Why do we drop the slide instead of slingshot?

[aKahrt_and_p2KT]

I saw this recommendation early after I bought my cm9 and it's the way I've always put one in the chamber but why is it Kahr specific?

[Bawanna]

Being small and tight they are need full slide momentum to go into battery properly. Some ride the slide just a bit when trying to sling shot and the gun jams up etc.

With a proper slingshot any Kahr will function just fine.

By recommending using the slide release they insure a more harmonious outcome.

[aKahrt_and_p2KT]

My sister has a p380 that is tough for her to rack, she attempts to slingshot it but the bullet gets stuck with the slide back. I told her to rack it a bunch and see if that makes a difference but she says racking it back and dropping the slide is too tough for her to do. She said it also will do the same thing while shooting but I guess that's for another thread.

[wyntrout]

It's the closest most people can get to chambering a round effectively besides the actual firing sequence. Many people rack the slide with varying amounts of drag or "riding" the slide, decreasing the forward momentum. The Kahrs are close-tolerance with compact dimensions and many don't let the rounds be chambered gently, especially until well-broken in.

When I rack or sling shot a slide, it's a two part motion with my gun hand thrusting the pistol forward as my weak hand is over-handed on the slide and forcing it to the rear until the slide is pulled from my hand and gets maximum distance and force to chamber a round.

Kahr recommends chambering a round using the slide lock release from locked-back slide for uniform results in most cases. I have had failures to chamber from locked slide and the rack I described almost always works.

Wynn

[Bawanna]

My sister has a p380 that is tough for her to rack, she attempts to slingshot it but the bullet gets stuck with the slide back. I told her to rack it a bunch and see if that makes a difference but she says racking it back and dropping the slide is too tough for her to do. She said it also will do the same thing while shooting but I guess that's for another thread.

She's a prime example of a good reason to lock the slide back and use the release. I've heard they are stiff little buggers and many don't have the hand strength to sling shot them.
She might benefit from inserting an empty magazine to lock it back, then insert a full magazine and use the slide release, that way she don't have to hold the slide and manipulate the lever at the same time which can sometimes be challenging for anybody.

If it's hanging up while shooting then there are other issues to deal with.

[aKahrt_and_p2KT]

The empty magazine advice is a great suggestion! I am going to get it from her this week and try shooting it a bit to get a better feel for what's going on.

[muggsy]

I've never met a woman yet who couldn't rack the slide on any handgun if the proper method was employed. Watch the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjLbFOw8sow

[O'Dell]

I've never met a woman yet who couldn't rack the slide on any handgun if the proper method was employed. Watch the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjLbFOw8sow

You've never met Vickie, or maybe she's just not motivated enough. Anyway, that's why I bought her a P32 instead of a PM9.

[Barth]

Being small and tight they are need full slide momentum to go into battery properly. Some ride the slide just a bit when trying to sling shot and the gun jams up etc.

With a proper slingshot any Kahr will function just fine.

By recommending using the slide release they insure a more harmonious outcome.

+1.
I actually only slingshot during clearing drills.
Find I personally can reload faster, and only need to use one hand,
by dropping the slide with the slide release.
Leaving my other hand free for self defense.

Opinions vary and this topic has drawn heated responses on other forums.

[CJB]

On Kahr's part, their instruction of dropping the slide with the slide stop is CYA for them. Its an almost entirely and universally method of getting the first round in the chamber without malfunction. Any other method would subject them to problematic situations in the marketplace (or maybe court). As was oft said here many many times, slingshot works if you do it correctly. Slide stop works always.... unless there's a really bad problem.

[7shot]

I've had a couple issues slinging the slide on my K9 but that's it. With the smaller slide it can create a grabbing issue. Now I've takin four defensive pistol classes and they teach the sling shot method, so that's what I do.

[aKahrt_and_p2KT]

My wife bought a sig p238 and my mom bought one too after seeing it because it racked so easily.

[DKD]

I have shot alot of hand guns over the decades and some if not many of the smallish pistols are more difficult to rack in a conventional thumb & fore-finger method.
I use and train with the hand over method of push / pull which if done with some authoirty will always work. I feel the folks that are having the problem lack the technique and so much the strength to perform the hand rack sequence. Treat the hand rack as if you were performing a stoppage drill and problem solved.

[jocko]

I am gonna go on record here to say I have over 32K out of my PM9 and I still find that little bastard a handfull to hand rack PROPERLY every time. I can do it OK today but trust me when I say in a shtf situation if I have a failure to fire (as my PM9 is always loaded) so that is the only failure I should encounter, I am gonna be sweating my ass to get off a good hand rack in a tense situation. Kahrs are for me anyhow the tuffest sob to hand rack properly, they are small their recoil springs are stout compared to most and maybe just me to, but it is what it is.. Just sayin

I agreewith CJB that in thekahr manual they so state to use the slide release to load that first round is a CYA thing, as they know that i the beginning hand racking a kahr is a learn as u go thing. Most all owners report after shooting their kahrs, it loosens up alot to and also the owner gets more accustomed to the quirks of his gun and adjusts to them.

Definitely the hand over the slide thing IMO is the best grip for working the kahrs. This two finger grab the back of the slide sh!it is IMO not the way to go. Just sayin:19:

[Barth]

I am gonna go on record here to say I have over 32K out of my PM9 and I still find that little bastard a handfull to hand rack PROPERLY every time. I can do it OK today but trust me when I say in a shtf situation if I have a failure to fire (as my PM9 is always loaded) so that is the only failure I should encounter, I am gonna be sweating my ass to get off a good hand rack in a tense situation. Kahrs are for me anyhow the tuffest sob to hand rack properly, they are small their recoil springs are stout compared to most and maybe just me to, but it is what it is.. Just sayin

I agreewith CJB that in thekahr manual they so state to use the slide release to load that first round is a CYA thing, as they know that i the beginning hand racking a kahr is a learn as u go thing. Most all owners report after shooting their kahrs, it loosens up alot to and also the owner gets more accustomed to the quirks of his gun and adjusts to them.

Definitely the hand over the slide thing IMO is the best grip for working the kahrs. This two finger grab the back of the slide sh!it is IMO not the way to go. Just sayin:19:

I own 5 autos and have rented/borrowed a crazy number on top of that.
My MK40 Elite is far and away the hardest S.&.%. to rack I've ever dealt with.

It's the only 3.0" micro I own, and I'm not complaining.
I think for such a small and high powered gun to operate 100% reliable, maybe that's what you get.