Bumping the slide stop lever

[Stuart Wells]

On two different occasions while rolling up, over and out and firing from "partial" extension the lower portion of my off hand thumb bumped the slide stop lever locking it to the rear. I read in the "Fist-Fire" book that the strong hand thumb ensures this want happen by using it as a "thumb rest" but it happened with me twice. Both times I thought I had a jam but didn't. Need some advise here?

The more I think about it I find it is occurring not from the open guard to partial but when I roll the wrist over and down in the closed guard and from their punching out to partial extension to fire. I same to roll my wrist more and cause my strong thumb to rest further down towards my wrist. Does that make any sense?

[Brad VanHorn]

What gun are you using?

[Stuart Wells]

G17...what's got me puzzled is, I've been using the same gun and technique for a couple of years now and never had this happen before. I do realize if I'm rolling over my wrist to much and actually bumping the slide lock, then I need to adjust and stop doing it but I'm not altogether sure that I'm bumping the slide lock. It's the only thing I've ever heard that will cause that.

[GutShot John]

G17...what's got me puzzled is, I've been using the same gun and technique for a couple of years now and never had this happen before. I do realize if I'm rolling over my wrist to much and actually bumping the slide lock, then I need to adjust and stop doing it but I'm not altogether sure that I'm bumping the slide lock. It's the only thing I've ever heard that will cause that.

That's typically a flaw for right-handers using the extended (as on the G34), rather than standard slide release (on the G17/19), most RH shooters don't have that problem with the latter.

You probably need to have someone watch you and troubleshoot your technique...someone like D.R. :D

My suggestion sight-unseen is to not to "clamshell" (as your elbows roll-up) the side of the gun until you are fully rolled forward, but I have NO idea if that is what the problem is. ***DISCLAIMER*** I am not diagnosing, just something to try to rule-out a potential cause.

[D.R. Middlebrooks]

I read in the "Fist-Fire" book that the strong hand thumb ensures this want happen by using it as a "thumb rest" but it happened with me twice. Both times I thought I had a jam but didn't. Need some advise here?[quote]

I don't recall that in the Fist-Fire book...:confused:

[quote]The more I think about it I find it is occurring not from the open guard to partial but when I roll the wrist over and down in the closed guard and from their punching out to partial extension to fire. I same to roll my wrist more and cause my strong thumb to rest further down towards my wrist. Does that make any sense?

Maybe you are "squeezing" the fleshy portion of the off hand lower thumb against the frame with the strong hand thumb (squeezing it into the frame/slide lock lever) as opposed to pushing down with the strong hand thumb? :cool:

[GutShot John]

I read in the "Fist-Fire" book that the strong hand thumb ensures this want happen by using it as a "thumb rest" but it happened with me twice. Both times I thought I had a jam but didn't. Need some advise here?

I don't recall that in the Fist-Fire book...:confused:

I could certainly be wrong, but I think what he may be referring to is resting the thumb on a 1911 with a manual safety?

Stuart, please correct me if my impression is wrong.

[Stuart Wells]

Maybe you are "squeezing" the fleshy portion of the off hand lower thumb against the frame with the strong hand thumb (squeezing it into the frame/slide lock lever) as opposed to pushing down with the strong hand thumb? :cool:[/QUOTE]

That has never crossed my mind but that could very well be the case. After going through the motion a few times I do same to press my strong hand against the slide with my off hand thumb and not down. :)

John, on page 47, just below what you're referring to, it talks about, "Proper Grip Postion for 2-Hand Hold on a Glock". This is what I was referring to.

[Stuart Wells]

Maybe you are "squeezing" the fleshy portion of the off hand lower thumb against the frame with the strong hand thumb (squeezing it into the frame/slide lock lever) as opposed to pushing down with the strong hand thumb? :cool:

The "Fist-Fire" book does say it's a thumb rest not a pressure/contact point. I was definitely doing what you stated above. Now, the hard part, "breaking a bad habit":(

The "Fist-Fist" book and this forum is so refreshing and informative...but you are right John, their is no substitute for going to the TSA for personal training.

I love when people work together to solve problems. :cool:

[GutShot John]

The "Fist-Fist" book and this forum is so refreshing and informative...but you are right John, their is no substitute for going to the TSA for personal training.


It's how I roll. :D

If I had to figure this stuff out all by myself, I'd have given up shooting a long time ago in utter frustration. Every breakthrough I've made has been in training. The books/videos are great, but they mostly reinforce what you already understand.

There is no substitute for having another pair of eyes that know what to look for.

[Joe Baker]

I had the same problem, now after reading this thread I have something to work on when I go shooting this weekend! :)

[Joe Ford]

G17...what's got me puzzled is, I've been using the same gun and technique for a couple of years now and never had this happen before. I do realize if I'm rolling over my wrist to much and actually bumping the slide lock, then I need to adjust and stop doing it but I'm not altogether sure that I'm bumping the slide lock. It's the only thing I've ever heard that will cause that.


Same gun same technique, and problem is recent, look for what changed, hand injury ? big ring ? I have no idea about mechanics of a glock but a 1911 slidestop can get loose with a worn spring, or it needs a detent or sharp point on the retaining pin, Does a Glock have a detent, pin or spring that is worn ?
Also a different bullet profile or ammo a little to long can hit the slide stop on it's way up, another possible cause is worn magazine springs. Does it happen in similar places, like allways with one or two rounds left ? a weak mag spring will let a round be dragged forward then hit the slide stop when it is the next round to chamber.

[Stuart Wells]

Same gun same technique, and problem is recent, look for what changed, hand injury ? big ring ? I have no idea about mechanics of a glock but a 1911 slidestop can get loose with a worn spring, or it needs a detent or sharp point on the retaining pin, Does a Glock have a detent, pin or spring that is worn ?
Also a different bullet profile or ammo a little to long can hit the slide stop on it's way up, another possible cause is worn magazine springs. Does it happen in similar places, like allways with one or two rounds left ? a weak mag spring will let a round be dragged forward then hit the slide stop when it is the next round to chamber.
Good analysis Joe...you list a number of possible causes for this problem. I guess you could say I changed my technique a little. I moved my strong hand around behind the gun more and also applied more pressure with my strong hand to the front and back strap. In doing this, not realizing it at the time, I was pressing my weak hand into the side of the slide with my strong hand thumb. If this problem arises again, thanks to everybody, I'll have a number of things to consider to get at the root cause.