What's wrong with releasing the slide on an empty chamber?

[Baba Louie]

My dear old Dad (machinist/gunsmith) always preached to me about not doing just that. The word he used (correctly or no) was "Peening" the two or three metal pieces that come together with no brass cartridge in the chamber to "soften" the impact.

Was he right? I dunno.

He's also been a machinist since 1952 and knows a little about working with metal.

Since Dad said not to, I don't. End of story for me.

Adios

 

[NEon]

I don't "pop" the clutch in my car either. It will probably hold, but why? 'Course with enough money you can do what you want.

 

[gyrfalcon16]

Sorry to drag this backup again...

I think it's a completely bogus assertion that releasing the slide on an empty chamber will cause any substantial damage to a defensive firearm.

If anyone disagrees I would like to know the exact mechanics of what you believe will cause damage, and a real life example.

So far I've read that these components could be damaged without any valid explanations of how they would be:

• Extractor
• Locking Block
• Sear

 

[gyrfalcon16]

I don't "pop" the clutch in my car either. It will probably hold, but why? 'Course with enough money you can do what you want.

That's a bad analogy... Everyone knows exactly why popping the clutch on a car causes damage to the transmission. Releasing the slide on an empty chamber does virtually nothing to the parts of firearm.

 

[6_gunner]

I don't think it hurts anything. Many small or old autos don't have a slide hold-open feature and so they close on an empty chamber after the last round is fired. Those guns don't seem to be any less durable than ones in which the slide locks open.

 

[Baba Louie]

Whoa, Deja Vu.
If it's your own handgun, feel free to let that slide fly forward on an empty chamber. Chances are you don't have a whole lot of money tied up on that particular firearm anyway or don't care if doing so (slide release on empty) will cause any harm to your handgun.

Please do not employ that same action on one of mine, or anyone else's without asking and receiving their permission. (I'm sure you would never do that to one of mine or anyone elses without asking for said permission) As others have so eloquently pointed out, It can cause issues with certain portions/parts of the trigger mechanism of certain types of guns... AND... it is considered rude to do so (to other's firearms... no one cares what you do with your own) and is typically an action performed by a novice (flame suit on). If it's a Glock... who cares? If it's a Yam, Yost, Christiansen (or others) fine tuned handgun... you might want to ask that gunsmith's opinion as to why or why not such an action would be objectionable. I suppose if you're going to pay him by the hour for future remedial trigger/barrel link work, he really won't care one way or another.

I have seen 1911's with peening issues, which may or may not have been a result of such practice... could have been soft steel, could have been timing issues or pin alignment could have been all of the above or none of the above.

I was taught to treat other people's guns better than I treat my own. And I was taught to never drop the slide on an empty chamber on one of mine.
YMMV

 

[gyrfalcon16]

As others have so eloquently pointed out, It can cause issues with certain portions/parts of the trigger mechanism of certain types of guns... AND... it is considered rude to do so (to other's firearms... no one cares what you do with your own) and is typically an action performed by a novice (flame suit on). If it's a Glock... who cares?

Here's a flame suit on for you:

Any gun that you can't release the slide on an empty chamber is defective or unsuitable for self defense.

So all of you fellas with $1000 1911's, etc that are tricked out and can't have the slide released on an empty chamber without risk of damaging them... they're junk when it comes to self-defense.

Seriously... do you people actually believe to that push a round out of the mag reduces the slide force that much?

If you want my personal opinion you're suffering from a psychological disorder called babygunitopia.

 

[Baba Louie]

Ahhhh spirited discourse. Ya gotta love it.

gyrfalcon, my Dad was a gunsmith who probably worked on maybe (I'm guessing here) 500+ handguns while I was living at home as a kid. This was back in the 60's and 70's when there were Colts, a few S&W's, BHP's, a Luger or two and a whole lot of revolvers. I've seen with my own eyes bunged up handguns and I watched him attempt to rectify some of them. Most were old warhorses, might have had spotty heat treatment, certainly back then they were a lot cheaper than the ones sold nowadays in more ways than one. I doubt slide cracks were due to the slide being released on empty chambers. Bad top lugs (rounded) and bottom lug uneven wear (slide stop pin alignment?)... You'd have to ask Art, Tuner or Old Fuff.

I couldn't tell you how many more he worked on since I moved away from home. Hundreds more I'm sure. The quality was better in some ways, since metallurgy had improved considerably.

I didn't say you couldn't release the slide on an empty chamber, I said I was taught not to do that since a lot of the guns I got to handle as a kid did not belong to me or my Dad. So I still practice what my Dad taught me.

Riddle me this "O slide slamming wizard" , Why does one need to drop the slide (using the slide stop of course) on an empty chamber other than the machismo sound?

I know that one can operate one's handgun in that manner, and I've seen it done in Gun Shops with brand new handguns by some peoples kids. I've also heard Gun Store Owners tell those who do that "Don't do that again." Probably because they do not own it yet and who wants to buy a gun that every tom dick and harry has handled in such fashion.

Seriously... do you people actually believe to that push a round out of the mag reduces the slide force that much?

Oh heavens no! Depressing the slide stop to chamber a round from the magazine and place the handgun into battery is a totally different thing than dropping the slide on an empty chamber. I still prefer to rack the slide back a bit and slingshot release the slide but you can certainly use the slide stop lever to release the slide... when there is a round in the magazine you are ready to chamber. That's a slightly different matter.

But I thank you for pointing out the defective or unsuitable (for) self defense handguns owned by gunowners who treat their handguns with... a little respect they feel they are due. I did not know that. You learn something every day if you keep your mind open... doncha?

 

[XavierBreath]

This is a four year old thread. If you want to debate this, how about starting a new thread?

Seriously... do you people actually believe to that push a round out of the mag reduces the slide force that much?

Yes. Learn a little about the function of the gun before you start slinging poo.