Question for lefthanders/soulockthpaws: the slide lock lever

[flieger67]

I'm getting ready to take my CM9 to the range for the first time tomorrow and have been practicing with it some in anticipation of that visit.

As a lefty, I'm finding it very difficult to engage the slide lock lever with the pistol grasped in my left hand and retracting the slide with my right hand. I come from a background of Glocks and 1911's and with those those pistols, I just roll my left hand index finger up the frame a little and use the side of the finger to engage the slide lock.

However, I've not had little success trying that with my CM9 - I end up having to transfer the pistol to my right hand and retracting the slide with my left hand. Not optimal, in my opinion, but "do-able".

Any tips from CM/PM9 users of the sinister persuasion?

[N0YZE]

Loaded or unloaded, unloaded it's almost impossible - that is by design I believe.

[jocko]

I am a lefty and as u know most semi's are geardtowards righties, so in all my years of having semi's I have adapted quite well. I can release the slide in my left hand and hand rack it with gun in left hand and hand over slide. Practice does not make perefect but perfect practice does.

U will adapt. If the slide is locked open no transfer is necessary, use the slide lock lever to release the side as the kahr manual so states to do even. I am so used to doing things with a right hand gun, in my left hand that If I had a gun that I could reverse the mag drop button and the slide release lever, I WOULD NOT DO IT. Nice thing about being a lefty with the small ass cm9 is ur not gonna have uyr thumb accidently hittng the slide lock lever and pre engaging the slide. They tell me though if ur bornin India, u cannot ever be a left handed person for in India the left hand is used for wiping ur ass and nothing more, u never touch food withh ur left hand over there etc. Just sayin. One out of 10 are left handed in the U. S. and they say one out of 10 in the U. S. is gay, have no idea if there is a common denominator to that either. But I have no doubt tha tif u live in the U.S./ and ur from India and ur left handed and your gay,u have no focking chance of making it in this country. Just sayin.

[JFootin]

If I (a lefty) want to lock the slide open, I insert an empty mag and wrack the slide.

[Kadelic]

I'm a new CM9 owner and a lefty as well, though not from Indiana thank goodness. So far I've only done the preparatory cleaning and lube job as described in this forum but haven't taken it to the range yet. It is definitely a struggle for me to lock the slide back except by inserting an empty mag. Perhaps it will get easier as the gun is broken in? It seems odd to have to insert an empty magazine to lock the slide back, load the magazine (I only have one so far,) insert it and then release the slide with the lever. Just playing with the gun at home it seems to chamber a round fine just racking the slide, even though the manual specifically states to use the slide release lever. Anyway, I look forward to shooting this thing soon!

[jocko]

with mag out of the gun, it needs to go to the right hand with the left hand now moving the slide back and ur right thumb pushing u the slide lock lever. . It is just easier with an empty mag as u well know. It willget easier but I being a lefty from Indiana, stillmove it to my right and to do what you are talkingabout. I very seldeom nee dto do it that way though. . It's a right hand gun IMO, I would recommend using the slide lever to load the first round during the break in period. Then do ur hand racking drills to get good at it also. Once the recoil springs get a hundred+ rounds out of it the gun will feel different.

[flieger67]

Thanks for the feedback, gentlemen. It was useful. And I guess I missed about needing to insert a mag to make it easier to lock the slide back.

[JFootin]

Thanks for the feedback, gentlemen. It was useful. And I guess I missed about needing to insert a mag to make it easier to lock the slide back.

Remember that it is almost impossible to release the locked slide when an empty mag is in the gun.

[flieger67]

Remember that it is almost impossible to release the locked slide when an empty mag is in the gun.

That's something that I've not tried to do yet. But that's good to know, thank you.

[JFootin]

That's something that I've not tried to do yet. But that's good to know, thank you.

Yeah, the empty mag pushes up on the slide stop, thus causing lock open after last round.

[joe d]

I'm a lefty as well..Like Jocko,I've pretty much adapted myself to all of these little qwerks a left handed shooter would encounter...You'll get used to it and adapt as well over a little bit of time and practice...

[KahrDriver1]

As a certified firearms instructor, I discourage using the slide lock to release the slide as it takes a fine motor skill to manipulate the slide lock. Under stress, i.e., fighting for your life, fine motor skills are one of the first things to go, (along with what's in your bladder, bowel, etc.)

Seriously, I teach my students to release the slide by grasping it, palm down, with the support (notice I didn't say "weak") hand, pulling it back slightly and releasing it. Grasping the slide in this manner is a "gross motor skill" which requires less dexterity and it also works equally well for us southpaws.

BTW, I also discourage the "Slingshot" technique, in which the support hand grasps the rear of the slide between thumb and index finger (like using a slingshot) as it is easy for the hand to slip off the slide under stress.