When loading a pistol you should ride the slide. True or False?

When loading a pistol you should ride the slide. True or False?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only with training
• D. In some models

Answer: (B)

Riding the slide is not how you load a pistol. The slide must travel fully forward into battery to chamber a round reliably. If you keep applying forward pressure as the slide moves, it can prevent it from seating the round properly, cause feeding or cycling problems, and even risk pinching your fingers when the slide snaps shut. The correct method is to rack the slide to chamber a round and then let it return fully forward on its own, with the firearm pointed in a safe direction and your finger off the trigger.

Riding the slide is not how you load a pistol. The slide must travel fully forward into battery to chamber a round reliably. If you keep applying forward pressure as the slide moves, it can prevent it from seating the round properly, cause feeding or cycling problems, and even risk pinching your fingers when the slide snaps shut. The correct method is to rack the slide to chamber a round and then let it return fully forward on its own, with the firearm pointed in a safe direction and your finger off the trigger.