1911 - basic function question.

No. With the magazine empty, you're fighting the mag spring.

It's not a good idea to be releasing the slide for a full boogie slam to battery with the gun empty anyway.

IF you want to release the slide with an empty mag installed, pull back on the slide then ride the slide home. Don't ride the slide home when you're chambering a round.

only bad things I've ever read about the gun have been about the clips

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Magazines. They aren't clips, they are magazines. Sorry, pet peeve.

IF you want to release the slide with an empty mag installed, pull back on the slide then ride the slide home

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That won't do anything either. Pull the slide back, the magazine is still keeping the stop in the up position.

Pop the mag out a quarter inch, release the slide by cycling the slide and walking it forward, then pop the mag back into place.

IF you want to release the slide with an empty mag installed, pull back on the slide then ride the slide home

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That won't do anything either. Pull the slide back, the magazine is still keeping the stop in the up position.

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I think he meant pull the slide back to release tension, then ride it forward while simultaneously pushing down on the slide catch lever.

I remember bringing my brand new S&W 1911 home and wondering why I couldn't release the slide with an empty mag in. It was my first 1911, and all the other semi-autos I had ever handled or owned had been able to do this easily. It's just not how the 1911 was designed to work.

And releasing the slide by pulling it back and then riding it forward (when the gun is empty) will be much better for the gun in the long run than snapping it shut with the slide catch lever over and over.

One more thing - if you haven't already put an "idiot mark" on your 1911, look it up and study how to disassemble your gun without doing it. It will save you heartache in the long run.

I think he meant pull the slide back to release tension, then ride it forward while simultaneously pushing down on the slide catch lever.

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Doesn't matter. Mag spring still puts the same amount of tension on the stop, whether the slide is resting on it or not. Some mags you can, some you can't.
Heavily sprung mags will keep the slide stop locked up as long as they are empty and in the gun. The stubby little slide stop release lever doesn't give a lot of leverage over a good magazine spring.

As I said, release the mag, let it move down about a quarter inch or so, then release the slide and let it forward, then reseat the mag.

1911Tuner said:

No. With the magazine empty, you're fighting the mag spring.

It's not a good idea to be releasing the slide for a full boogie slam to battery with the gun empty anyway.

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But, if you're buying a used one, and the seller allows, dropping the slide without the magazine in place and on an empty chamber is a good way to make sure the hammer doesn't drop to half cock, or God forbid all the way (indicates sear engagment issues). But otherwise, as stated, not a good idea.

Oh, and if the seller won't let you drop it on an empty chamber, pull the snap cap out of you pocket and use that. I had to pass on a beautiful (appearance) custom 1911 when the hammer dropped to half cock everytime I shut the slide on a snap cap. The seller wasn't happy with me for finding him out.

Use that info to negotiate a lower price. It's not a difficult fix.

EddieNFL said:

Use that info to negotiate a lower price. It's not a difficult fix.

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True, but once I found out what was going on I wanted nothing to do with the seller. Had he been up front, I'd have bought it and spent a few hours fixing it myself.