Rough Handling 1911??

I wouldn't let the slide slam forward by releasing the slide stop on any auto pistol with a hammer. It will accelerate wear on the sear and hammer if done repeatedly and is poor form to boot. The only reason to drop the slide by releasing the slide stop is to check that the hammer doesn't follow the slide forward. If you want to release the slide from the locked back position on an empty gun, ease it forward.

Just racking the slide by hand shouldn't hurt anything.

With a properly executed trigger job, you should not need to hold the trigger back when the action is cycled manually. This is a violation of Rule 3 (keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target).

Quality 1911s are plenty durable, but, like many firearm types, there are some things you shouldn't do to them. For example:

-Flipping the cylinder open or closed on a revolver.
-Dropping a round into the chamber of a semiautomatic rifle and letting the bolt slam forward on it.
-Letting the barrel(s) drop down on a break action shotgun.
 
Delete that... oh I got a question, does slamming the slide forward on an empty chamber just affect the whole hammer/sear/something else or does it affect the barrel too... I just didn't know that. I didn't do it more than 10 times as of now, so I just would like to know what the damage can be, I didn't see any change on the trigger or anything else anyway.
 
tjhaile said:
I wouldn't let the slide slam forward by releasing the slide stop on any auto pistol with a hammer. It will accelerate wear on the sear and hammer if done repeatedly and is poor form to boot. The only reason to drop the slide by releasing the slide stop is to check that the hammer doesn't follow the slide forward. If you want to release the slide from the locked back position on an empty gun, ease it forward.

Just racking the slide by hand shouldn't hurt anything.

With a properly executed trigger job, you should not need to hold the trigger back when the action is cycled manually. This is a violation of Rule 3 (keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target).

Quality 1911s are plenty durable, but, like many firearm types, there are some things you shouldn't do to them. For example:

-Flipping the cylinder open or closed on a revolver.
-Dropping a round into the chamber of a semiautomatic rifle and letting the bolt slam forward on it.
-Letting the barrel(s) drop down on a break action shotgun.
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I think your totally wrong on this point, locking the slide back inserting a new mag and droping the slide release is a proper way to chamber a round in any pistol and is even specified in my Wilson manual as a proper chambering procedure.
 
Proper 1911 terminology...

It's called a slide stop, not a slide release... ;) :p

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NAA.
 
OZZ said:
I think your totally wrong on this point, locking the slide back inserting a new mag and droping the slide release is a proper way to chamber a round in any pistol and is even specified in my Wilson manual as a proper chambering procedure.
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I have no objection to loading a pistol from a locked back slide, just letting the slide slam forward without a loaded magazine inserted. Without the friction from stripping a round from the magazine, the slide goes forward at a much higher velocity, which causes the hammer hooks to strike the sear with grater force, thus accelerating wear.

On an empty gun, the slide should be eased forward if you want it in that position, but the slide should be permitted to go forward on its own for chambering a round to ensure that it goes into battery.
 
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tjhaile said:
I have no objection to loading a pistol from a locked back slide, just letting the slide slam forward without a loaded magazine inserted. Without the friction from stripping a round from the magazine, the slide goes forward at a much higher velocity, which causes the hammer hooks to strike the sear with grater force, thus accelerating wear.

On an empty gun, the slide should be eased forward if you want it in that position, but the slide should be permitted to go forward on its own for chambering a round to insure that it goes into battery.
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That just makes sense....

However, your pistol is your pistol, and you do what ever you like to do with it......
 
O.k. bear with me here I`m not a 1911 guy.
As I understand it the 1911 is a very durable firearm and the .45 is a fairly hot round.
I fail to see how "letting the slide slam forward" has more force than shooting it.
Am I the only one that thinks simple physics disproves this................
 
Many years ago, it used to be standard practise on guns with target triggers to pull the trigger before releasing the slide, INCLUDING WHEN LOADING A ROUND. :eek:

This is also a useful technique if your sear is in need of adjustment and the hammer follows when the slide is released. But yes, it does make a lot of people cringe, but is actually much safer than keeping your finger off the trigger on guns with light triggers.
 
