Slide release

[Brad1021]

Hello everyone.
I'm new to this forum and also a new M&P 9 owner. I shoot left handed and really like the slide lock and release on the right side of the gun. But for the life of me I can not release the slide with my thumb. Its just too hard to work. Any suggestions on what I need to do.

Thanks

 

[OKFC05]

It's about impossible to releash the slide catch on an empty M&P, and fairly stiff at first on a loaded one.
Just pull the slide back and turn it loose to load it.
When it is empty, remove the magazine and then slingshot the slide.

 

[chuck s]

Brad --

There is a slide stop on both sides of the M&P, but no slide release anywhere.

Yeah, the slide stop can release the slide in an emergency, but it's a poor technique. You've pointed out one reason already.

The slide stop is held in the upper position by the follower of an empty magazine and trying to push the slide stop against magazine pressure takes a lot of pressure sometimes -- and it ain't designed to do this.

Cycle the slide to close it. Works every time there's not an empty magazine in place. Forget about using the slide stop as a slide release.

-- Chuck

 

[NCW Ray]

Some release easily when factory new, some don't. My 40c was stiff, and 3 of the 4 40 FS's I bought were too. I too use the slingshot method to release the slide, but wanted the ability to release it with my thumb in one of those "oh gosh, I left my weak hand home" situations.

What I did was lube where the part of the slide stop & the notch in the slide meet with BreakFree CLP then put on a pair of rubber coated gloves (gloves saved a blister) and started locking the slide back and releasing it with the slide stop lever. First few times were really hard, but after a few times it releases easily with just the thumb. All of my M&P's slides can now be released using the slide stop lever.

 

[jgreiner]

Hello everyone.
I'm new to this forum and also a new M&P 9 owner. I shoot left handed and really like the slide lock and release on the right side of the gun. But for the life of me I can not release the slide with my thumb. Its just too hard to work. Any suggestions on what I need to do.

Thanks

Never mind....I misread your post...thought you were talking about the mag release.

 

[Meeko]

The slide stop will loosen up with time however some gee whiz. I am a Lead Firearms instructor for a Federal Agency and the FED's for some time have recommended not using the slide stop. The reasons are 1. You loose your fine motor skills and the slide stop becomes hard to manipulate under stress. Grabbing the back of the slide is more of a gross motor skill. New/average shooters seem to do better with that method on stress courses we run. 2. When guns become used (espicailly those in GOV service) the springs get worn. When you pull the slide back you get a couple more coil's getting compressed that way for a little extra ump.

That isn't written in stone though, Which ever way works for you use it!

 

[Dragon88]

Several times I've seen guys with sweaty, shaky hands in a stressful training shoot go to drop the slide by hitting the slide stop. They fumble with it and their thumb tries once, twice...three times....four times...and then finally they reach up and pull back on the slide to chamber.

Best just to practice grasping the slide every time. It will save you seconds in the end not make you slower.

 

[jediknight3420]

I had the same problem. After doing a lot of searching this and other forums I found that I was not alone. What I found is that sometimes there is a small bur on the tip of the slide lock/release. This catches on the slide and makes it very hard to close when using the lever.

One thing you can do is keep working the slide till it smooths out on its own. You will want to wear a glove or be ready for a blister on you thumb. Another sudjustion that I found is to take a very, very fine grit sand paper and take just a couple of passes (1-3 is all that should be needed) over the spur to smooth it out. I did the later and it worked like a charm. If you don't feel comfortable doing that your self you can also take it to a gunsmith and they should be able to get it going for .

 

[mkygod]

Don't most competitive shooters use the slide release, even on M&Ps ?

The way i figure it, it's much faster to use it during reloading and plus, your left hand is right back on the grip after loading the mag.

 

[glen_farmer]

M&P slide stop

I use M&P's in IDPA competition, and really like the slide stop/release. Mainly because upon magazine insertion the slide will release on it's own if done with gusto. And if it hangs, the release it is quick to flick with the thumb.

I am not concerned about if it's good for the stop/release or not. They are not expensive, and are easy to replace. What I am interested in is speed and accuracy. The M&P pistol is becoming a lot more common in pistol games.

 

[PATRONE]

The slide stop on my M&P was pretty much deburred the first week I shot it. Like glen mentioned, if I'm rockin & rollin, I'm smacking the next mag in fast and firm so that it's fully seated. Guess I'm just taking advantage of the auto slide release "design flaw" of the M&P.

 

[MMac]

The slide stop on my M&P was pretty much deburred the first week I shot it. Like glen mentioned, if I'm rockin & rollin, I'm smacking the next mag in fast and firm so that it's fully seated. Guess I'm just taking advantage of the auto slide release "design flaw" of the M&P.

"Most" of the time my slide auto releases when inserting my mag, sometimes it doesn't. I actually like it dropping the slide automatically, but twice I believe the slide dropped without feeding a round, so it's not 100%.

It's easy enough using the slide lock lever to release the slide on my full size, but *very* difficlut on my compact. Also the compact doesn't usually auto drop the slide on the mag insert. It must just have a much stronger spring.... ??

 

[hberttmank]

Only when I am cleaning do I use the slide release. When shooting I just slam the mag in, and the slide drops and I'm ready to rock again. Very handy feature for the games like IDPA and USPSA.

 

[WR Moore]

Having consulted with both medical folks and other instructors, the concept that use of the slide stop should be discouraged because it's "a fine motor skill" doesn't stand up to critical examination.

In the first place, gross motor motions are performed by the long muscles of the body. These are typically used in running, moving the torso and throwing. ANY motion of the hand/fingers in grasping, poking etc are fine motor motions. This includes grabbing the slide to allow it to go forward from slide lock.

Also, since pulling the trigger, hitting the magazine release, grasping the spare magazine and inserting it are all fine motor motions, why exactly do you suddenly lose the capability to function when it comes time to activate a slide release? Pardon me, but I'm throwing the BS flag.

Use whatever method you prefer, or that works in your particular situation to release the slide. Just don't justify the choice with patently preposterous reasons. One of the benefits for being in this field for 40 years is seeing the new rationalizations that people invent to justify certain practices-some of which had been discarded decades ago.

 

[Deadeye Dick]

Well it's your gun you can use the slide stop for whatever it is you want to but I will use it for it's intended purpose. As far as leaving the weak hand home I suggest you practice using your belt, holster or sole of your shoe to rack and release the slide. By the way how does one load a fresh magazine when one leaves their weak hand at home.

 

[WR Moore]

By the way how does one load a fresh magazine when one leaves their weak hand at home.

If we're using current descriptive terms, you have a gun/shooting hand and a support hand if you have not otherwise been disabled.

Holster the weapon, with the shooting hand insert the magazine in the weapon, draw the weapon and release the slide stop/release/whatever label you wish to attach. And yes, one can always use an object to lever the slide back to allow it to run forward. It may help in loading to reverse the weapon in the holster (mag well to the front).

There are other things you can do with the weapon, sticking it in your belt is frequently suggested but also frequently doesn't work too well. That hot barrel against your skin and pointed at your groin is troublesome.

BTW, if difficulty is experience operating the slide release with the shooting hand, the middle finger of the support hand that just inserted the magazine can operate it (since it's right there), frequently much more easily than the thumb of the shooting hand can. Certainly much faster.

 

[Austerity]

I have zero issues releasing the slide stop with a thumb on a full mag, once the gun has been handled and fired a bit. New it was rough.