Solutioin!

I have been plagued by a problem with the slide not locking open on a number of my pistols. I have noticed that when others shoot them, the slide stop works fine.

So I have this nerve in my right arm that is bugging me, with numbness in my little finger and ring finger of the R hand. I initially had pain, but mostly that has gone. But I am left with the numbness. SO...

In an attempt to ease some of my discomfort, I have been shooting left handed. Today I was again shooting my Ace left handed -- and the slide locked open. But when I shot it RIGHT handed, no slide lock. I tried different grips, bent elbows, moved the grip around in my hand - no joy.

THEN I decided to look at my thumbs. I think in the effort to hold the weapon firmly, have a good two-handed grip, I was putting my thumb on some part of the stlide stop. When I consciously kept my thumbs OFF the side of the weapon - SUCCESS! The slide locked open on the last round!

So I guess the moral of the story is to keep looking when you have a problem until you find the solution.

Outstanding! I ran into the same issue when shooting Glocks with the "thumbs-forward" grip. Took me forever to realize my thumb was holding the slide release.

I guess it just shows to go ya that there's always something new to learn when it comes to shooting.

And to keep working on it and thinking.

For me it was finally looking at what my hand held lefty vs righty and finally gathering the thumbs forward was dragging on the slide lock. But it was first shooting one mag left, then one mag right for about 6 mags, then really LOOKING at what the hands hit.

Similar problem with my M&P45: Without a perfect grip, my thumb occasionally engages the frame safety during recoil.

I'm thinking of having S&W remove the safety (there is a "safety-less" version) Or just selling it. That condition is a non-starter on a defensive pistol.

Fortunately my ACE is not a defensive pistol. But now I have to think more clearly about thumb position when I grip. I think it will lead to a change in how I hold defensive weapons. I have long been a thumbs forward shooter, but may be changing that now.

My issue is usually with j-frames. Unless they have a larger grip, I have to overlap my shooting hand thumb down over the shooting hand middle finger. Stupid little grips, not made anywhere near appropriately for us with big-sized hands.

Good detective work

Glad to hear you got it all figured out.