TBMH said:
I fail to see how "letting the slide slam forward" has more force than shooting it.
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It is not about the forces on the slide/frame, it is about forces on the hammer/sear. It won't have much effect at all on a standard (or stock) hammer/sear engagement. But if you have a lightened trigger, with short reset, doing it a number of times can start to affect your trigger job.
 
SandRoad said:
It is not about the forces on the slide/frame, it is about forces on the hammer/sear. It won't have much effect at all on a standard (or stock) hammer/sear engagement. But if you have a lightened trigger, with short reset, doing it a number of times can start to affect your trigger job.
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I think were just having a hard time wraping our heads around the idea that stripping a round from the mag helps deaden the jarring on the trigger??

The whole action of firing and cycling is a pretty jarring on everything isnt it? Hard to imagine the same cycling action without a round being chambered is much less brutal on anything.
 
NAA said:
It's called a slide stop, not a slide release...
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NAA.
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True, but period field manuals do instruct you to use it to release the slide on a reload. For example, FM 23-35 for the AUTOMATIC PISTOL, CALIBER .45 M1911 AND M1911A1 says:

h. To release the slide from the open position, it is only
necessary to press upon the thumbpiece of the slide stop,
then the slide will go forward to its closed position, carrying
a cartridge from the previously Inserted magazine into the
barrel and making the pistol ready for firing again

If anything speaks to the original intent of said slide stop, I think that does.
 
OZZ said:
I think were just having a hard time wraping our heads around the idea that stripping a round from the mag helps deaden the jarring on the trigger??

The whole action of firing and cycling is a pretty jarring on everything isnt it? Hard to imagine the same cycling action without a round being chambered is much less brutal on anything.
Click to expand...

You are correct, but most of the time that entire "cycle" happens with your finger still pulling the trigger. This removes the pressure from the hammer/sear bearing surfaces so they are not getting pounded.

******Key piece of missing info from above posts and articles *****
(in simplified terms so terminology is not exact) When the trigger is pulled and the gun cycles and the hammer is pushed back and cocked, BUT it does not catch on the sear, it catches on "hooks". When you let go of the trigger (reset), typically after the cycle has finished, only THEN do the sear surfaces engage. If it wasn't for the "hooks" the gun would continue firing as long as the trigger is depressed.

So if you are going to let the slide go on an empty chamber on a target gun with a light, polished trigger, you can pull the trigger first, or let the slide go lightly.
 
1851 Navy said:
True, but period field manuals do instruct you to use it to release the slide on a reload. For example, FM 23-35 for the AUTOMATIC PISTOL, CALIBER .45 M1911 AND M1911A1 says:

h. To release the slide from the open position, it is only
necessary to press upon the thumbpiece of the slide stop,
then the slide will go forward to its closed position, carrying
a cartridge from the previously Inserted magazine into the
barrel and making the pistol ready for firing again

If anything speaks to the original intent of said slide stop, I think that does.
Click to expand...

Written by non-purists..... :p

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NAA.
 
1851 Navy said:
Any time you want to host a seance to see what JMB himself intended us to use it for, drop me a PM and I'll bring the cheetos. ;)
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The fact that ole JMB called it the slide stop is good enough for me. If the military changed it's primary function to suit it's needs so be it.....:yingyang:

2007-10-27_091302_1aCoffee.gif

NAA.
 
SandRoad said:
You are correct, but most of the time that entire "cycle" happens with your finger still pulling the trigger. This removes the pressure from the hammer/sear bearing surfaces so they are not getting pounded.

******Key piece of missing info from above posts and articles *****
(in simplified terms so terminology is not exact) When the trigger is pulled and the gun cycles and the hammer is pushed back and cocked, BUT it does not catch on the sear, it catches on "hooks". When you let go of the trigger (reset), typically after the cycle has finished, only THEN do the sear surfaces engage. If it wasn't for the "hooks" the gun would continue firing as long as the trigger is depressed.

So if you are going to let the slide go on an empty chamber on a target gun with a light, polished trigger, you can pull the trigger first, or let the slide go lightly.
Click to expand...

Got it!
 
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