The technique was developed back in the day with the 1911 but it works very well with other pistols also. It is a very efficient way to release the slide after seating the magazine.Is it a 1911 thing or just a LV thing to use the support hand thumb to release the slide?
I'm beginning to think I'm the only person that puts extr mags in the holder with the bullets pointed to the rear. I've tried guys but the way I do it seems more natural to me.
There's a reason I find it easier that way but y'all wouldn't believe me anyway
Is it a 1911 thing or just a LV thing to use the support hand thumb to release the slide?
I'm beginning to think I'm the only person that puts extr mags in the holder with the bullets pointed to the rear. I've tried guys but the way I do it seems more natural to me.
There's a reason I find it easier that way but y'all wouldn't believe me anyway
I don't do either - I sweep the slide stop with my strong thumb. Most shooters I have observed either sling shot or sweep. I can't recall ever seeing the left hand thumb poke in person. So I just wondered if this was a quirky Vickers thing or do I just need to get out more?
When you seat the magazine in the gun your thumb is very near the slide stop. I seat the mag and as I'm placing my left hand back on the gun, I roll into a firing grip and hit the slide stop with my left hand thumb.I don't do either - I sweep the slide stop with my strong thumb. Most shooters I have observed either sling shot or sweep. I can't recall ever seeing the left hand thumb poke in person. So I just wondered if this was a quirky Vickers thing or do I just need to get out more?
I can't recall ever seeing the left hand thumb poke in person. So I just wondered if this was a quirky Vickers thing or do I just need to get out more?
And he does it PDQ ^^^When you seat the magazine in the gun your thumb is very near the slide stop. I seat the mag and as I'm placing my left hand back on the gun, I roll into a firing grip and hit the slide stop with my left hand thumb.
And he does it PDQ ^^^
Might not be the best, but darned good. And you can watch him shoot locally is you're lucky.
That is a fact. Shooting in his squad is a pure pleasure, and getting to watch him shoot is just a bonus.Chad is one of the nicest guys in the sport.
Might not be the best, but darned good. And you can watch him shoot locally if you're lucky.
I only use my support hand to release the slide stop with 1911's, my strong thumb for all others (meaning striker fire, and small pistols), but I have good sized hands.I'm no expert, but this method causes a lot of problems on the little guns. Between a G26, Shield, G43, Ruger LC9, Kahr P9, and Kahr PM9, I have found overland/slingshot reloads work best. Don't ask me why, I don't know why...but once I go bigger like a Glock 19 size...problems go away.
Anything small...slingshot for me. Of course, with the small mags, every mag change is a crap shoot.
Might not be the best, but darned good. And you can watch him shoot locally if you're lucky.
I’d have to see a timer show me that strong hand thumb is fastest.
And if it were, it would only be on some guns with some hands, so I’d say rarely rather than generally.
If it were generally faster you’d see it most often in competition and it seems like I never see it.
Just thinking out loud.
First what kind of competitions are we talking about and which guns are these guys using? In USPSA the slide lock reload tends to be something that is rare and undesired.
Second, if you think about it from a pure economy of motion perspective, the dominant hand thumb would be fastest since it has the fingers moving the least amount of distance (for most people) to get the slide going forward which frees up the support hand to re-establish the two hand grip in a quicker manner.
If keeping it in the realm of right hand shooters, the only time the gun is going to favor the support hand thumb is the 1911 and some of the smaller pocket size guns
And shot timer evidence has been supporting my view for years. Its always good to reconfirm things from time to time though
Well, as far as what kind of competitions and what guns: you tell me.
You're post seemed very definitive about what was fastest and made no mention of different competitions and only touched on guns.
The competition angle was brought up by you and ran atypical to what I see hence the reason I commented on it. So which competition are you looking at where you see support hand thumb being used more than dominant hand thumb?
My post was indeed pretty definative.
Not sure what you are getting at. Many of the people in this thread are competition shooters. And this is of course a topic that would be relevant to competition shooters on a gun forum.
You made a definitive list of what was “fastest”. Not what was fastest for combat/competition/self defense.
If you must know what competitions I’ve shot, I have and do shoot: Idpa, Uspsa, steel challenge, 2gun, outlaw 3gun, 3gun nation, various rimfire matches, and various other tactical matches.
In the bulk majority the top shooters either don’t have a slide release at all (depending on division) or use weak hand on the slide release. Of course, some do not. I am not saying it is a certain way. You are.
I was taught to use weak hand by one of the top shooters in the country and a world champion.
- Shot IDPA for a bit before moving to USPSA. Ive also done a few two gun and carbine matches.What matches and competitions do you shoot?
Just think conversation is good.
I never said it wasn't applicable to people shooting competition since it is certainly applicable.
Correct as it applies across the spectrum of most shooting applications.
Thanks. Knowing the competition you are talking about helps understand frame of reference and other things.
Odd in that when I watch guys doing slide lock reloads in USPSA and IDPA matches, they will typically depress the slide stop with their dominant hand thumb unless they are using a 1911/2011. This is done since it is faster for most and allows the shooter to get rounds on target quicker since the slide go forward sooner and the two hand grip is rebuilt quicker.
Think about this from an economy of motion perspective. Depressing the slide requires less overall motion since the dominant hand thumb depresses the slide stop while freeing up the support hand to rebuild the two hand grip. Using the support hand thumb involves more motion in the hands/fingers since the support hand thumb has to track up the frame, stop, go in the opposite direction to depress the slide stop, and then start moving toward the front of the gun. Overall we are looking at fractions of seconds, but those add up.
Did he shoot 1911s a lot by chance? Using the support hand thumb isn't wrong; it simply isn't the fastest for most.
- Shot IDPA for a bit before moving to USPSA. Ive also done a few two gun and carbine matches.
As do I
I think IDPA is where the most slide kick reloads seem to happen.
And I’d bet Glock and similar shooters may be doing that a lot more than others, it would be interesting to hear some chime in.
Clearly, the economy of motion is less. But my point is that from a time perspective, you still have to press the gun out. Both thumbs are right there as you are doing so. So, the time you save is just while you are pressing the gun out, thereby really not saving you any time.