Charging Handle or Bolt Release?
- Thread starter Clobbersauras
- Start date
Me too, I think that there is a lot of unnecessary movement using the charging handle just as there is racking the slide on a pistol. The bolt and slide releases were put there there to be used, not just decoration.
Same question for you as the other poster. How do you charge the rifle or pistol if the bolt/slide is forward in battery?? As a side note, a lot of slide LOCKS have the contour/serrations oriented for a manual activation UP not down..
TDC
I`m a bolt release guy. I`ve been practicing it long enough that it`s the fastest method for me. I find using the charging handle to be a lot of movement, moving your whole arm and hand to actuate the CH as opposed to just pushing a button. But, that`s not to say using the CH might not be as fast if you train that way.
I`m personally not convinced in the whole `charge the rifle like you would rack the slide on your pistol` theory (not saying it`s wrong, mind). I think if you`re consistent in the manner you train with both your pistol and rifle it might not matter.
Obviously it`s a personal preference thing, I don`t think either one is better than the other. For example, someone with weak arm strength might find it much easier to have support of both their arms to push the bolt release than have the entire weight of the rifle on just one arm.
One thing is for sure, I`m not a big fan of BAD levers. Great in theory, but I`ve seen a few of them cause some pretty hefty and constant malfunctions (ie. constant failures to feed). I don`t have faith in their reliability.
I`m personally not convinced in the whole `charge the rifle like you would rack the slide on your pistol` theory (not saying it`s wrong, mind). I think if you`re consistent in the manner you train with both your pistol and rifle it might not matter.
Obviously it`s a personal preference thing, I don`t think either one is better than the other. For example, someone with weak arm strength might find it much easier to have support of both their arms to push the bolt release than have the entire weight of the rifle on just one arm.
One thing is for sure, I`m not a big fan of BAD levers. Great in theory, but I`ve seen a few of them cause some pretty hefty and constant malfunctions (ie. constant failures to feed). I don`t have faith in their reliability.
Obviously if the bolt is closed I would use the charging handle and if the slide is forward I would rack it, which would only be for the first magazine unless I had a defective magazine that would not lock the bolt or slide back and that would be turfed soonest. Also if you check on your terminology, slide STOP is the most common term used, NOT slide LOCK.
Since all of my pistols and most of my auto rifles are restricted they always start out with the bolt/slide back to show that they are unloaded at the range before I load and shoot them so it only makes sense to use the bolt catch/slide stop to charge the firearm.
I have to disagree with your theory on slide STOPS, most are made for up and down activation; others like the 1911 are definitely made for down activation, likewise the AR15 bolt catch is also made to easily release the bolt.
The charging handle pulling and slide racking is really only required for clearing stoppages and unloading.
