[cliffy109]

You mean the heel of your hand on one side and fingers over the top? That's actually the preferred method. The slingshot from the back uses just your thumb and part of your index finger and it isn't as strong as the over the top method.

 

[shane45-1911]

You chamber the first round by using the slide stop to drop the slide.

Seat a fresh mag with the heal of your weak hand. Note that your weak hand thumb is ideally situated for hitting the slide stop to drop the slide. Why anyone would reach up and over a slide to slingshot it, is beyond me. (Please, no "fine motor skill" BS.)

By using the slide stop, you can resume or establish the normal two-hand hold immediately. It's not so immediate when your support hand is on top of your pistol.

 

[makemyday]

I should also mention that the slide is already forward, hammer down and the chamber is empty at the time of the chambering the first round.

 

[NaturalSelector]

You mean the heel of your hand on one side and fingers over the top? That's actually the preferred method. The slingshot from the back uses just your thumb and part of your index finger and it isn't as strong as the over the top method.

+1

 

[1911Fishbulb]

If you are using a 1911 for defense at home or in a carry situation and do not have it cocked and locked you might want to consider moving to a double action pistol. When the SHTF with a 1911 all you need to do is move the thumb saftey down and you are ready with no slide action needed. If you empty the first clip then you follow the steps noted here for chambering a round using the slide stop.

 

[Big crush]

I pinch (yea its gamey) from underneath the slide once loaded it normally stays that way. This is done LONG BEFORE ANY FAN CRAP. No point in being MILES behind the curve

 

[BDHershey]

Use whatever method works for you. When chambering my 1911 I use the slide stop, as my thumb naturally lands on the pad. When loading my duty GLOCK I use the overhand method with the slide, as the slide stop on a GLOCK isn't really designed to be a very effective means of release, and in fact can be difficult to do under stress. However it is a mute point with the GLOCK because I seat my mags with authority and the slide normally closes on it's own. For malfuntion clearance a firm retraction to the rear with an overhanded technique (being sure not to cover the ejection port) is the course of action for both weapons. YMMV.

-Hershey

 

[tsp45acp]

Shane45-1911,
That's my preferred method, but my last 2 schools (and Clint Smith) ALL teach the "slingshot" method with the reason that when the SHTF, Fine Motor Skills will not let you find the slide release.
Last school, teaching the fine art of "Glock-manship" (that's what my small dept issues) was adamant about the slingshot method, And I conceded that on a Glock I prob wouldn't be able to find the small slide release.
The other last formal instruction mainly for my CCW (1911) also pushed the slingshot method and I argued the point that I've prob fired over 70,000 rds in competition alone and another 50,000 dry fire, mag change reloads using the slide release method and prob would get myself killed if during a fire fight had to stop and think to "slingshot" instead of muscle memory slide release method. Tracy

 

[shootist87122]

I've always used the overhand slingshot to go to condition one or to reload. FWIW my (too few) 1911s, when not on my body, stay in condition three.

 

[shane45-1911]

I should also mention that the slide is already forward, hammer down and the chamber is empty at the time of the chambering the first round.

Sorry, you did not specify this in your first post - I thought you meant chambering a round from slide lock.

 

[shane45-1911]

Shane45-1911,
That's my preferred method, but my last 2 schools (and Clint Smith) ALL teach the "slingshot" method with the reason that when the SHTF, Fine Motor Skills will not let you find the slide release.

How are you going to find the thumb safety then? It's roughly the same size as the slide stop. What about finding that teeny, tiny trigger and actually pulling it???!!!!

The "fine motor skills" thing is the biggest bunch of BS I have ever heard. I don't subscribe to it, and I sure as heck don't teach it.

Practice doing anything long enough, and muscle memory will ensure that your fingers do what they are supposed to do every time, instinctively.

Ask an airplane pilot sometime (specifically a fighter pilot, if you can find one) about all the little buttons in a cockpit, and how they manage to find them all when SHTF. Clint needs to tell them about "fine motor skills", I guess.

 

[higgy1911]

I would agree with Shane that the fine motor skills bit is a bunch of Malarky.

However I feel the slingshot method offers other advantages(though let me be clear that I personally use my Slidestop from slidelock).

I have always taken the major advantage of slingshot to be that it works with pretty much every semi-auto out there, except maybe the Beretta, which I have seen people sweep the decocker when using sling shot and rendering their weapon "safe".

