{"id":130037,"date":"2020-08-09T12:00:11","date_gmt":"2020-08-09T16:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=130037"},"modified":"2020-08-09T12:00:11","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T20:21:34","slug":"the-what-the-why-rack-it-methods-of-closing-the-slide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/the-what-the-why-rack-it-methods-of-closing-the-slide\/","title":{"rendered":"The What & the Why – Rack It – Methods of Closing the Slide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the best way to chamber a round and close the slide on a pistol when it has been locked to the rear in the open position? This topic generates a lot of heated discussion at times because so many people believe that the way they do it is the best and that everyone should do it their way. I’ve witnessed arguments between very experienced people, both instructors and competitors, advocating a certain way to close the slide. But no one ever wins the argument because there is no one right way to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this article, we will consider three ways of closing the\nslide. We will call them the Sling Shot, Slide Release, and Thumb To The Rear\nmethods. A close relative to closing the slide from the slide lock position is\nracking the slide which is a term used to describe cycling the slide by hand\nfrom the closed or forward position. Racking the slide is useful when loading a\ngun or clearing a malfunction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
Most, but not all, semi-automatic handguns have a slide catch or release. On this 1911, it is the lever just above the trigger. Some people call it a catch and others a release, but on most guns, it locks the slide to the rear after the last round is fired and the magazine is empty. (Doug Larson photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For those who are not familiar with the three methods, it\nwill be clear as you read that the Slide Release method does not work for\nracking the slide. That’s because the slide must start from the open position\nfor that technique to be used. But the other two methods, Sling Shot and Thumb\nTo The Rear can be used to either close or rack a slide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some general observations first. To close a slide from the locked open position, the slide catch must be disengaged. This can be done by pulling the catch down or by retracting the slide and letting it go. Either the front or rear serrations can be used to pull the slide to the rear. And it should be obvious that if the gun does not have an external slide catch, the Slide Release method cannot be used. Also, keep in mind that the slide on some guns may not lock open after the last round is fired. In that case, the magazine must be replaced with a loaded one and the slide cycled from the closed position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
Some semi-automatic handguns have ridges or serrations on the side of the slide. They are meant to provide more friction for the hand when pulling the slide to the rear. Some guns have the serrations only at the rear of the slide, while others have them at the front and the rear like this Springfield Armory XDM. (Doug Larson photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And there are some variations. For example, the Slide Release can be activated with either the right shooting hand thumb \u2013 if that thumb is long enough to reach the release \u2013 or the left weak hand thumb. If the shooter is left-handed and the slide release is on the left side of the gun, the shooter may have to reach under and around the gun to pull the release down with the middle finger of the right hand. But then some guns have ambidextrous slide catches making all this unnecessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A variation of the Sling Shot method is, instead of gripping\nthe rear of the slide with the thumb and index finger of the weak hand, the\nslide is grasped at the web between the thumb and index finger. The hand forms\na V over the top of the slide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
One way, but not the only way, to release the slide when it is locked to the rear is to pull the slide back and let it go using the V Variation method. Some people grasp the slide using the rear serrations as shown here, but others use front slide serrations. (Doug Larson photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Different schools and instructors teach different methods.\nAll of these methods work \u2013 sometimes. But a shooter might be injured making it\nimpossible to use one or another method, so it might be a good idea to know all\nof them and how to operate the gun with only one hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speed is only one consideration. If you spend your shooting time on the competition range competing for prizes or a title, you may want to use the technique which is the fastest for you. If you are training for a real life and death fight, a different technique might be a better choice. While speed is very important in a fight, other factors like reliability, ease of execution, and the likelihood of something going wrong need to be considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My editor had a good suggestion. That was to time each\ntechnique to determine which is the fastest. But I concentrate on one\ntechnique, so am fastest with it. Gunsandtactics.com though produced a video\ncomparing the speed of the three techniques. The tester was experienced using\nthem all, so those results yield a better comparison than mine would, and he\nwas about .5 or .6 seconds faster using the Slide Release technique. Again,\nspeed may not be your only criteria, but if it is, your results might be\ndifferent. It’s your decision, not that of someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever technique you choose, it’s probably best to use it\nall the time. Doing so reduces the chance that under stress, you will fumble\nwhile deciding which method to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLING SHOT<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The rear of the slide is held between the thumb and index\nfinger, in a way similar to the pouch of a sling shot, and the slide is pulled\nto the rear. A variation is the V method described above. Whatever variation is\nused, some people with weak grips or less upper body strength cannot perform\nthis technique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
