So I have been devoting time Captain boring and the blasé patrol lately…….errr I mean my striker 9’s. specifically my Glock 17 and it’s brethren. I say that as much as a tongue in cheek shot from an enthusiast as well as a true compliment in regards to just how good and simple Glocks are. They really are a phenomenal firearm in many many ways whether you like them or not.

Anyway I find myself chuckling because over the years I’ve heard people use the term muscle memory and then say it was bunk and then it’s a thing etc etc. Well at least in my case it’s damn sure a thing because I “decock” my Glocks all the time, making sure I drop the hammer to to safe position so I can ride the Glock hammer back into the holster. .

I just found it funny to me and it’s always amazing to me the things we do on an unconscious level. I’ve never “TRAINED” with a 1911 platform but I am sure if I had like I have with DA/SA platforms I’d be sweeping the “Glock safety” as well.

Take care, shoot safe
Chris

Muscles don’t have memories, but our brains certainly do as ingrained habits and they control our muscles.

As for habits, after years of shooting autoloading pistols almost exclusively I had a failure to fire malfunction with a revolver, and what? Yup, immediately smacked the bottom of the grip.

I have 3 Glocks and don't have a single one with a hammer. All my Glocks (G19,G22,& G23) don't have a hammer....

I can't say I decock on guns that aren't da/sa as usually I have to reposition my hand for that, but I can say that on a draw I will sweep off a safety on anything. It is totally at a subconscious level. If the gun has one, its off and I didn't do it, I promise. If it doesn't of course it matters not. So I get it.

quote:

Originally posted by odin:
I have 3 Glocks and don't have a single one with a hammer. All my Glocks (G19,G22,& G23) don't have a hammer....

I was being facetious. I was just saying that I am so used to running DA/SA that even on strikers my mind subconsciously goes for a decock after loading and I still find my thumb riding the back plate if holstering since I am so conditioned to “ride the hammer” in my brain.

I don’t actually own any of those “hammer fired movie Glocks” that make all kinds of cocking and decocking noises.

I’ve not “tap racked” a revolver as of yet but I have spent a fair bit of my shooting life shooting both wheel guns and semi autos but I can totally see that happening.

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:
I was being facetious.

I believe that more than one of us got it.

I never liked the term “muscle memory” preferring the slightly more nerdy and more accurate “neural pathway.”

I haven’t tried to decock my p365 yet but it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if I did even under the mild stress of a competition let alone an actual shooting. At least it’s a habit that won’t hurt anything.

Muscles have no memory. It’s a conditioned response.

I carried a 1911 as a duty gun for about 15 years. We were the issued Glocks.

For several years, I would sweep down the imaginary safety.

Swiping a decocker and thumb on the hammer on reholster gets me on my 365.

Just like stomping a clutch pedal that isn't there in an automatic rig.
Or go to put a car in gear and rip the wiper stalk off the column.

Conditioned response: When startled, my right hand reaches for my pistol. Years of duty belt wear.

quote:

When startled, my right hand reaches for my pistol.

Well, I wouldn't want to walk up behind you and slap you on the shoulder, would I?

The other day I was working with my new 92x on the range, doing draw drills from the holster. I'd decock, reholster, then draw and realize I'd forgotten to take the safety off. I haven't carried a gun with a manual safety in years, and since I'd already ordered a "G" conversion kit to swap the gun from a manual safety/decocker to decocker-only, I was trying to train with the gun in that condition. Even consciously knowing that, I kept forgetting to take it off.

The G conversion lever is now installed and there will be no further problems of that nature. In this case it was easier to modify the gun that it was to retrain my brain to deal with the stupid safety.

The thing you have to watch is going from years of Glock to a Sig 226 , don`t forget to decock !

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:

quote:

When startled, my right hand reaches for my pistol.

Well, I wouldn't want to walk up behind you and slap you on the shoulder, would I?

I started to walk out of a bank without my receipt. Apparently, the cashier called out to me but I didn't hear her, hearing aid batteries were dying.

A "helpful" person touched my shoulder from behind and was very startled when I turned around quickly, dropped my cane and used that hand to lift the hem of my shirt while using the other hand to reach for my pistol. Reflex. I stopped before actually unholstering the pistol when I realized what was going on.

I haven't been back to that bank since then.

Just the subconscious taking over for us, nothing more.

How can I develop muscle memory when my fat has Alzheimer's?

Myelination = "muscle memory"

quote:

Originally posted by randyman:
How can I develop muscle memory when my fat has Alzheimer's?

Coffee--->nose--->

I started seriously learning with a 1911 and BHP. Lots, and lots, and lots of rounds down range with those. (Thank you Uncle Sam!) I haven't carried one in over 20 years. Oh yeah, I still shoot them, and shoot them well.
Sig P226 DAO, then P220 DAO, now Glock...
I still have this funny little automatic response of dragging my thumb down to disengage a safety that isn't there.

I have no problem doing it now, and I don't see it as an added "thing you don't need to do" or an "extra, unnecessary step". Hopefully, if I'm ever allowed to retire and leave this place, I'm probably going back to a BHP as my EDC. There's a real nice custom 1911 in the safe that would make a pretty BBQ gun.