Slide Lock

9

9x18_Walther

New member
Out of curiosity, when using the slide lock to manually lock the slide back on a semi-auto, should upwards force be applied before racking the slide backwards, or should you line up the slide lock with the notch in the slide and then apply an upwards force.

A question out of pure curiosity.
 
You can do both but I put slight upward pressure so I can feel when I'm back far enough to lock the slide. I do it out of insistent so I had to get a gun to see my method.
 
I've always found it easiest to apply upward pressure and continue to do that while I rack the slide as vigorously as normal. When the slide pops out of my hand at its rearmost point, it 'automatically' drops onto the engaged slide stop without any further effort on my part.

Doing it the other way is a little too strength-intensive for me. Since my hands aren't large, if I wait to engage the slide stop until the slide is already back, I have to shift my gripping hand around in order to reach it, while I'm still holding the slide to the rear. That little maneuver is not always easy.

pax
 
I always apply upward pressure to the slide lock as I pull the slide back. But I really don't think it matters. Heck you could put an armory magazine in and pull the slide back, same difference IMO.
 
I'm concerned about wear (I know that the slide stop would probably round off before the slide and this is an irrational fear), but I just realized that an empty magazine is applying pressure upwards the entire time, correct?
 
I'm concerned about wear (I know that the slide stop would probably round off before the slide and this is an irrational fear), but I just realized that an empty magazine is applying pressure upwards the entire time, correct?
Click to expand...

The empty magazine's spring is lightly pressing the follower up against the slide stop and pushing it into the notch on the slide. Once the slide is closed, there is no movement. Even if you lock the slide open, and leave it that way, there's no movement! Generally speaking, metal has to be rubbing, not resting, for metal to be worn.

The only thing that might suffer wear in that second example (i.e., slide locked open) is the recoil spring. And then only if the spring is very compressed when the slide is kept locked open for long periods (as in long-term storage.)

Some springs, depending on how they're used in the gun's design, can degrade more rapidly than expected if kept or regularly compressed to or near the spring's design (elastic) limits. (With some new designs, including some of the very small sub-compact guns, that can happen, by design!)

You don't have much to worry about.
 
Yeah, after the last round is fed into the chamber, the follower will start pushing the slide stop up, and it rides under the slide until the slide moves far enough to the rear for the stop to move up into the notch.

The pressures involved are low, so slide wear is low to none.

Your disconnector rides the slide with more force than that, and they still last tens of thousands of rounds.
 
One last question. Let's assume we have a unloaded pistol (its been cleared) and an empty magazine is inserted. After racking the slide back, the pistol locks as intended.

If you wanted to shut the slide, should you press the slide stop down and ease it forward, or remove some of the tension on the slide by pulling it back first and then easing it forward? Is this okay on the mag follower?
 
an armory magazine
Click to expand...
I am unfamiliar with an "armory magazine" Could someone please explain this term to me.

I only use the slide lock regularly on my carry gun, a Glock 27 gen 3. The slide lock is tiny and a pain to manipulate, especially since I have little leverage with my small hands in their normal position. I apply upward pressure the entire time. As Pax stated, trying to line it up slowly would be "strength intensive." I could do it, but why not do it the easy way. If my slide lock wears out in 20,000 rounds I will simply be motivated to finally purchase one of the extended replacements that will likely work much better for me.
 
"Do what you want this is one area the procedure police have left untouched."

Until now. What you absolutely must do, or else, is to .....

"should you press the slide stop down and ease it forward, or remove some of the tension on the slide by pulling it back first and then easing it forward? Is this okay on the mag follower?"

Procedure police will be all over this one, with demands that you ..... Or else.

Jim
 
I tend to pull back the slide a bit, then push the stop lever down to allow the slide to go forward.

I do this mainly to make it easier to do, as pushing the lever down with an empty mag can be a bit stiff on some pistols.


You can remove the mag to make it easier to use the lever.

I tend to ease the slide forward when doing this, as for one... I feel all the noise and bluster of it is unnecessary, as I am not loading the pistol or preparing it for anything.

Some pistols it is recommended to not allow the slide to slam forward on an empty chamber. Older designs like the 1911 mostly... As the added velocity of the slide due to the lack of drag from feeding a round can cause part breakage in those pistols. (after many several times)

I just make it a habit on all pistols, and the aforementioned desire for subtlety.
 
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