Racking Your Slide With Your Optic

[Ben]

For discussion:

I'm just getting into putting optics on more of my pistols (two full size FNXs and one P365XL at this point). As I read more stuff and watch more videos, I see a couple of camps forming. One says it's okay (even faster and sort of better) to rack your slide using your optic. The other side says, "Don't do it! You will constantly need to re-zero, or worse, destroy your optic!"

I haven't figured out which is right, or if there is a middle ground. I have seen videos of guys testing optic mounts by "slam racking" a pistol over and over on the corner of say, a table, using the optic to do so. It didn't appear to hurt anything (I would expect optic and slide cut quality both have a lot to do with it).

So far, the way I do it is, if I'm just manipulating the (unloaded, in case that has to be said) gun in the house for cleaning, function tests, dry fire, etc., I will generally  wrap my hand over the optic, but grab the slide. At the range, especially with the smaller P365, I tend to palm the optic. I haven't noticed any POA movement of the dot doing this.

I can see the POV of the "Egads, don't do it!" side given how small the screws holding optics in are. Yet there are still the torture test guys that don't seem to have any problems even after beating the *expletive deleted*it out of the optic.

Thoughts? Opinions?

[230RN]

I figure the worst forces occur when the slide slams shut and when it hits the slide stop. If that doesn't disturb the sighting, then neither will racking it with the sights. If it does, it was improperly mounted.

That's what I figure.

People used to comment on my carrying my rifle by the scope.  Never had a problem if all the surfaces mated and the screws were tight.  I have had to shim up some scope mounts with aluminum foil, though.

[HankB]

Years ago, when there was a fad of putting a Leupold 2x scope on the slide of a 1911, I recall seeing an ad claiming that the super-tough Leupold scope could stand up to the 2000 G's of acceleration of the slide movement. The G forces on a red dot will probably be comparable to what the 2x scope saw. If an optic and its mount system can stand up to 2000 G's, I don't think your hand on the optic when you rack the slide will damage it. (The REAL problem with the Leupold scopes was keeping them from sliding in the rings . . . and the extra mass also changed the slide dynamics.)

I do cringe when I see YouTube testers whacking the red dot sight into the corners of solid wood - and even masonry - walls. I wouldn't do that.

[230RN]

^ Exactly, and thanks for the confirmation.

I'm reminded of the neurotic to-do's regarding carrying an M-16 by --guess what? -- the "Carrying Handle!"

[dogmush]

I do it pretty frequently, especially on fast reloads. I'll also rack the optic on my holster for one handed reloads.  Never lost a zero or ripped an optic off.

I don't make it a point to slam my $500 optic into things, but I also don't baby them.