Releasing slide into empty chamber

[Kyle2011]

Where do you stand on this topic? Do you think releasing the slide into an empty chamber damages parts of the gun or is this just a myth?

 

[guitarman531]

Huh? Dry-firing is fine, from my understanding (a process that involves releasing the slide with the chamber empty [hopefully!])

 

[earlthegoat2]

I think on a 1911 it is a very real concern.

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

not sure, but i've heard it's a bad thing to do from so many people, i don't do it lol

 

[jad0110]

I think on a 1911 it is a very real concern.

Dropping the slide of a 1911 on an empty chamber batters the locking lugs. OTH, chambering a round from a magazine slows the forward motion of the slide just enough to act as a shock absorber.

I can't speak for other designs though.

 

[N.Schafer]

Depends on how many times you do it. 7,000 times? Maybe. When you actually fire the gun, a small explosion is set off, propelling the slide rearward and camming the barrel down quite fast. I highly doubt the recoil spring pushing the slide forward creates more damage or wear than that.

 

[REAPER4206969]

Not recommended.

 

[1911Tuner]

Dropping the slide of a 1911 on an empty chamber batters the locking lugs

It can't batter the locking lugs any worse than firing the gun. The areas that it stresses are the lower lug feet...the slidestop pin...and the front of the slidestop crosspin hole in the frame, eventually elongating the hole if done on a regular basis. Done occasionally to test for hammer followdown won't hurt. Sitting around playing with the gun in that way repeatedly while watching a rented movie will.

It's particularly hard on older, unhardened barrels and frames and aluminum alloy frames.

Feeding a cartridge from the magazine slows the slide and bleeds off the momentum, reducing the impact on these areas.

 

[GLOOB]

Do you drop the slide on other peoples' guns? How bout at the counter of your gun store?

Personally, I feel I might as well let the slide back gently, so long as my other hand isn't too busy to lend itself for 2 seconds. But if I had only one hand, I'd just let it drop and it wouldn't bother me.

Side note: I believe that dropping the slide on an "empty" chamber has been accomplice to many ND's where the gun was "unloaded." Riding the slide when you "know" it's empty is a way of triple-checking, since you can feel a round being chambered.

So if I'm about to shoot it, I drop the slide. If I'm putting it away, I'm letting the slide down, gently.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

If you "slide-slam" your pistol enough to damage anything, you have waaaay too much time on your hands.

Do you drop the slide on other peoples' guns? How bout at the counter of your gun store?

No, but this is more a matter of etiquette. If it is a used gun and I want to check for hammer follow, I will ask first.

 

[gwnorth]

On a 1911, it is the sear you risk battering and peening.

 

[WarMachine]

Do you drop the slide on other peoples' guns? How bout at the counter of your gun store?

This isn't even a valid comparison. One not doing something with an object they do not own is not grounds for saying that the "something" you're doing is inherently bad or damaging to the operation.

In regards to the OP, there seems to be an issue on 1911 style handguns. On other designs, it's not something to worry about unless you're doing it thousands of times a week.

If there is, I'd like to see ONE source of a quality handgun being damaged directly as a result of dropping the slide. ONE.

 

[EddieNFL]

Dry-firing is fine, from my understanding (a process that involves releasing the slide with the chamber empty [hopefully!])

Or cocking the hammer.

Done occasionally to test for hammer followdown won't hurt. Sitting around playing with the gun in that way repeatedly while watching a rented movie will.

Cable movies are safe, though?

This is another one of those, "What purpose does it serve," kind of things. I don't slap revolvers closed, either.

 

[Zerodefect]

I don't drop my slide when I dry fire my Glock. I follow the slide closed. I'm not real gental, its a Glock, but its just wrong feeling to let it slam home.

When you fiigure the thousands and thousands of dry fires I done at home practicing, dropping the slide every time would be nasty on the gun and on my ears.

 

[Hatterasguy]

I was always told not to do it on a 1911, but on more modern guns it probably doesn't hurt anything.

Glocks can be dropped out of planes and it doesn't bother them, I doubt dropping a slide will do anything.

 

[LiveLife]

Been doing it on Glocks for 15+ years - no problems. I do it on M&P 40 without concern either.

I "baby" the slide on other guns (1911s, Sig, CZ, etc.), not because I have concerns, but I "value" them more.