I was into Cabelas today looking at 22lr 1911's and the guy behind the gun counter released the slide on an empty chamber a couple times on different handguns. I thought I read somewhere that this was a big no no, on any caliber 1911, as it could somehow damage the firearm. Should I consider buying a 1911-22 from this store or find one somewhere else (online) where they havn't potentionally done damage to the firearm by repeatedly releasing the slide on an empty chamber ?
Releasing the slide on a 1911 with an empty chamber....
- Thread starter tillerguy
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Might be true, might be folk lore. Personally I heard that it's bad for the sear. I will say this: if you can't point to an exact reason why it's the case, then you might weigh it against the fact that millions of these firearms have been in circulation, the vast majority of which have been operated by people ignorant of this, and despite that the design still has a good reputation.
On a different note, it's worth noting that .22lr 1911s aren't actually 1911s. They're externally similar but internally they're different guns, being blowback-operated. Even assuming it's true that you shouldn't drop the slide on a 1911 on an empty chamber, that might not necessarily be true for a .22lr GSG or what have you.
Personally I wouldn't worry too much about it.
On a different note, it's worth noting that .22lr 1911s aren't actually 1911s. They're externally similar but internally they're different guns, being blowback-operated. Even assuming it's true that you shouldn't drop the slide on a 1911 on an empty chamber, that might not necessarily be true for a .22lr GSG or what have you.
Personally I wouldn't worry too much about it.
I'd love to hear a good first hand story with evidence to back up that sweeping statement lol.
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There is definatly some absorption with a round in the chamber lessons impact. also stripping the round from the mag will slow the slide a bit too.
listen to the sound of the impact with and without the round, completely different
also, the round now also absorbs some of the impact from the breechface, instead of falling on an empty chamber.
does it hurt the firearm? Who knows... all I know is I personally don't myself, nor do people that use my guns
listen to the sound of the impact with and without the round, completely different
also, the round now also absorbs some of the impact from the breechface, instead of falling on an empty chamber.
does it hurt the firearm? Who knows... all I know is I personally don't myself, nor do people that use my guns
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Back in the day, when people were using heavily gunsmithed race guns, the general recommendation was to _not_ drop the slide on an empty chamber, as extractors, ejectors and other parts on the tuned guns could be damaged or at least thrown out of alignment. I doubt that this is true for modern production guns...
Closing where it jacks a round up out of the mag and into the chamber is a BIG difference from letting the slide drop on a gun with no magazine.
My CZ's still make a lot of mechanical bumps as they drop on an empty well and chamber. So I don't worry about them since they are being slowed down as they close by multiple smaller hits. Not sure what it is but there's a noticeable amount of them. On the other hand the 1911's drop with a distinctly "glass on glass" sort of sound. Or maybe it's better described as a hammer head to hammer head sort of sound.
As someone that has worked with metal for a lot of years I'm sensitive to the sort of sound the 1911 makes when the slide drops on on an empty well and chamber. And it's not a sound a machinist wants to hear very often. It speaks of peening and other possible damage if repeated often enough
Now and then is not going to be a big deal. But it's not something I'd want to hear frequently from any gun I own.
And in the end all it takes to soften the sharpness of the "CLACK!" made by a 1911 is to lift the trigger finger up and let it drag firmly on the slide as it is released. The drag from the trigger finger will lower the slides speed and impact. Do that and there positively won't be any damage of any sort ever.
In fact I've made it a habit for any of my semis to do this. It's more of a reach with the CZ's but my finger is long enough that I can still do it.
My CZ's still make a lot of mechanical bumps as they drop on an empty well and chamber. So I don't worry about them since they are being slowed down as they close by multiple smaller hits. Not sure what it is but there's a noticeable amount of them. On the other hand the 1911's drop with a distinctly "glass on glass" sort of sound. Or maybe it's better described as a hammer head to hammer head sort of sound.
As someone that has worked with metal for a lot of years I'm sensitive to the sort of sound the 1911 makes when the slide drops on on an empty well and chamber. And it's not a sound a machinist wants to hear very often. It speaks of peening and other possible damage if repeated often enough
Now and then is not going to be a big deal. But it's not something I'd want to hear frequently from any gun I own.
And in the end all it takes to soften the sharpness of the "CLACK!" made by a 1911 is to lift the trigger finger up and let it drag firmly on the slide as it is released. The drag from the trigger finger will lower the slides speed and impact. Do that and there positively won't be any damage of any sort ever.
In fact I've made it a habit for any of my semis to do this. It's more of a reach with the CZ's but my finger is long enough that I can still do it.
Thanks for the input guys. I'm new to restricted firearms. I'm waiting on the transfer of an sr1911 I found on the EE to go thru and was considering a gsg/sig 1911 style 22lr to familiarize myself with this type of handgun. If I go this route, I will follow the advice of Albertastrong and see if they have another one besides the display model. If I'm going to pay BNIB price, it should come out of a box and not out from under glass....
Not exactly like dropping the slide using the slide release from a full rest.
The only reason I'll drop the slide on an empty 1911 is to test for hammer follow when doing a trigger job.
BTW, I just watched the "500 slide drops" video... the guy has a failure while he is trying to show how reliable his gun is. Should be listed as a "FAIL" video. LoL!
BTW, I just watched the "500 slide drops" video... the guy has a failure while he is trying to show how reliable his gun is. Should be listed as a "FAIL" video. LoL!
If the 1911 is fitted properly it won't hurt it. Where this comes from is a 1911 with a poorly fitted barrel link will put a lot of stress on the link when you close the slide. If fitted correctly the barrel lugs will take the force no problem although if done many times with a highly sprung gun it may start to peen the lugs I guess but this "myth" is mostly about barrel links breaking that weren't fitted correctly.
Personally it's never been an issue for me...I never drop the slide using the slide release...I prefer the overhand pull back and close method...no slap whatsoever...never had any indication of peening on the slide stop notch either...even with my gsg..just habits I guess..op...you are correct to get a bnib toy...not one handled by everyone who asked....
Most savvy gun owners consider dropping the slide of a 1911 on an empty chamber to be a fox paw. Your gun - your rules. Drop the slide on my 1911s and we're going to have a serious discussion, and you will never handle one of my guns again.
I was showing a newly acquired 4" M29 to an experienced IPSC 1911 shooter. He flicked open the cylinder and flicked it closed like Lee Marvin in a detective movie! I wonder what he would have thought had I dropped the slide on his match tuned Gold Cup ...... ?
I was showing a newly acquired 4" M29 to an experienced IPSC 1911 shooter. He flicked open the cylinder and flicked it closed like Lee Marvin in a detective movie! I wonder what he would have thought had I dropped the slide on his match tuned Gold Cup ...... ?
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I manually ease the slide forward on ALL guns I own, including semi rifles, and insist anyone using my semis to do the same. I do the same for anyone else's gun and ones at the LGS.
I HATE the sound of any slide dropping on empty from slide catch.
I don't know or care if there is short or long term damage from slide drop on empty. I, personally, feel it is more courteous to ease a slide down.
No one has ever complained about easing a slide down but people have given the "eye" to slide drops on empty.
I NEVER ease a slide to chamber a round though.
I HATE the sound of any slide dropping on empty from slide catch.
I don't know or care if there is short or long term damage from slide drop on empty. I, personally, feel it is more courteous to ease a slide down.
No one has ever complained about easing a slide down but people have given the "eye" to slide drops on empty.
I NEVER ease a slide to chamber a round though.