Here is the Sling Shot method  The slide is pinched between the thumb and the index finger, pulled slightly to the rear to disengage the slide catch, then the slide is released so the recoil spring can drive the slide forward and push a fresh round into the chamber. (Doug Larson photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some people advocate this method because they say it is more\nnatural to grasp or pick up something with the thumb pointing away from the\nbody. And some people use the front slide serrations while others grip the\nrear. Of course some guns don’t have front serrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the front of the slide is used, be very careful not to\ncover the ejection port with your hand. Partially chambered rounds sometimes\nignite when the gun is not in battery, and if your hand is over the ejection\nport when this happens, you could be badly injured by hot gas or shards of\ncasing. Also, if you are attempting to clear a round, it might hit your hand\nand bounce back into the ejection port causing a malfunction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLIDE RELEASE<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

An argument often used against the Slide Release method is\nthat it requires fine motor skills, not gross motor skills, to push or pull the\nrelease down. Fine motor skills are much harder to execute under stress. But\nthis argument may not hold water because trigger control and operating the\nmagazine release are both fine motor skills, yet can be developed well enough\nto be used in a gunfight. What do you think?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
In the Slide Release method, the slide release (arrow) on this 1911 is pushed down to allow the slide to go forward. If the shooter holds the gun in the right hand, the left-hand thumb can be used. If the thumb is long enough or if the shooter shifts his grip, the thumb of the right hand can be used. (Doug Larson photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gun fights can be extremely messy. You may get wet with water, find yourself fighting in the mud or wounded and covered in blood. Water, mud, or blood can make the slide release so slippery that you may not be able to activate it. And, of course, the gun must have a slide release for this method to work. Some don’t. The Walther PPK is an example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
Not all semi-automatic handguns have an external slide catch or release. The slide on this Walther PPK locks to the rear after the last round in the magazine is fired, but there is no external catch. So, to close the slide, the slide must be pulled to the rear and released. (Doug Larson photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another argument often made against using the Slide Release\nmethod is that the recoil spring is not fully compressed when the slide starts\nits forward movement. But the Sling Shot or Thumb To The Rear method where the\nslide is pulled to the rear and then released, compresses the recoil spring\nslightly more thus providing full force to the forward motion of the slide.\nThis supposedly helps to efficiently strip a round from the magazine and drive\nit into the chamber. But you should decide if the extra force from that small\nfraction of an inch is important to you, and then test the method on the gun\nyou use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some will tell you that it is not a good idea to use the\nSlide Release method because doing so causes undue friction between the slide\nand the release which could cause the slide notch where the release catches the\nslide to become rounded to the point that the slide will not lock to the rear.\nI suppose it is possible, but I’ve never seen it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
If the slide catch is located only on the left side of the gun, but the shooter holds the gun in his left hand, the middle finger of the right hand can be used to pull the slide catch down (arrow). Just reach underneath the gun. (Doug Larson photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some slide releases are built to be easier to disengage. One\nexample is the aftermarket Bullet Forward Slide Release. If you use the Slide\nRelease technique, it might pay to shop around to find a more suitable slide\nrelease to fit your gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THUMB TO THE REAR<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A distinct negative to this technique, at least for the\ntester in the Gunsandtactics video mentioned above, is that it is the slowest\nof the three techniques. On the other hand, it is usually easier to use for\npeople with a weak grip or reduced upper body strength. While it may not work\nfor everyone, often a person who cannot grasp the slide with enough strength to\nrack it from the closed position using the Sling Shot method can rack the slide\nwith the Thumb To The Rear method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
Another method of closing the slide is to grab the slide at the rear with the offhand, pull it back and then let it go. This Thumb To the Rear method generally provides a better grip on the slide and is also a good method to use for cycling the slide from the closed position. Care must be taken, as with all methods, to keep the hand clear of the ejection port. (Doug Larson photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For one thing, grasping the top rear of the slide just behind the ejection port with the thumb to the rear and squeezing the slide between the meaty part of the hand just below the thumb and all four fingers provides better contact with the slide. And a person can usually squeeze the slide harder using this technique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A useful tip when using the Thumb To The Rear method,\nespecially if racking the slide, is to forcefully push the gun forward with the\nhand on the grip while at the same time jerking the slide to the rear. The\nslide is then literally ripped out of the hand grasping it. This technique\noften helps a weaker person rack the slide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with the V variation of the Sling Shot method described\nabove, do not get your hand over the ejection port. And bear in mind that the\nslide must be large enough to get a good grip. Some aren’t and, in that is the\ncase, the only alternatives are the Sling Shot or Slide Release method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
