Why do some gun shops not like you to "slingshot" the slide?

[opto_isolator]

If I am going to buy a pistol, I want to make sure it functions how I plan to use it. If that means testing the functionality, that's what I'm going to do. I tried this at a local shop a few weeks back and the guy helping me was like "please don't use that to release the slide." Uh, OK, I didn't realize it was going to hurt the pistol....

 

[daorhgih]

If it's not yours, .......

... don't treat it like it is: slo-motion, muzzle straight up or down, chamber left in just the way the shop-owner HANDED IT TO YOU, try to remember how the owner racked the slide, etc. Obey the owner. This makes for long-term friendships.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

^ I agree, it's not your gun to slam around. Whats the use of slamming a slide on an empty chamber anyway...do you just like the sound? Treat it like an object that is worth several hundred dollars, and doesn't belong to you. Whether it ends up harming the gun or not really doesn't matter, just have some respect for other folk's property.

BTW, if you are releasing the slide witht he slide stop, you aren't "slingshotting" the slide.

 

[easyg]

Why do some gun shops not like you to "slingshot" the slide?

Ignorance, pure and simple.

Some guys behind the counter don't understand that this does not harm the weapon in any way whatsoever.

 

[mr.scott]

easyg. Pretty much. If I'll hurt the gun by slingshotting the slide, I don't want the gun as it is a piece of junk. If it can't handle that, it's not going to be able to handle firing a round.

 

[smallbore]

Their property. Their rules.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Why must you slingshot the slide when there is no ammo in it, and you are not shooting it?

 

[Lothar Allen]

It is possible to damage a nicely fitted 1911 this way, and it is more than reasonable to ask that you not drop the slide on an empty chamber. It has nothing to do with the gun being "junk".

 

[easyg]

Why must you slingshot the slide when there is no ammo in it, and you are not shooting it?

To insure that the pistol actually works as it should.

It is possible to damage a nicely fitted 1911 this way,

This is news to me.
How exactly can this damage a 1911?

 

[ugaarguy]

This is news to me.
How exactly can this damage a 1911?

Because there isn't a round being stripped off the mag, and fed into the chamber to slow the slide. It can bounce the sear against the hammer, ruining a good trigger job. It also slams the internal extractor against the breech face, which can affect extractor tension.

Slingshotting the slide on an empty chamber on any pistol isn't testing anything. There's no ammo in the mag to test feeding or chambering with. All you're doing is slamming the breech face of the slide into the breech of the bbl unnecessarily.

Are you all enlightened now?

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

You insure that the gun works properly by carefully inspecting it, buying it from a reputable person you have identified, and then taking it out and shooting it. Used guns rarely come witha guarantee, so use discretion, and even then you can get a lemon. New guns usually come with a warrantee. Slingshotting the slide doesn't tell you much about function (really, the slide goes back and forth....what else?), and is no guarantee that the gun will work properly.

 

[bdb benzino]

"It is possible to damage a nicely fitted 1911 this way"


I have heard the exact same thing, they say it can ruin a nicely tuned trigger.

 

[Lothar Allen]

It can bounce the sear against the hammer, ruining a good trigger job.

This is really the primary reason for a 1911. On a bullseye gun, or gun with equivalent quality trigger work, it can cause damage to a carefully fitted sear and hammer hooks. On a glock or equivalent there isn't alot of precision fitting to damage.

 

[David E]

There us no reason to allow the slide to slam shut-in an empty chamber, regardless of the gun.

It may damage a 1911 and not damage a Glock, but why can't you ease the slide forward instead to check all you need to? Do you also spin an open cylinder and flick it closed while it's still spinning, then bitch and moan when the owner asks you not to?

Sometimes I wish I had a plastic banana. I'd take MY gun back and hand them the banana: "if you want to monkey around with something, use this."

 

[Powderman]

Some guys behind the counter don't understand that this does not harm the weapon in any way whatsoever.

Think again, friend.

As has been noted, there are two ways the pistol can be damaged by this procedure.

