Does the slide-lock feature on semi-automatic handguns offer a tactical advantage or is it nothing more than an administrative function?
When the last round is fired from the magazine of a semi-automatic pistol, the magazine follower engages the slide-lock lever and pushes it into a recess in the pistol’s slide, locking it to the rear. This is supposed to let the shooter know the pistol is empty. The slide-lock can also be manually activated to assist maintenance or to show the gun is clear on the range.
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When I first started shooting a Glock, I had problems with the slide locking to the rear before the magazine was empty. This was caused by my non-shooting hand engaging the slide-lock lever while shooting. Since this was my duty handgun, it was a serious issue.
It was also a training issue, but one I had no luck correcting. To solve the problem I removed the slide-lock lever and adjusted my training so that after inserting a fresh magazine, I always manually cycled the slide. After carrying a Glock so modified for 11 years, I never found myself missing the slide-lock feature. After all, I was carrying a pistol without a safety—might as well get rid of slide-lock too.
While instructing shooters, I’ve witnessed slides on many different pistols inadvertently lock to the rear or fail to lock back when they were supposed to. These inconsistencies seem to crop up when least expected and especially during dynamic and stressful situations. They can become a tactical obstacle if they occur during a fight.
For example, because the slide-lock can fail to actuate after the last round fired from a magazine, it is a mistake to assume a chamber contains a loaded round just because the slide is not locked back. Also, because releasing the slide-lock lever requires fine motor skills and because a slide released from slide-lock does not move forward with the same force as one manually cycled, failures to feed can occur. They can occur even with handguns that cycle with stellar reliability.
From an administrative standpoint, slide-lock has a purpose; it is useful when showing clear on the range, assists with cleaning and can be useful when clearing particularly stubborn jams. |
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Because of target and sight focus, most shooters realize their pistol is in slide-lock when they try to pull the trigger and nothing happens. This telegraphs the message the pistol is not working properly, jammed or broken. The common response is to conduct an immediate action drill (tap & rack) or to stare at the pistol, wondering why it won’t work anymore.
If the slide-lock feature is removed, the slide cycles normally after the last round and when the shooter pulls the trigger there will be a click. This click can mean the pistol is empty or that the round in the chamber is a dud. If a pistol has second-strike capability, you can pull the trigger again. Otherwise, conduct immediate action or go to a fresh magazine.
All this has left me somewhat cautious of the entire slide-lock concept. Maybe I’m just leery of a lever on the side of a handgun that is capable of taking it out of the fight and the fact that most lethal encounters are settled before a magazine—even a low-capacity magazine—has been expended. In the end it all comes down to training and becoming flawlessly efficient with whatever handgun you carry, slide-lock or not
Right now I’m working with a modified 1911. The slide can be locked back for administrative functions but slide-lock cannot be actuated by the magazine follower after the last round has been fired. The jury is still out…