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need some slide release advice

2K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  DrDenby 
#1 · (Edited)
When I first shot my FNS-40, the slide release was very very stiff. It started to hurt my thumb trying to get the latch pushed down.

I figured it just needed some "breaking in"

I took it to the range today and it was no better.

I have been sitting here doing it over and over again, and it is still no better. My thumb is aching.

Any advice? I can't be the only one.

Doc
 
#4 · (Edited)
There are other options.

  1. One approach is to slingshot it as mentioned above. (Slingshotting typically describes grabbing the rear of the slide as you would the pouch of a slingshot, and pulling the slide back and releasing it.) That has advantages and disadvantages -- the disadvantage is that you are forced to move the weapon down, and away from what you were aiming at -- and in competition and true self-defense situations, that adds significant time until you're ready for the next shot
  2. Another approach is called the hand-over release. You put your strong hand over the rear of the slide and slam the slide back -- and your hand continues to the rear. You can do this with the gun remaining on or near the target with your eyes and sights never leaving what you are or will be aiming at.
  3. You can also use your off-hand thumb to release the slide or, as you often see in competition, OR several fingers of the offhand (maybe the first three fingers) as a claw, pushing down on the slide release/stop. (Using more than one finger gives you a greater margin for error -- in case you don't press down exactly where you wanted to when pressing on the stop/release lever.) Using the off hand doesn't really slow things that much (as the "release" itself comes as the last part of the magazine loading process: you're just moving the off hand up a bit higher before resuming the two-handed grip. In terms of total elapsed time between aimed shots, it's arguably faster than anything EXCEPT releasing the slide with the off-hand thumb.

Figure out which of these approaches work best for you. The slide stop may loosen up with time (and seeing whether a slightly lighter recoil spring is available will help*. The third approach above has worked best for me.

*Just did a little checking, and unlike some guns, I don't know that other recoil spring weights are available.
 
#8 ·
To the best of my knowledge, FN designed it to be more of a slide stop than a slide release...i.e. it's there specifically to keep the slide locked back.

The FNS was designed as a combat duty sidearm, not a sporting pistol or civilian handgun. Since nearly every military teaches the Hand-Over method of reloading, it was designed with a slide stop that was easy to engage upwards with either gloved or bare hands (since in the engineers' minds, that's all it's there for.)
 
#9 · (Edited)
Digitalis said:
The FNS was designed as a combat duty sidearm, not a sporting pistol or civilian handgun. Since nearly every military teaches the Hand-Over method of reloading, it was designed with a slide stop that was easy to engage upwards with either gloved or bare hands (since in the engineers' minds, that's all it's there for.)
Last I heard (several years ago), from an instructor who worked with Special Ops troops at Ft. Bragg (Delta, Special Forces, and various Marine Force Recon specialists), the U.S. military changed the SOP from using slingshot or handover to using the slide stop -- after a lot of problems with guns NOT going into battery under combat conditions in Afghanistan and Iraq. And contrary to conventional wisdom, using the slingshot approach still requires "fine motor skills": if you don't release cleanly, things can still go awry.

Some of the problems experienced in the combat zones were due to the fact that many of the troops, of necessity, wore gloves (either because the terrain was terrible and full of sharp material, or because it could also be, at times, be very cold.) The "hand-over" method, while seemingly a solution, can cause problems with the Beretta M9, as a person using that technique can inadvertently decock the weapon when racking the slide.

Perhaps the Department of Defense has changed the standard procedure again, but using the slide stop became the standard practice some years ago. If someone knows of newer standards used by the US military, let us know.

I would argue that whether the lever is called a slide stop or a slide release is irrelevant. That little tab/extension on the lever says that in addition to holding the slide open, the lever can also be used as a release. It seems reasonable to assume that if "handover" or "sling-shot" were the only methods considered or anticipated by the designers, there would be little or no reason for the little thumb-press tab. I think the FN design team wanted their weapon to be flexible enough to accommodate different techniques.
 
#11 ·
When using the slide stop on an EMPTY gun it IS hard to manipulate with your strong hand thumb. I use my offhand thumb to release the slide when actually firing the weapon. I found that when I have a LOADED magazine, a firing grip with my strong hand, using my support hand thumb to release the slide works very well and with no difficulty whatsoever. I also believe this method is more efficient and faster than the slingshot technique for ME. The FNS 9 is an excellent weapon.
 
#12 ·
Thanks, all .

I see what you mean about the slide release set up.

I am right handed, and I believe I am either going to practice releasing the slide with my left thumb/fingers or putting my left hand over the gun and pulling the slide that fraction of an inch back.

I will figure out which works best.

I did polish the sharp cornered slide release cut outs on the slide and the slide release tabs on the frame part and that did make a small enough difference to make it a little easier.

Thanks,

Doc
 
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