Those 200 students who have come to our courses with this method in mind have submitted that they will not, or cannot, lock the slide back. There are numerous issues with this approach.
After that, they tell you to release or ride the slide forward with the support hand until the slide locks to the rear. Most of the time the instructor has you bring the gun back close to your body, if it isn’t already, then instructs you to grip the top of the slide with your support hand and pull the slide all the way to the rear and then push up with your strong-hand thumb on the slide-stop button. The traditional method of locking the slide back or at least the way it is often taught is where the issues begin. You are going to dry fire and once you have defined an area where it is safe to do so, you want to make sure the handgun is clear before starting your dry-fire session.Īuthor uses his strong-side thumb to push on and activate the slide stop before he places his support hand on the gun.Also make sure it is pointed in a safe direction. Before you pull the trigger, check and make sure it is empty and clear of objects or ammunition. O You have a gun whose trigger needs to be pulled to do a basic field strip to clean it. OĜasing the gun for transportation reasons, e.g., leaving the range and heading home. Oěefore storing the gun and/or making it inaccessible to unauthorized persons. You are clearing the gun at the end of a training session or for other administrative reasons and need to lock it open to inspect the chamber to make sure it is empty.During a malfunction clearance and you are at the point where a tap rack has not worked, a reload has not worked, and you need to rip/lock or remove the magazine.For the purposes of this article, we are not going to cover why you are locking the slide back, but we will concede it is for one of the following reasons: REASONS FOR LOCKING THE SLIDE BACKįirst let’s cover the traditional method that is taught for locking the slide to the rear on the pistol. But keep in mind that it works just as well for those who are sport shooters (IDPA, USPSA, IPSC, GSSF) or target shooters. In this article, we will discuss the most efficient way to lock the slide back in a personal defense context. It also helps to hold the gun in the proper location and position in relation to your body.
While strength can help you lock the slide back, it is not the base component the proper technique is. Many others tell people who struggle with locking the slide back that it is a strength issue. Many people think they are not strong enough to lock the slide back. There is a simple reason for this: either they were instructed the incorrect way to begin with, which is very common, or they have never had the proper instruction. Most of the time the instruction they received in the past is the reason they are struggling to lock the slide back. Photo: Laura CarsonAt least 200 students who have come to our defensive handgun courses at Innovative Defensive Solutions could not lock the slide back efficiently or, in some cases, at all. First he brings gun into his high compressed ready position, which is the most efficient place to work on the gun.
In this series of photos, the author demonstrates the technique he uses and teaches for locking the slide back. Personal Protection Devices, Tools and AccessoriesĬlubs, Shooting Facilities & Associations Tactical Shooting Drills & Handgun Training