sling shot?
 

I ran across this quote in another forum and was unfamiliar with it in this context, "*I like the Baer's alot but I can't buy any 1911 you can't sling shot...just personal preference.". So, what is slingshot as used here?

Slingshotting is when you decisively pull back the slide and let it go (like a slingshot) while loading the first round in the chamber. The opposite would be "riding the slide"... holding the slide and gently bringing the gun into battery (I have to convince new shooters that they won't break the gun by letting the slide spring forward fast. Riding the slide will sometimes cause the round to not go into battery.

There are those who say you shouldn't "slingshot" on an empty chamber, although I don't see why not. If racking the slide is going to damage the gun... I don't want to own it. Which I THINK is what you heard being said elsewhere.



DaFadda

Then, is not each round fired in essence a slingshot?

eh... yup. although I think what your poster was saying was that you shouldn't slingshot on an empty chamber.... that somehow, a round would soften the blow of the closing action...

Again, this is only my understanding. Someone else could come by and tell us that he won't buy a 1911 unless he can put it in a 4 foot tall slingshot powered by an old inner tube and launch it 100 feet!

DaFadda

Hmm, I head of a different reference to slingshotting. basically it makes reference to the ipsc courses that require you to grab a gun in one hand rack it and fire it.

this vid shows what i am talking about, but does not specifically mention sling shotting the pistol.

http://youtu.be/IqyxP3_am3g

interesting video

I've Heard "Sling Shot" as racking the slide with One hand....Seen some guys do it with the production class Glocks.

Wilson recommends letting the slide slam on the empty chamber every time you clean or detail strip to ensure no hammer follow. The way you hurt the extractor is if you do it with a round in the chamber, forcing the hook over the rim of the case

I would say that the standard definition of sling shotting a pistol is pulling the slide to the rear with the off hand in order to chamber a round, vs depressing the slide stop.

I've never heard that you can't sling shot Baers. There is another semi custom manufacturer's commander that won't sling shot, but the specific one eludes my memory.

I've never seen anyone load a round one handed via the momentum method. Maybe that's a Glock "feature". I may need to try it out if I get bored.

Grizz

Grizz, I think you are referring to the commander versions Les Baer puts out, Comanche and Stinger. I've only read that some guys have those models that won't sling shot. Others have the same models from him and say theirs will do it all day long. I have no first hand experience with them. Can't drop that kind of coin on a single pistol yet.

I do know that by adding a shock buff to some pistols will greatly reduce your ability to sling shot them. There is only so much rearward travel to be had and adding a shock buff eats up that distance.