For pistols with a sear/hammer arrangement (any pistol with an exposed hammer) the slide slamming home on an empty chamber will make the hammer hooks bounce on the sear. This will eventually deform the sear nose, batter the hammer hooks, and can cause the pistol to malfunction by sear or sear notch breakage. Bullseye tuned 1911's are more susceptible to this damage because there is normally an engagement surface measuring between .018 and .020.

For striker fired pistols--including the Glock--slamming the slide on the empty chamber can peen the barrel hood and the locking lugs of the barrel, if so equipped. This will eventually cause chipping, peening and cracking of the slide and/or lugs at the point of impact.

Bottom line--do NOT drop the slide on an empty chamber on ANY semiautomatic pistol.

 

[tubeshooter]

As a self-described revolver guy, I definitely learned some things today.


So thanks, everyone.

 

[Got_Lead?]

Dropping the slide on an empty chamber, snapping a revolver cylinder closed with a flick of the wrist, slap snap and dry-fire, and likewise antics cause damage to firearms. With the price of a good gun getting onward to that of a thousand spot, it's quite an investment to damage out of hollywood ignorance. I get pretty annoyed when someone abuses one of my guns gangsta style. It's not cool, and only shows how much a person does not know.

The proper way to handle a firearm in a gun shop is to remove the magazine, and lock the slide to the rear, inspect it to ensure it's unloaded, then if you may gently close the slide. Re-lock the slide to the rear when handing the gun back to the owner, be safe. And don't dry fire another person's weapon. Some guns are more or less prone to breakage by dry firing. Even manufactures who say it's ok to dry fire, it's still not good for the weapon. Ruger confirms dry firing is OK in their revolvers, it's written right in the users manual, however, my single six firing pin broke after dry firing it perhaps 20 times.

I'm not trying to be too critical, but many people are very particular about their guns, I am.

 

[EddieNFL]

really, the slide goes back and forth....what else

Don't recall ever seeing an auto that didn't cycle by hand when empty. Sometimes a different story at the range, though.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I never understood why people get so worked up and cry because they can't go into a gun shop and treat the dealers weapons any way they want. This is the umpteenth thread where someone is crying because they wanted to handle the dealers guns a certain way or disassemble the weapons or whatever and they got all butt hurt because the dealer said no. They are his weapons. If you want to treat it like its yours find a rental range or BUY IT. Otherwise they are his and he has the right to tell you how to handle his weapons safely and without damaging them.

 

[Miedin]

I hear some valid possibilities for why this might cause damage now lets here some intelligent debate for why it does not...

I have a feeling there was some wasted breath in this thread, mine included.

 

[Axel Larson]

As for disassembling the firearm they should at least take it apart so you can see if you are very interested. If they do not trust you with than they should handle taking it apart but they are trying to sell the firearm so they should try to accommodate you.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

And don't dry fire another person's weapon. Some guns are more or less prone to breakage by dry firing. Even manufactures who say it's ok to dry fire, it's still not good for the weapon.

Respectfully, I will have to disagree. Perhaps you shouldn't without asking, and I always do ask, but I also get looked at like I'm crazy for even asking permission. This goes more into treating their weapons as you would have them treat yours. Dry firing only harms a very limited number of pistols, it's just bad manners to do so without asking in my opinion. Not to mention dry firing is part of a functions check, which you should always be able to perform.

 

[Skylerbone]

Never dryfire a rimfire of any variety. Never dryfire a revolver with an exposed firing pin.

If you're serious about a used 1911 then bring along some snap caps and ask permission. The valid reason for dropping a 1911 slide is to check for hammer follow. I run that check after working on mine but as noted those are my firearms. Explaining what you would like to do and why to a dealer may make a difference. In the end, you must agree to play by house rules and if you don't like the rules find another shop.

 

[9mmepiphany]

This goes more into treating their weapons as you would have them treat yours....
...it's just bad manners to do so without asking in my opinion.

This is what it really comes down too...it is just bad manners to treat other people's property as your own without asking first.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

This is what it really comes down too...it is just bad manners to treat other people's property as your own without asking first.

This is the real crux of the matter. Only if you're buying a used firearm and you've made 90% of the decision to buy it should you start dry firing, slamming slides, disassembling, etc. BTW, the "slide slam" on a 1911 is a legitimate test for hammer follow, but don't get carried away.