Ok, technically it’s a slide stop................ Or is it a release................Depends on who ya talk to I guess !!!! (the potato tomato thing comes to mind here)

When the slide locks back with an empty mag it’s a stop !!!
When you need the gun to go back into battery after re-loading, it’s a release !!!

By the way, the .40 S&W is an excellent cartridge. Actually all three rounds; the 9x19mm, the .40 S&W and the .45 Auto, have practically the same energy at the muzzle, about 430-440 ftlbs. However safe, published, handloads can easily take the .40 over 500 ftlbs.

If it's a fun gun ambidextrous or leftie guns aren't that important .I'm a leftie and I never needed a leftie gun. I'd look at all the different 1911's and decide on which one suits you .Kimber may be best the but not by much .

whittling wrote:

Kimber may be best the but not by much .

That's just too funny !!!

I'm a c.z. 75 fan, I really like the ones w\ decockers the best. They make a nice mid-size and a real nice full-size if you go .45 look at the c.z. 97. My full size c.z. is the sp-01 Ilike the full length slide. I have a series 70 colt too but for function I like d.a..

My opinion?

The choice is as easy as it is simple.

The bottom handgun in Mr. Bush's picture.
Nothing more, nothing less. Just Perfect.

I dont like DA, DAO, DA w/ decocker, DA/SA or any of that junk.
I also dont like fancy hammers, long triggers, alloy this and that and all that goochy, no-play anywhere stuff.
Colt did it right the second time w/ the A1.
All the others are battling for second place in the war for the finest combat pistol ever made.

If it aint a Colt.... it aint the real deal.
Is is still a good pistol? Probably.
But my money goes for the Goverment model.

And the stop is a 'lock'. It locks the slide open for a non-tactical type reload when you run out (and out of battery inspection), so don't do that!
The serrations on the slide are there for clearing and return to battery using your PALM grasp, not your thumb on the lock lever.
In most threat-on-threat scenarios you loose fine motor skill/function (finger tip control).
So palm it- or better yet, tactical reload so all ya gotta do is keep firing. Otheriwse, yer not saving much time over a revolver if you go into "slide-lock".

One can also palm the slide back into battery and present the firearm back on target from the ready postion in one motion (push through, strong hand) w/o moving the support hand or master grip fingers.

Coach gets huffy w/ me if I let it go 'side lock' if I don't tactical reload during any break in firing/reassessment.... after he pings me with a beanbag or airsoft while I fumble for a mag.
That shite hurts!

"*boom* No slide-lock newby!!!"

My 2c is for you to get a gun that you are most familiar with.
that way you already used to the weight and quirks.

Wow !!! Didn’t realize what a stir the lever thingy-ma-bobby that’s connected to the do-hicky would cause.

So please, someone explain to me why it’s there if your not allowed to use it.
I don’t think the great John M. Browning was into putting things on guns that weren’t needed or supposed to be used.
Oh, that’s right, you Colt guys don’t recognize the fact that Browning designed the 1911 in the first place.

Stovey, You might want to consider finding a new tactical trainer..............just a thought.

I've been shooting military Beretta's for a lot of years and was taught from the beginning to use the slide release. As a mater of fact it's use was stressed in quick reloads I've never seen one screwed up from using it.

A training video by Rob Pincus made a very good point about using the slide lock to chamber a new round after a reload. If you get used to using the slide lock as a release on your gun and then pick up another type with a different lock style or position you're likely going to bobble your reload. However, if you ALWAYS rack the slide to chamber the first round it won't make any difference what type of auto you pick up. As I shoot several different pistols I found what he said to make a lot of sense.

I carry one of four handguns concealed...Firestar 9mmX19, Kimber UCC II, Colt 1911 and a S&W mod 19. The first three are based on the 1911 system and will not effect my reloading in combat. The revolver is a different operation. I've had and used the mod 19 for many years. Not a problem.

I'd be leaning on a Kimber Warrior (trialed and fielded by the USMC) or a SAI Custom Shop PRO model (same as the FBI SWAT).

Mainly because both models were tried, and tested against other manufacturers and they held up well.

Dimitri

Different training schools offer variances in recommended proceedures. Using the slide release for chambering a round is usually a secondary or emergency backup as opposed to racking the slide at Gunsite. The point about tactical reloading is critical. Let the slide lock back during an excercise and you have just bought a case of beer.

One of the advantages of racking the slide to chamber the first round is that the slide will usually come back further than the position it is in when the slide release is "on". This compresses the recoil spring a tad more and allows a faster forward speed to the slide, the same as if the slide were operating under recoil. FTFs, first round, often come from slide releases as the first round is under the greatest amount of spring tension from the magazine. The slightly extra forward slide speed from racking can make the difference.

Stovepipe: your subtle sense of humor comes to the forefront regarding Colt. Imagine, the premiere builder of 1911s a few decades ago simply giving their market away, a move from which they have never recovered, due to lack of quality control and product development. It has always been amazing to me. They have improved over the past few years, but, still have far too high a warranty return rate, even worse than Springfield (Imbel) 1911s. Fortunately, there are alternatives for those wishing to own functional and reliable 1911s.

We are testing the new ParaOrdnance (US made) GI Expert 1911 as this time. So far, with 3,000+ rounds, it has been much better than expected. We want to take it to 20,000 over the next few months which will give everyone at the shop a chance to put it through the paces. I'm not a Para fan, but, this one has been a pleasant surprise. So far. Under $600.

Handloader, do you have any numbers on warranty returns for Kimber ???

Kimber had a problem with external extracters for a while on non-1911 semis. They had a problem with 1911 style semis locking back when the magazine still had rounds in it. Solved by replacing the slide stop.

I had a few failures when I first got this UCC II, but after running 200 rounds through it it has not failed to operate properly for the last 5,000 rounds...Out of the box it shoots less the 1" groups at 21 feet and less then 2" groups at 25 yards. Much better then what is needed for CCW requirments. And this is a 3" barrel...