How do you remove a handgun's slide?

[Orion283]

As I understand it, if you know the mechanics of it you can remove the slide of a semi-automatic handgun as a means of disarming it. There's a technique in the martial arts style I practice wherein you grab the slide of a handgun to keep it from firing while you do more stuff. Way back in the day some folks tried to add in removing the slide and jabbing the attacker with it, but we were discouraged from depending on that because none of us know exactly how you remove a slide.

How is said slide-removal accomplished? Is there a button you press or do you just pull it off or what? More pressingly, is there a method common to most/all semi-auto handguns or is it different depending on the model?

[Kail]

Something like this, usually, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5xwOTNY548) I believe. (Edit: or this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sfTsb052Yo))

And I would STRONGLY reccomend against grabbing the slide of a firearm unless it's already locked. First of all, it won't stop it from firing, it'll just stop it from chambering another round, and that's assuming you CAN stop the slide from moving, which is not trivial (there are people who've suffered serious injuries by gripping the gun so that their thumb is "up" and in the way of the slide when it slams back).

Edit: spelling, added second link

[AXJ]

Depends highly on the gun. It's cake on a Glock (I incorporated that move into my blackbelt demo, using my glock fitted with a lead-filled barrel, except that I tore it down quickly after a disarm and chucked the pieces in opposite directions) but it can be downright annoying on other models, especially oldschool 1911s. Maybe later I'll do a quick pic tutorial using my glock tomorrow.... I'd do it tonight, but it'd wake Katsky up.

And I agree with Kail; you absolutely positively will not stop gun from firing by just grabbing the slide. And you probably won't stop it from rechambering, either. In any sizable caliber, the slide racks back with a whole hell of a lot of force. As Kail mentioned, in a 9mm it's enough to break a thumb, as many cops and FBI agents discovered when they traded in their old .38 specials for new 9mm automatics in the 90s - they were often used to resting their thumb high on the grip, near the hammer, and when the slide racked back it'd instantly snap that thumb 180º back, a really nasty break. Anyway, after it opens so fast & hard, I doubt you'd still be hanging on to it to keep it from sliding closed and rechambering a new round. I know that I wouldn't ever try that, even in a desperate situation. Aside from the fact that I know it'd hurt a lot and wouldn't work, I'd be too busy trying to control where the business end was pointing and maneuvering for a disarm, anyway.

But yeah, if you pull off a disarm, I'd consider it worthwhile to do a quick field-strip and throw the parts in opposite directions.

[Orion283]

The two gun techniques taught at that belt level are grab slide (for semi-autos) and grab cylinder (for revolvers), and to be honest they're low on my favorites list. When teaching them I tend to reccommend following the cylinder grab with horizontal torque for disarm and the slide grab with vertical torque for disarm, always minding the line of fire of course. Watching the videos I'd say field stripping should probably be left for advanced techniques. My favorite will always be the pivot grab followed by a shuto to the back of the knuckles, simple and effective and then you can do all kindsa stuff to him. =0p