Picked up a new M&P 2.0 Compact today. I have never had one before and wanted to try one against my Glock 19 and CZ O-10C to see which one works the best for me. I had never had anything with the ambi slide lock before getting my CZ P-10C. I am a lefty and want to convert to guns that allow me to operate the slide lock/slide release on the right side of the pistol.

I had previously watched several video's/ reviews where the testers said that the slide lock works fine for a right handed shooter but not so for a lefty. I started messing with it today and found that truly to be the case!

Does is just need breakin or is this a forever issue. The left hand side safety works slick but the one on the right side is awful!!! I also picked up a new Glock 45 and it also works just fine.

It is a slide lock. Not tacticool, I know, but go over the top to send it home.

iowaMallard, Thanks for the advice. I am well aware of that, I am a trainer and have been using that method for many years. The tacticool guys who are some of the fastest shooters use it as a release, including some the old timers with 1911's such as Vickers, Hackenthorn and Wilson on their 1911's so I wanted to have that option. It is faster than over the top!

I guess i just reserved to doing it that way. I’ve never been a speed guy. I’d be glad to hear from some other left handers.

My issue was easy thumb press with right handed manipulation and he-man /hulk strength needed to press with the left thumb. I fixed it with a nail file (one of my wife's disposable ones). Real easy fix, just have some canned air available to blow the dust out. Here's a youtube on what I did (not my video, just one that I followed the steps for). My memory tells me there was another video with better camera work, but I can't find it right now, I'll update this post if I run across it.

I like that the M&P's come with ambi safeties, I used to have to pay extra to have that done on 1911's.
I only wish my safety was a bit stiffer, it operates a bit too easy. I'll have to do something about that.

As another lefty, I tried reversing the mag release but since my Shields can't reverse, I kept the mag release as right hand.
That way all have the same mag release, it's easy enough to shift slightly and hit the mag release with my trigger finger.

As far as the slide lock, it is too small and stiff to try to use it as a release during a reload. Even though it may be slower, the slingshot is more dependable under duress, easier on the slide stop, and the way S&W intended a round to be chambered.

I miss the way my old 1.0 would auto forward if you slammed a mag in.
That was the fastest way to reload. When you didn't need that feature, just put a mag in with less vigor, and you had to manually release the slide.

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I’m a lefty who just picked up a M&P40 (LEO trade in), switched over the mag release and slide stop works fine for releasing slide.

I plan to pair the M&P with a G43x to give me a 2 gun CC battery that’ll be lefty friendly.

I had a pair of quasi lefty guns with a 4566 and Browning BDA but never was really satisfied with the slide stop and mag release issue.


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So this thread got me thinking. Last time I went to shoot I practiced after seating the mag I put my support hand thumb on the slide lever with my dominant hand thumb on top to help. Sent it home then rotate my support hand thumb out along the frame. It’s pretty fast and worked. I like it. If you try it with an empty gun take the mag out. The extra tension from the follower when the mag is empty makes it to hard to push.

The slide lock/stop/release has often been hard to release on new M&Ps and more so with the 2.0 due to the added resistance of the detent mechanism.

With the left-hand (right side) lever, it is partly a leverage issue, being on the other side rather than applying pressure straight down out of the notch and into the detent, and sometimes a manufacturing issue. If you can release your slide with two thumbs I would advise doing that over and over a bunch - things should improve. We have had a few pistols where the polymer frame molding actually prevented the right side lever from releasing the slide due to the leveraging flex of the slide stop assembly. It’s an easy fix...but not your issue if you can release it with both thumbs.

Not an attempt to hijack the thread as it has already been stated and clarified by the OP-- but over the top really does remove the issue of slide-lock nuances from pistol to pistol, which can be significant. After all, it is a defensive pistol not necessarily a speed-gun.

The slide-lock will somewhat "polish" itself as it wears in with use, and should become easier with age. I would not recommend taking any tool to it in an attempt to artificially break in it, but as always, ymmv.

Thanks for all the replies. I am aware of all of the above as concerning the use of the slide lock/slide release. Being a lefty I never had the option until recently with the newer pistols now having ambi slide lock, mag release and safety. The only option available was an ambi safety in some cases. I have a Gen4 19 without the option but recently purchased aGlock 45, a Gen 2 M&P compact and a CZ P-10C which all have the ambi slide stop. The only one that will not operate properly or as well as the one on the left side of the pistol for a right handed operator is the M&P. I have worked and worked it and it is getting slightly better with use. I utilize that method when doing speed drills in training because it is faster than over the top and I realize the pros and cons of both. Thanks, Tom

PPQ/HK great true-ambi pistols in many regards.