Dropping the slide on a new gun
- Thread starter AK
- Start date
I look at it this way
if it's yours do as you wish
if not
don't
there is nothing to be gained by doing it, maybe nothing will happen if you do
ask for a snap cap
Springfield for one does not recommend it being done on their TRP, so I don't
lots of different views, mine is don't do it
if it's yours do as you wish
if not
don't
there is nothing to be gained by doing it, maybe nothing will happen if you do
ask for a snap cap
Springfield for one does not recommend it being done on their TRP, so I don't
lots of different views, mine is don't do it
- Location
- The Police State: Ontario
Yes, bad etiquette.
If it's your own gun, I don't think it's a good idea to drop the slide on an empty chamber on purpose.
If it is someone else's gun and you do it on purpose, you should be slapped. When handling the property of others, have some respect and manners. Handle gently and carefully. You don't want to act like a typical government agent.
If it's your own gun, I don't think it's a good idea to drop the slide on an empty chamber on purpose.
If it is someone else's gun and you do it on purpose, you should be slapped. When handling the property of others, have some respect and manners. Handle gently and carefully. You don't want to act like a typical government agent.
On the plus side, it's not a divisive issue and has never led to 10-page flame wars, so at least we can discuss it publicly without incident.
Were you out of the country when we had the 10 page thread on dropping the slide etiquette for 1911's? That one came down pretty close to flaming at a few spots.
When there's a round in a magazine and the slide is chambering said round the action of pushing and picking up the round and all the bumps and bangs along the way act as a shock absorber for the gun. So no harm done. But without a round to cushion things ALL the force goes into slamming the slide home and really rattling the gun. Some guns are stiff enough, at least at first, that they clearly sound just fine with a lot of intermediary sounds indicating that things are slowing down the slide. On the other hand a well broken in 1911 in particular has a very sharp "glass" like sound when things slam home all in one solitary CLACK! There's nothing to slow them down and slamming them into battery like that is much like hitting the colliding parts with a hammer.
Bottom line is that I did it at one time but no more. Now I ease them home with at least a little drag even if it's just pressing my trigger finger against the slide for some drag while thumbing the slide release.
i think the sarcasm in his post went right over your head!
When I was young(er) and stupid(er), I noticed the dropping the slide on an empty 1911 or a P-35, especially if they'd had trigger-work done, would often drop the hammer to the half-#### notch.
Then I read an article in some gun rag detailing how one can actually damage a finely tuned trigger by doing just that.
So... like everyone else said... don't
Then I read an article in some gun rag detailing how one can actually damage a finely tuned trigger by doing just that.
So... like everyone else said... don't
If you do it to your own, the worst thing that can happen is that the people around you will suspect you don't have a clue about the correct handling of firearms, or will regard you as ignorant and a poor source for used guns. If you do it to mine.......
Obviously if the gun's not mine, I wouldn't dry-fire without a snap cap, I wouldn't drop the slide on a empty chamber, I wouldn't release the slide using the slide release lever, and I wouldn't slam magazines into the magazine well.
However, note that some guns were meant to take punishment. For example, whenever I invite people to shoot my handguns I always have to remind them not to 'baby' them. For example the formal function check of one of my handguns after I reassemble it, involves dry-firing on empty chamber, dropping slide on empty chamber, and testing of the slide release lever.
However, note that some guns were meant to take punishment. For example, whenever I invite people to shoot my handguns I always have to remind them not to 'baby' them. For example the formal function check of one of my handguns after I reassemble it, involves dry-firing on empty chamber, dropping slide on empty chamber, and testing of the slide release lever.
