Do you rack the slide every time you insert a loaded magazine into your pistol?

Firearm Training
1

Do you rack the slide (pull it all the way to the rear and let it go) every time you insert a loaded magazine into your pistol?

Edit - Please explain your answer.

1 Like
2

I have single stacks that I’ll reload the magazine after chambering and then insert into the firearm. Therefore, no… for me.

I’ll mention a side note. On some firearms using the above practice creates more tension when inserting the reloaded magazine (on a closed slide) and may require extra attention ensuring the magazine is fully seated.

4 Likes
3

Simple answer is :NO

5 Likes
4

Complicated answer is: rarely.
Normally, I insert a loaded magazine to an empty firearm with the slide locked. Then I drop the slide.
Occasionally, for whatever reason, the slide is forward. Then, sure.

5 Likes
5

OK… I see EDITED OP with new request.

So:
The answer is : NO, not every time
Explanation:
I do rack the slide (pull it all the way to the rear and let it go) after inserting a loaded magazine into my pistol only in these cases:

  • emergency reload (slide lock open reload)
  • during the classes and training after command: “Load and make ready”
  • loading my SD ammo (but there is an exception - I do not let the slide go, I close it gently)

All other operations with loaded magazines do not require racking the slide.

1 Like
6

And, the slide goes into battery…you hope

1 Like
7

I don’t hope. I’m sure.
Some may ask why I do this. That has been discussed on other thread - I’m avoiding bullet setback in my SD ammo.

3 Likes
8

No. If the slide locks open I release with the slide lock. If the firearm is empty with an empty or no mag, then yes. A new mag goes in and the slide is pulled back and released. I do not slowly return the slide to ready but I do rotate the first round in the mag.

6 Likes
9

I prefer to load by locking slide back, inserting mag, releasing slide. No real risk of riding the slide and reducing the force used to chamber the round, it’s closer to how it normally operates this way.

But sometimes at the range I insert mag then rack slide.

And I like to do press checks and look for extractor grabbing case rim either way

6 Likes
10

I do. If it’s an edc, I rarely unload it. If it’s in an active system like home defense, I rarely unload it and am thankful for that. If I’m at the rage I’ve cleared and made safe all my guns that I’m bringing and when it’s time to shoot I load and make ready by aggressively racking the slide. When a mag runs out the slide locks back but for whatever reason I still don’t use the slide lock. I probably should though now that I’m thinking about it. My self defense ammo has a rim around the top of the case to prevent the bullet from sliding down into the case. My training ammo is all full metal jacket and flat tops with no rim but I’m only using them for that training session so I don’t have to worry about repeated compression by racking too hard. I also rotate my top bullet in active systems when I reset them after training but I don’t think it’s necessary, I just figure why not.

3 Likes
11

I always empty my carry gun and put it in the safe before going to bed so I rack the slide to do that but when I wake up I lock the slide back insert a round into the chamber and gently release the slide and press on back of extractor so it slides over the rim on brass. I do this to avoid bullet setback.

3 Likes
12

I put the magazine in, rack the slide back to load it and eject the magazine top it off and re-insert it.

5 Likes
13

I prefer to use the slide lock release to chamber a round. I agree with @Nathan57 about not risking riding the slide. Plus, I love how it slams forward into battery.

4 Likes
14

You do all that during a tactical reload too?

1 Like
15

Depends,

If I’m loading it for the first time, yes because it’s empty. I suppose i could lock the slide, insert mag and then release the slide-lock but gotta admit, racking the slide makes me feel a tiny bit like John Wick so . .

If I’m inserting a fresh mag after dropping an empty, I use the slide lock/release. Because that’s what it’s designed for.

3 Likes
16

I only rack if the slide is forward and the chamber is empty.

On a normal reload, the slide is locked back so I use the slide release. On a tactical reload, there is still a round in the chamber so I insert the mag and just make sure it kicks into place.

I rotate and mark chambered SD rounds. After being chambered twice, I put it in a box and replace with a fresh round. This keeps my SD rounds fresh and don’t have to setup about setback.

2 Likes
17

PDA3, thank you for bringing up “tactical reloads”

One school of thought on that is to rack the slide after performing one, just in case the chamber is empty but you don’t know, because you were riding the slide stop or some other minor malfunction occurred that prevented the slide locking back like it should.

Although the primary school of thought seems to be (and I agree), that just takes more time and introduces more risk of something going wrong on that rack and is an overall negative.

Actually, personally, I don’t worry about it because I rarely carry a spare as they basically (if not literally) never needed for private citizen ccw dgu.

But when I do practice a “tactical reload” just for the heck of it, I drop the old mag freely as I insert the new mag, and that’s it. KISS. Least amount of time with mag out of the gun, most amount of time I can have both hands on the gun ready to go. Not at all worried about shooting, being able to “tac reload”, then needing to shoot again, the needing to re-load the first mag again. Personally.

3 Likes
18

I agree that this could be an issue and also agree that tactical reloads will not realistically be in play for most defensive situations.

I don’t normally train for it, but it has come into play at some IDPA scenarios to avoid reloading in the middle of a set.

3 Likes
19

Actually I’m thinking that tactical reload is more important than emergency one.
Everything, of course depends on training level. But with proper self defense action you shouldn’t get into the point when the slide locks open.
I call it “bullet management” :wink:

1 Like
20

In an actual defense situation I think the most likely reason for needing a new mag is malfunction. A tactical reload is for a fire fight and most of us, God willing, will never see that. I always rack the slide, even when it’s locked back. I’m not sure why except that it’s the way I was taught to do it.

5 Likes