Furthermore on a lot of guns, like Sigs and Glocks, people often find that their grip depresses the slide stop and the slide stop fails to lock back. Or you have some old Wilson magazines that fail to lock the slide back. So slingshot is nice to know and be familiar with when opperating the slide, and if you are shooting an unfamiliar weapon, you'll never have to look for the slide release.

Plus a Walther PPk doesn't even have a slide release, so if you're shooting one of those, racking the slide is the only way to come down from slide lock.

lastly, if God hadn't intended man to use the slide stop, John Browning wouldn't have put one on the 1911.

 

[tsp45acp]

Higgy and Shane,
I'm on your side, like the old saying goes "don't shoot the messenger". I'm just relating what the current, for at least the last several years, training has been and still is.
Higgy- I agree for an unfamiliar gun the slingshot works best, but why would anyone go in any type of harms way without practice. But then again I have to carry a G23 on duty and I'm still trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do with my strong hand thumb(lol).
Shane- I agree with fine motor skills crap. This may have some merit with untrained or non-practicing individuals, but you reference excellent people to ask-Pilots. In particular fighter pilots. I think they get more than a little practice. As I stated in my earlier post, my muscle memory is to the point that pretty much with my eyes closed I can do what ever needs to be done.
I pretty much fall in the category of "Fear the man that has one gun" Though I (and my wife) own more than one gun and type of gun, except when I take someone NEW to the range the ONLY thing that goes in my hand is a 1911. It is shot exclusively in my house. I'm ashamed to say that I never taught any of the kids to shoot anything else. Tracy

 

[TLE]

That's my preferred method, but my last 2 schools (and Clint Smith) ALL teach the "slingshot" method with the reason that when the SHTF, Fine Motor Skills will not let you find the slide release.

I never did hear Clint say a word about "fine motor skills". He said that he preferred the grab over the top and rip it to the rear for two reasons. One, ripping the slide to the rear with palm and four fingers over the top is your strongest grip and it pulls the slide further back than where the slide stop grabs the slide giving more energy to the slide and better feeding of the round. The second reason is that it works on whatever auto you pick up so that he is training to multiple platforms with one method that is usually more reliable for feeding. It's also the same motion for malfunction clearance. Tap, Rack.

Ripping the slide to the rear does feed the round better than the slide stop release. On occasion some guns will not feed that first round from a tight full magazine by using the slide release. It has nothing to do with that silly fine motor skills stuff, it is just more reliable. That said, on a reload I do use the slide release because it's faster and it works almost always on my gun. I load the first round racking the slide, reloads are with the slide stop. I use the slide release because it's faster, it's not more reliable.

 

[shane45-1911]

Higgy and Shane,
I'm on your side, like the old saying goes "don't shoot the messenger".

Sorry Tracy - I did not mean to make it appear that I was taking exception with your post. I simply do not subscribe to the "fine motor skill" theory, as preached by some instructors.

 

[shane45-1911]

I do it because it's faster, it's not more reliable.

Right.

(But let's not confuse clearance/malf drills with reloading from slide lock.)

 

[Aces Full]

The only correct answer is...

'

 

[HP12C]

.

Ask an airplane pilot sometime (specifically a fighter pilot, if you can find one) about all the little buttons in a cockpit, and how they manage to find them all when SHTF. Clint needs to tell them about "fine motor skills", I guess.

Shane - I am not in disagreement, in fact I have never been involved in a CQB shooting to know - maybe you have (?). One thing is for sure though, comparing a CQB engagement to a flame out at 30k feet doesn't really count. 50 feet off the deck - yes, and the bottom line on that on - they bail or they die.

Good luck

pss - my take on the fine vs gross motor skills and some trainers - it is a akin to K.I.S.S.. More than half of the folks in the classes are going through a phase - like a banker biker. It isn't a life long affair and they haven't, don't, and won't be shooting 10k or more rounds a year with a training mindset. It is only prudent not only from a training time standpoint, a practicality standpoint, but a trainer's rep standpoint to keep it simple - nothing fancy, just the basics. If I truely thought about it - I tend to agree with you - perfect practice makes perfect - fine movements and all.

 

[mitrod3]

my HD guns (non carry state) are C & L but i have come to prefer the hand over the top hard rack on reload because of small hands and it just works really well for me. it is just a comfortable fluid motion i have gotten used to.

if it works for you do it over and over and over until it is 2nd nature to you and it will be there when you need it whether fine or gross motor. if it doesn't cut it, find what does work.

good luck to you.

be safe, shoot well.:rock: