View Full Version : Hold the glock slide and fire
While I first must say only a complete retard would run around and experiment on which semi auto pistols this works with, it does work with glocks (At least the 17).
A long time ago on a range far far away a buddy told me that if you place the thumb of your strong hand on the back of the slide on a Glock (we had 17's at the time) you can fire the pistol (yes one round only) without the slide coming to the rear and tearing that finger off. Of course this effectively keeps the extractor from ejecting the spent casing and prevents another round from loading.
Well being of sound mind I told him I'd never try that little experiment.
So naturally he volunteered to demonstrate it to me. Well sure enough that worked out just like he had said.
My question is if anyone else knows of any other pistols that can be done with without ripping your thumb and or hand off.
Yes of course this isn't something you'd want to go around doing all the time. But I'm sure it could come in handy when you only need one round to fly and don't want a casing flying off somewhere.
Yes with a real pistol, this is not an airsoft forum. Yes with actual ammo. No video, but it would be convenient in this case. Yes after seeing this "bar bet" demonstrated I did it myself. I forgot to mention that this buddy of mine was a retired Army First Sergeant with just a tad bit of experience and not some pimple faced web surfer.
On a 9mm Glock?? Shooting real 9mm ammo? I'm not buying it - that's over 300 foot/lbs of energy that has to go somewhere.
Got video?
that's over 300 foot/lbs of energy that has to go somewhere.
That energy is in the projectile.... not the pistol. I forget the full scoop on this topic. But there was a full explaination in American Rifleman a year or so back.
In the Q&A thing where shooters write in with questions.... Title was "why didn't that hurt?" if I remember correctly. It basically explained why some large caliber pistol didn't transfer the full 400+ lb/ft of energy to the shooter.
Well, equal and opposite reactions and all that -- but yeah, the weight of the slide, and the momentum required to compress the recoil spring, and the recoil spring rate absorbing a lot of it --> I understand.
Until I hand someone my G19, with 124gr +p+, and they do it --> I ain't believe'n it. :D
David Thomas
02-19-08, 16:18
While I first must say only a complete retard would run around and experiment on which semi auto pistols this works with, it does work with glocks (At least the 17).
A long time ago on a range far far away a buddy told me that if you place the thumb of your strong hand on the back of the slide on a Glock (we had 17's at the time) you can fire the pistol (yes one round only) without the slide coming to the rear. Of course this effectively keeps the case from ejecting the fired round and prevents another round from loading.
Well being of sound mind I told him I'd never try that little experiment.
So naturally he volunteered to demonstrate. Well sure enough that worked out just like he had said.
My question is if anyone else knows of any other pistols that can be done with without ripping your thumb and or hand off.
Yes of course this isn't something you'd want to go around doing all the time. But I'm sure it could come in handy when you only need one round to fly and don't want a casing flying off somewhere.
Do you have good liability insurance?
Until I hand someone my G19, with 124gr +p+, and they do it --> I ain't believe'n it. :D
Can I keep the G19 afterwards? :cool: It works.
Can I keep the G19 afterwards? :cool: It works.
No, you can't. :rolleyes:
A simple hi-res vid will settle this gentlemen. Do it and post them up. Sounds cool!
Nothing to it. I have done it with a 9mm glock and a .45acp 1911. Our entire class did it following the instructor's demonstration. The deal is you have to hold on for dear life, as in put the death grip on it, the slide won't move and nothing will happen to your hand.
That's three. Anyone even have a cell phone video of themselves doing it?
Well I suppose I can understand how skeptical you are Shivan. But don't be so quick to raise the BS flag!! it works.
This obviously is a better subject to bring up when actually at the range. Because you can then demonstrate.
That should be the deal though. Either my finger gets ripped off or I keep your pistol.
That mode of thinking will change when more chime in on the topic!! My insurance is good but not needed in this case.
Damn I wish I could be making monetary bets so the nay sayers can fund my next build.
BTDT. Long before they were putting video cameras inside cell phones, btw. Doesn't hurt at all, you or the gun. Obviously, since the slide doesn't recoil, the recoil-operated gun stops working until you clear it.
It's like shooting a shotgun. If you really put your thumb up against there and push, it won't hurt. If you actually hold your thumb back just a bit and let the slide start moving against your unlocked thumb, you'll get a boo-boo.
I was skeptical...along with every one else in the John Farnam class where I first saw this. He showed us how easy it was to hold the slide closed on a gun that's being fired.
Think about it...most semi-auto pistols have recoil springs that vary in weight from 10-20 lbs. Unless you're a person with limited hand strength, you can exert a LOT more force with your hand than 20 lbs.
BTDT. Long before they were putting video cameras inside cell phones, btw. Doesn't hurt at all, you or the gun. Obviously, since the slide doesn't recoil, the recoil-operated gun stops working until you clear it.
Fair enough. If you say it can be done, then I believe you. Point is I figured there was a "you better do exactly this" or you will get hurt aspect.
So my request for any video, even low res crap from a cell phone, could be one of two things:
1) Proof of concept.
or
2) Internet comedy gold.
Either way, I get something I want. :D :D
For the record, I understand that it's also perfectly safe to pour lighter fluid in the palm in your hand and light it on fire. Done properly, you will not burn yourself at all -- and it's a neat party trick. Then again, there's always that "done properly" caveat.
That should be the deal though. Either my finger gets ripped off or I keep your pistol.
Even decades ago, when I was young and dumb, I didn't take stupid bar bets like this....
So the traction you would get with me would be zero. Sorry. :p
I figure the reason it would work is because you are just applying enough force to keep the barrel locked into the slide which takes all the pressure from the round being fired, if there was no barrel lock yep it would probably rip your thumb off.
Not that I have tried it or ever intend to.
It does work and is totally safe. The department I work for teaches this technique (thumb on back of slide) for contact shots. The technique was suggested to my department by Glock after our firearms instructors went to them with the problem of Glocks not firing on contact shots. It seems that if the front of the slide is pushed against a persons body as would be required for contact shots, the slide is pushed back slightly and the gun won't fire. Glock recommended putting the thumb from your firing hand against the back of the sllide for these shots. We practiced with it at our last firearms training session. The slide does not recoil at all and it is totally painless. YMMV with other guns though.
ETA: This was with a Glock 22 firing Federal 165gr JHP Law Enforcement Ammo
If you don't let the slide get started, it is fairly easy to hold shut on a 9mm (only cal I've done it with personally). Glock's especially are great for this because of the low bore axis and flat surface at the rear. Think of it as a field expedient slide lock for when you absolutely, positively need to shoot some haji with a suppressed pistol and want "maximum shhhh!". And you wouldn't be doing that with plus pee plus... Works a treat.
I've done this on a Glock 32 firing 357SIG, with a 9mm conversion barrel and suppressed and then also on a 92fs suppressed. It's a little awkward getting a good spot on the beretta but not hard.
You never even know that the slide "wanted" to come back.
You keep it locked and it feels like recoil- through your wrist and hand, not thumb.
As others noted, it's no biggie. I've done it with a Glock 22 during training for exactly the reasons popo23-- something said. Contact shots. The idea being that during an extremely close encounter you may force the gun slightly out of battery during a contact shot (jamming the gun into ribs, face, ect) and the subsequent adrenelene flow may only make it worse. While we all did the exercise I have to admit to questioning the reasoning and wondering if taking more care in not forcing the gun out of battery wasn't a much better idea. Still it's a tool in your arsenal of tactics and options are always good.
There was another similar exercise where we actually gripped the slide and frame with the off hand to force the gun to remain in battery during a contact shot.
I think sometimes these techniques get taught and reinforced to the point where some may think these out of battery situations are common. The reality is probably that it's happened a few times and then been blown out of proportion. Just my opinion.
olds442tyguy
02-19-08, 21:15
Hmm. I remember years ago having a local IDPA shooter try to convince me of this. His argument was something along the lines that if you had a pistol with a 12 pound recoil spring, it would only take a little more than 12 pounds of force to keep the slide from cycling.
I just figured it was BS. :confused:
that reasoning is wrong- how would a 12 pound recoil spring require just over that to keep it in battery? it requires a hair over to compress the spring- that would be true!
I have often wondered if should the situation arise, you could grab a pistol by the top and hold on tight and push it to the side when the bad guy fired, that would remove the gun from the equation until you (hopefully) recovered it and reracked the slide yourself to dispatch him :D
olds442tyguy
02-19-08, 22:40
that reasoning is wrong- how would a 12 pound recoil spring require just over that to keep it in battery? it requires a hair over to compress the spring- that would be true!
Yeah, exactly why I chalked it up as BS.
I have often wondered if should the situation arise, you could grab a pistol by the top and hold on tight and push it to the side when the bad guy fired, that would remove the gun from the equation until you (hopefully) recovered it and reracked the slide yourself to dispatch him :D
It'd be easier to drop the magazine. If you can get your hands on the pistol, I'd probably opt for trying to put the safety on, obstructing the hammer's path, trying to push the slide out of battery, etcetera.
The department I work for teaches this technique (thumb on back of slide) for contact shots.
FWIW, the best "contact shot" technique I've seen is to push the gun into contact and then pull it back an inch. You get the same terminal result without disabling the gun, allowing you to fire multiple shots or recover to engage another threat without the need to clear a self-induced stoppage.
That's precisely how each instructor has taught me. From basic gun function in NRA Pistol I through Pat Rogers' courses - and everything in between.
I'd hate to need two or more shots, have my hand on the target for control, create a dead gun and have no effective way to re-charge it without losing control of the target.
Old school, about to lose control of weapon in a hands on fight, create the malfunction, let badguy have the gun, draw backup gun and shoot him before he can figure out the problem...Shown this 20 plus ago.
Nope, no video though....
We teach it at our state police academy.....we call it "Braced Contact", and we do it with any semi-auto. It's done in a close combat situation where, for some reason the gun is out and it may turn into a wrestling match for it. It keeps the gun in the officers control during a CQB confrontation, as there's both hands on it.
We teach the recruits to keep the gun in their grip hand, and reach over with the support hand and grasp the slide/frame. In this position your support hand side elbow is directly out in front, so it's impossible to shoot oneself.
It's in conjunction with DT (Defensive Tactics). You make blows with the leading elbow, then place the gun against the target and fire. This induces a jam, then one separates from the BG, backs up, does a basic malfunction drill and gets ready for whatever happens after that. Been teacing it for yars.
The problem we see, is that some get timid at the point of firing the shot, they loosen their grip just enough to get raked by the front sight. But properly done, it will cause no problems the shooter.
I am still waiting for someone to post a video before I will believe it...
FWIW, the best "contact shot" technique I've seen is to push the gun into contact and then pull it back an inch. You get the same terminal result without disabling the gun, allowing you to fire multiple shots or recover to engage another threat without the need to clear a self-induced stoppage.
This makes so much more sence than the other and honestly seems easier.
There are many ways to do it, Braced Contact is just one tool in the DT tool box.
I am still waiting for someone to post a video before I will believe it...
Wow ... maybe I'm just being thin skinned but I believe you just accused quite a few regular posters of lying.
You want a video of it? Come to Fairfax, Virginia on Friday with a video camera. I'll personally shoot the demo.
.......or if you're near WA State, drop in and I'll demonstrate
Wow ... maybe I'm just being thin skinned but I believe you just accused quite a few regular posters of lying.
You want a video of it? Come to Fairfax, Virginia on Friday with a video camera. I'll personally shoot the demo.
Or come to GA. If in Ohio, just ask a guy name Ken Hackathorn.
the HK Mk23, the BIG one with the extended barrel, threaded for a suppressor, originally had a catch in or around the trigger guard to lock the slide in just this exact fashion. the idea was to prevent the ejected case from making a noise after firing a suppressed round.
ra2bach -- Beretta made some M9's with a similar modification for the same purpose. It eliminated the sounds of both the slide reciprocating and the spent brass hitting anything upon ejection.
the HK Mk23, the BIG one with the extended barrel, threaded for a suppressor, originally had a catch in or around the trigger guard to lock the slide in just this exact fashion. the idea was to prevent the ejected case from making a noise after firing a suppressed round.
Actually it's to ensure all of the gasses pass through the suppressor. I barely ever hear my brass hit the wood range floor even with a suppressor.
ra2bach -- Beretta made some M9's with a similar modification for the same purpose. It eliminated the sounds of both the slide reciprocating and the spent brass hitting anything upon ejection.
you are exactly right. I neglected to type that it also eliminated the sound of the slide. this was in a description of the purpose of this function that was authored by HK.
thanks for the correction.
And don't forget the S&W M59 in Vietnam that had the slide "lock" so they could effectively quieten the Hushpuppy suppressors.
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