@Jerzees Well rock on if that’s working for you, but the next time you slam the mag in your 2011 and you have to stop and figure out why the gun won’t shoot, I’ll be in your head 
Cheers,
Craig6
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I did some more research on M&P slide locks and found out the 1.0 full-size guns had a tendency to slide home during a reload. Some people actually liked this. With the 2.0s (full-size and compacts) they added a mechanism to make sure this doesn’t happen. I’m finding slide locks/ releases a really fascinating subject 
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@Craig6 - I agree in 100%. I would never do this on any 1911 or 2011 
Just saying that method can be used, of course you have to know your firearm and its limitations.
(I always follow my safety rule #0 
)
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@Scoutbob, have you notices how different the slide lock mechanism is between M&P and M&P 2.0 ?
I usually rack the slide. Being a lefty, not all firearms are ambi. Sometimes I can’t get the slide to release using slide stops that are small.
I think there are really two things here.
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Is it a Slide Stop or Slide Release. I recently had an NRA Training Counselor insist they were always Slide Stops and that using them causes excessive wear. I did not, but should have, cornered him more on this topic as 1911 owners have been using it as a Slide Release since the dawn of time. In the competition world most people installed extended slide releases, such as the one from Wilson, to make reloads faster. And 1911s now often come from the factory with much easier to operate slide releases than the originals. But if you are teaching a class it makes sense to teach new gun owners to rack the slide, because then you don’t have to make the training gun specific. So yes, on some guns it is purely intended as a slide stop but on others it is totally fine to use as a slide release.
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Dealing with malfunctions requires manipulation of the slide, and so you need to get used to grabbing it in an appropriate position and racking it. One of the best ways to develop this as muscle memory is simply to always do it instead of using a slide release (when present). It also was brought home to me when I started shooting more guns without a 1911-style prominent slide release that I spent way too much time trying to manipulate it. Between the two I decided to just train myself to rack the slide and not worry about manipulation of the slide stop/release unless I need to manually lock back the slide when there is no magazine in the gun.
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Here are the pictures.
It’s that little tab piece. I read they may have made it more functional on a forum. I just pulled my 2.0 out and the slide stop easily works as a slide release, but I’m concerned by the fact the Manuel doesn’t specify like Glock. That being said the Manuel also says to only load the gun when you know your target…
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Let’s jump with this to your other thread where we can discuss M&P.
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I do release the slide by pulling the slide. I barely ever use the slide release/slide stop. The reasoning for it is because when you are in a fight or flight situation, your body will pull blood from your extremities which will make it harder to use fine motor skills.
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I found this video, and think it discusses this issue very thoroughly.
Reloads - Slide Stop or Over the Top??? - YouTube
I’ve also seen some people complain that just because the part is called a “slide stop” does not mean it cannot be used as a slide release.
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Technically speaking from a 1911 perspective and most manufacturers of 1911’s, it’s not a slide release, it’s a slide stop.
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I found this video, and think it discusses this issue very thoroughly.
I’ve also seen some people complain that just because the part is called a “slide stop” does not mean it cannot be used as a slide release.
I’m just putting your linked vid in the post. I was going to post it, too.
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A number of folks, including the support people at Walther, told me that this is quite normal in .22lr. Their PPQ is the only one I’ve used that does this and there is no “fix” because they say that it isn’t broken.
So the solution is to close the slide that locks open after the last round, load a new mag, then fully rack the slide. Needless to say, I’m disappointed in their service.
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We train to rack the slide in our Defensive Shooting Fundamentals course. Why? Because most, if not all, firearms can be racked to release the slide and it creates a positive repetition in your training.
If you do an emergency reload, you rack the slide. If you you have malfunction, rack the slide. Racking the slide is something we all should be able to do in a high stress situation without looking at our firearm (IMO). It’s using large motor skills instead of fine motor skills. Fine motor skills can become very difficult in a high stress situation.
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How about those firearms that make it very difficult whether due to lack or usable serrations or ridiculously strong springs? I’m an able bodies regular guy and I own some that I “really” have to work to cycle without using the slide release.
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Just to play devil’s advocate Dawn, but isn’t pulling the trigger a fine motor skill vs large motor skill? 
I agree overall for new shooters or people who do not practice a LOT, racking the slide is easier.
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Then we use the firearm we are comfortable with
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So what do you do about unloading the gun? Clearing malfunctions? Disassembly? It’s fine to use the slide stop/release, but you still need to be able to cycle the gun when the slide isn’t conveniently locked back. I have some guns where this is indeed very difficult, and I won’t use them for either self-defense or competition as a result.
Now you can look into a lighter spring, particularly if you aren’t going to shoot +P. You can perhaps combine the lighter spring with a Shock-Buf to protect the gun. You could have a gunsmith improve the serrations. Etc. Or, of course, switch guns.
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So is operating the magazine release for a reload.
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True. Never thought of that…
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