use the slide release, that is what is there for and it's faster.

The whole "gross motor function" discussion is malarkey, even the best shooters lose a second and a half "gross motoring"- that's 3 to 4 more shots the bad guy can send your way while you are off target.

Get some dummy rounds (a timer really is invaluable) and practice.

[Swarner793]

Use the slide release

My Glock does not have a slide release. Glock put a slide stop lever on my pistol.

Be safe (and do it as designed, not how some guy on the Internet tells you to do it).

Scott