1911: Do you drop the slide ever on an empty chamber?

[Ala Dan]

Years ago, I use to do it all the time~!

But, as I got older (and wiser) I learned that this practice was actually
bad for the weapons; so I don't do it with any self-loader these days.
Nor do I flop an open cylinder of a revolver back into place with a flip
of the wrist~!

 

[tipoc]

Xavier is right and the quote from Hilton seems about right about why not to drop the slide on an empty gun. It does not effect the extractor but it is a case of general battering.

To be clear we are talking here of dropping the slide on a gun when there are no rounds in the mag in other words an empty gun.

tipoc

 

[Whirlwind06]

How about when you are in a shooting competition?
The one I was at last weekend (my first) I had to drop slide and pull the trigger before I could come off the firing line.
I don't know if the range master would be ok with me easing the slide down.

 

[Zach S]

I dont let the action slam shut on an emtpy chamber in any autoloader, unless it lacks a BHO (10-22, AK, etc). Even with them I ride the action closed. Its a 1911 habit thats made its way to everything else.

 

[Spartacus451]

As part of a function check yes.

 

[Lonestar49]

Personally

...

I think it rates right up there with Dry-Firing..

~ there's a right way and, there's a wrong way.


LS

 

[HSMITH]

Absolutely I do, when done cleaning/checking/maintaining or working on a gun. I also do it after trigger work. Doing so tells me that the hammer and sear are interfacing correctly, everything is back where it needs to be and that the adjustments are all where they need to be.

I don't do it just to do it, but these things are a heck of a lot tougher than most realize. It isn't the end of the world if you do.

 

[Black Majik]

I never drop the slide on an empty chamber

 

[ElectraGlideInBlue]

My point was that in chambering a round from the magazine, rather than a round in the chamber and letting the slide forward, the rim of the cartridge slips under the extractor, flexing less and keeping forces off the face of the extractor.

I tend to be a little anal about my guns (especially expensive 1911's) so it's probably just academic.

I kinda live by that motto "old guys know stuff" and give weight to people who have been shooting longer than I.

 

[kellyj00]

funny... I went to a local gun shop and noticed a para ordinance 1911 in the case, I thought hey I don't have one of those yet! so I asked to look at it.

The slide didn't fully meet the lower in the back, you could tell it was about 1/16" off. I told the guy behind the counter, who I know pretty well... "the slide on this may be replaced or something. What's up with this?"

He said "nope, that's the result of dropping the slide without a round in the magazine multiple times. here..." and he hands me the exact same pistol, but from his concealed holster. His personal para ordinance 1911 lined up almost perfectly, could hardly feel it. so I asked him how many rounds he had shot, he said 10's of thousands...never replaced anythign but springs and barrel on that gun.

So, I was inclined to believe that doing that over and over again would lead to the slide mis-matching the frame. It also explained the price.

 

[Extremist]

Well if you shoot IDPA or at any kind of range with Range Officer's they will MAKE you show an empty weapon, drop the slide, point it at the berm and pull the trigger before you reholster to assure an empty weapon.

If your 1911 can't take it, get a different 1911.

I don't make a habit of it but at the range during matches, I have no qualms about doing it with my Smith & Wesson 1911s, or my Les Baers.

Regards,
James

 

[ElectraGlideInBlue]

Extremist,

Do you mean they force you to let it slide forward at full force rather than easing it closed?

 

[ripcurlksm]

Yes Extremist, why couldnt you rack the slide and close it by hand?

 

[Geronimo45]

Yes. Not often, though.

 

[tipoc]

Quote...
"He said "nope, that's the result of dropping the slide without a round in the magazine multiple times. here..."

So, I was inclined to believe that doing that over and over again would lead to the slide mis-matching the frame. It also explained the price."

I think you're wrong here, or he was anyway. Dropping the slide won't account for that, a few other things would go wrong first.

As Xavier explained it effects the sear. Hilton Yam explained it correctly. Patrick Sweeney in his book on the 1911 also makes the same point. A fella could drop the slide for a good long while without any noticible effect but it will in time have an effect.

Back in the day, way back, the 30s through the 50s it was common practice among bullseye shooters to drop the slide on any piece they handled. As the trigger of the guns were so light they wanted the hammer to follow or to follow with only a slight push off. But it is no longer necessary. It isn't evan needed for a function check though many still do that.

tipoc

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Also, when loading the gun at the range where you you are not under pressure of a live situation, always release the slide in the "slingshot" manner. It will save wear and tear on the slide stop and slide engagment notch.

Read that again, courtesy of ElectraGlideInBlue.

I got my SA 1911a1 in 1992 for my self-given 21st B-day gift. Of course, it got horsed around with a lot. The only serious wear on the gun is on the left slide from the lock being released too often for 's--ts & giggles'. I actually had to take some polishing cloth to it and replace the slide lock. It is one of the guns weakest points (especially if you're a dumb college kid who thinks he know somehting).

 

[Neo-Luddite]

1

 

[Technosavant]

I don't ever drop the slide on an empty chamber, no need to.

 

[Extremist]

Extremist,
Do you mean they force you to let it slide forward at full force rather than easing it closed?

No, I'm sorry, didn't mean they make you drop it from slide lock. Actually, now that I think about it, most people do retract the slide, show the empty chamber and then some let it go forward without easing it down, but maybe some do ease it. As long as you show an empty chamber, slide forward, dry fire into the berm, you are good.

Yes Extremist, why couldn't you rack the slide and close it by hand?

You can, sorry, as long as you show and empty chamber you can let it close on it's own, or ease it forward as long as you dry fire into the berm.

Regards,
James

 

[Dr.Rob]

Do it all you want, it's the kind of thing that keeps gunsmiths in business.

 

[Spartacus451]

Do it all you want, it's the kind of thing that keeps gunsmiths in business.

I always thought free hand rotary tools were responsible for that.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Only by absolute accident. Meaning it happened by accident once but I will try to never let it happen again.

 

[f451]

Slamming Slide.

A friend of mine is a gunsmith who shoots in competition with a "race" .45 with comp and all the goodies. He built a carry gun for me and I asked the same question. He said that the gun is designed to cycle a shell with the trigger pulled as when you fire it and it cycles. When the slide runs forward with the trigger not pulled, it causes excesive wear on the sear mechanism. He pulls the trigger and lets slide down easily . I don't pull trigger but I do let it slide easy.

For competition, you have to abide by there rules and are supposed to be able to aford any problems that come up. I think that taking it easy on an empty chamber just kinda makes sense.

 

[Geronimo45]

In honor of this thread, I think I'll drop the slide home a dozen times tomorrow.

I'll also wear a Hawaiian shirt.

HA!