If a gun is small, there may not be much room to grasp the slide. In that case, the Sling Shot method may be the best alternative, especially if the slide catch is very small like the one on this Ruger LCP. (Doug Larson photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Also keep in mind that if Thumb To The Rear method is used for closing as well as racking the slide and the shooter is right-handed, it is much easier to roll the gun to the right so that gravity helps pull a loose round or debris out of the action. Rolling the gun to the right with the other methods is either impossible or awkward for a right-handed person. The only exception to this is a gun that has the ejection port opening on the left side, like the old Walther P5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE TAKEAWAY<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Each individual shooter should consider what technique is\nbest for themselves. Don’t adopt a technique just because the best shooter in\nyour club uses it and looks cool doing it. Instead, try each method before\ndeciding which one to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are taking a class \u2013 getting good professional instruction from a world-class school like Gunsite<\/a> or a champion like Rob Leatham is highly recommended \u2013 and just one technique is taught, use that technique during the class. Do your best to develop skill with it and then compare it to other techniques. Weigh the pros and cons of each, and then decide which one is best for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here is a general caution \u2013 if using an over the top\nmethod, like Sling Shot or Thumb To The Rear, and the gun has a slide mounted\nsafety, be careful to check the safety to make sure it was not accidentally\nengaged when racking the slide. Get good instruction and learn how to\nmanipulate the safety, or get another gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
If the gun has a safety mounted on the slide, like this Beretta Model 92, be careful that the safety is not accidentally engaged when using the Sling Shot or Thumb To the Rear method. (Doug Larson photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Remember, the mission is the primary consideration in\ndeciding what equipment and what techniques to use. What is best for one\nsituation, may not be the best for all situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And know what it is that you are trying to accomplish. Is it to win a competition? Is it to defend yourself? Both are legitimate. If your goal is self-defense, consider that what you practice and do most in training, is what you are most likely to do in a real life stressful gunfight. So, you might want to select one method and use it all the time. This reduces the chance that you will be confused about what technique to use in a gunfight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your goal is to win matches, then drive on. However, consider that what might cut times and be the best technique for winning a match, may not be the best choice for a real world gunfight. And remember, even if winning matches is not your primary goal, you can still use competition to hone the skills you might need in a gunfight. You may not win the match, but you can compete against yourself and try to improve each time you compete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Above all, get competent training. There is no substitute\nfor learning from a good instructor who can see and correct errors on the spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SIDEBAR<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

THE WHAT & THE WHY<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been writing for quite a while now and am getting along in years. When I first got into this business, I realized there was an awful lot I did not know but thought I knew. I was the typical American male who thinks he is born knowing all about guns and how to use them. But I soon realized that I didn’t know much, so I decided to fix that and searched for the best firearms schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve taken hundreds of hours of instruction from some of the\nbest gun fighting schools and instructors in the world. These instructors and\nschools teach tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) to elite law\nenforcement and top tier military personnel, and many of those students have\nsuccessfully applied those TTPs in real life gun fights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The things I pass along here are not things I made up. They are TTP and knowledge developed over the years by people who have learned from doing. Those instructors have analyzed what works and what doesn’t work in the real world and then developed and refined TTPs to keep people alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the things that will appear in this series, The What\n& The Why, will be about guns in general while other things will be about\nthose TTPs. I hope you enjoy reading these articles and that they stimulate\nyour thinking and desire to get instruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And remember, there is no substitute for good training from\ncompetent instructors. Search for the best, sign up, and pay the money to\nimprove yourself. You can learn facts from reading or watching a video, but you\ncan’t learn to perform TTPs under stress. So don’t think reading these articles\ncan substitute for quality instruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good luck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica!<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is the best way to chamber a round and close the slide on a pistol when it has been locked to the rear in the open position? 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He has completed hundreds of hours of firearm and self-defense training provided by some of the finest world class gun fighting instructors and schools. He has experience with handguns, rifles, shotguns, submachine guns, machine guns and other crew served weapons. He reports on the tactics, techniques and procedures developed by real life gunfighters and taught at the best martial arts schools. 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