Where I see it more often is when shooters are unloading and showing clear at the end of IDPA and IPSC stages. There is just no reason for doing the clam method. I spoke to a recently retired US Army Special Forces Colonel and he stated about as clearly as he could that it was not taught in his Units as a method of loading/unloading his gun. If it sets up the potential for injury I can't see it having much benefit for the Mllitary or LEO market either. I have yet to see any meaningful application of the use of the clam shell method to unload a gun or charge it from slide lock. Surely, if it is not taught in US Special Forces where the need to know is somewhat higher or where pressure of competition is at its' highest, than why is not considered so important for enthusiastic amateurs playing games. The gross vs fine argument seems to fall to a canard. Where is the evidence aside from those who simply repeat what someone else has said.
I can't imagine a situation where stress would be much higher than competing in Steel, IPSC or IDPA at the highest level where winning can come down to tenths of seconds.
That's nice Bob, your opinion and the opinion of one SF guy does not validate your point. There are far more people using and preaching the overhand method than not. That would generally be folks who kill or killed people for a living. And contrary to what you believe, being shot at is far far more stessful than any gamer event you could ever imagine. From my own experience with force on force a competitive match has zero induced stress. I can't even imagine the stress where a poor choice could end your life.
Clearing a jam using the tap/rap method is a whole different issue. Bring the hand over to knock a stove piped cartridge aside and completing the racking of the slide in the same motion is a different skill requirement than simply completing a slide lock reload or simply unloading the gun off the clock. As inept as my athletic skills are, hitting the slide release using a 1911, CZ M&P or PPQ has never failed me in thousands of attempts in competition or practice. In the last 20 odd years you could count the number of times I have dealt with a stove pipe jam on your one hand. I can only recall one.If you look long enough you can find examples of just about anything on Youtube. Watch any video of Vogel shooting a match and you will see his use of fine motor skills every time he completes a reload from slide lock. I would be surprised if an Officer who has not done a reload since his last Qualification manages even realized his gun was empty...I have watched their Qualifications in action. I would suggest it has more to lack of training than any deficiencies in the use of gross vs fine motor skills. BTW if you want to see how fast you can do a mag release try the earlier version of the PPQ with the mag release paddles along the side of the trigger guard. Walther has dropped their use due to the unwillingness of US shooters to embrace something new. I understand those who actually own the guns seem have embraced the paddles. The claim they were even faster than pushing the button of the more traditional placement. Who knew? Is pulling the trigger on a firearm a gross or fine motor skill requirement?
It's actually the TAP RACK method, not sure if rapping would make any difference. Clearing a stovepipe does not require you to touch the empty/stuck casing. Simply apply the TAP RACK and it will clear itself.
Using the slide lock on your guns with HUGE slide lock levers has never failed you. That would be under conditions of very low stress or no stress and likely under near ideal physiological, psychological and meteorological conditions. Not even close to the same set of circumstances as MIL or LEO gunfights. Does your method work on all semi autos and just as reliably?
I am somewhat skeptical of the fine vs gross argument. We have been working with our thumbs and fingers since our ancestors left the sea for land.
The common misconception around gross vs fine motor skills is the inability to comprehend the data. No one says your fine motor skills are absent. What is being said is that your fine motor skills are DIMINISHED or REDUCED, making things much more difficult to execute. Gross motor skills as the name implies requires less mental and physical dexterity to accomplish and are therefore more reliable when under extreme stress.
Take Care
Bob
