Releasing the slide on a 1911 with an empty chamber....

[trebor2880]

Sound advise in my opinion.

 

[enefgee]

Bill Wilson says don't. He knows some stuff about those guns.

 

[wbaad]

Unless you're buying a 1911 made from pot metal you can drop the slide with a magazine loaded as often as you want.

Is Walther making 1911s now??

 

[grumpyold]

Bill Wilson says don't. He knows some stuff about those guns.

Most manufactures advice not to do it. Is your semi going to give up the ghost the first time you drop the slide on an empty chamber... no. It's a matter of unnecessary wear and tear.

 

[caramel]

PS: I have no intention of buying a Kimber... Period. JP.

 

[easyrider604]

You CAN drop the slide on an empty chamber, with or with out an empty magazine.

As long as you do it while pressing the trigger, you will not damage any part of the ignition system, ie sear, hammer.

That's how it was explained to me many years ago.

By doing so, you are simulating what happens a microsecond after firing a shot, where the slide recoils back. As the slide moves forward due to recoil tension, it strips a round from the mag and slides it under the extractor hook then into the chamber.

Notice the slide recoils back and "slams" forward within a split second, while your finger is still pressing the trigger. The way I understand it, the Disconnector was also depressed by the slide moving back and it stays disconnected while you are pressing the trigger. Disconnector prevents the trigger bow from touching the sear until the slide has slammed forward into battery where then, it would be safe to fire.

When you reset the trigger by releasing finger pressure, the disconnector will also reset allowing the trigger to touch the sear when you again, press trigger for the next shot.

I think the disconnector is there to prevent slamfire into full auto, by allowing the sear to fully engage the sear tip onto the hammer notch.

How all this dynamic interaction between trigger, disconnector and sear, prevents damage to a fine trigger job, I am not sure.

 

[gravel]

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

This.

 

[Sharps '63]

When I acquired my Gold Cup back in the 70s, this is how I was advised to drop the slide to preserve my trigger pull. I've since gotten away from it due to muscle memory training - "never have your finger in the trigger guard unless engaging a target".

You CAN drop the slide on an empty chamber, with or with out an empty magazine.

As long as you do it while pressing the trigger, you will not damage any part of the ignition system, ie sear, hammer.

That's how it was explained to me many years ago.

By doing so, you are simulating what happens a microsecond after firing a shot, where the slide recoils back. As the slide moves forward due to recoil tension, it strips a round from the mag and slides it under the extractor hook then into the chamber.

Notice the slide recoils back and "slams" forward within a split second, while your finger is still pressing the trigger. The way I understand it, the Disconnector was also depressed by the slide moving back and it stays disconnected while you are pressing the trigger. Disconnector prevents the trigger bow from touching the sear until the slide has slammed forward into battery where then, it would be safe to fire.

When you reset the trigger by releasing finger pressure, the disconnector will also reset allowing the trigger to touch the sear when you again, press trigger for the next shot.

I think the disconnector is there to prevent slamfire into full auto, by allowing the sear to fully engage the sear tip onto the hammer notch.

How all this dynamic interaction between trigger, disconnector and sear, prevents damage to a fine trigger job, I am not sure.

 

[BCRider]

Yes, but when you fire the gun it strips the new round and pushes it into the chamber. That alone acts as a brake to the slide to reduce the final energy of falling into battery. Stripping the round would be much like letting the trigger finger drag firmly on the slide as it moves forward.

 

[Sambaru]

Hilton Yam once compared it to something along the lines of slamming the door to your brand new car. A few times won't hurt. Doing it over and over could eventually cause something to break. But why would you even want to do it anyway?

 

[nate18]

but i mean....why would you really? if you have to ask if its good or bad for the gun with no real data to prove either way, why would you? ive never encountered a scenario if my years that requires me to drop the slide on an empty chamber. i dont personally do it to any of my guns. is it bad? idk. but the sound hurts my soul.

 

[P0WERWAGON]

if your gun gets damaged by just dropping the slide on an empty chamber, you need a better gun

 

[nate18]

if your gun gets damaged by just dropping the slide on an empty chamber, you need a better gun

until you have substantial evidence to show that it doesnt damage a gun....err on the side of cation.

 

[icelink]

I will do this all day everyday on every gun I own....including my colt 1911 rail gun

 

[P0WERWAGON]

until you have substantial evidence to show that it doesnt damage a gun....err on the side of cation.

i have a HiPower that i put 3000 rounds through and i bought it very well used and abused, play with it all the time dropping the slide and dry fire. it runs 100% still

 

[geologist]

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 ...... ?

BEFORE I hand anyone one of my revolvers I tell them NOT to do the idiotic close the cylinder with a wrist flick.

 

[Advoc]

My searchings, and talkings, and playings, and shootings have taught me this on the issue:

Okay:
Drop the slide on empty,
Dry fire.

NOT OKAY!!!!:
Drop the slide on empty on somebody else's gun
Dry fire somebody else's gun
^^^ Without permission

DEFINITELY NOT OKAY!!!:
Manually load a round in the chamber and drop the slide on the full chamber.

Always load your rounds in a semi auto from the magazine.

 

[bettieguitar]

PS: I have no intention of buying a Kimber... Period. JP.

Smart choice.

 

[wayupnorth]

while i in all seriousness cant believe that dropping a slide on a empty chamber is going to do anything to a gun that handles the explosive pressures and G forces that all guns do - i do not drop the slide.
it just makes me cringe when its done.
just the sound of it sends a shiver up my spine.

especially AR's, when someone drops the bolt release on a empty AR that drives me NUTS!
i just wait to see the upper go pinwheeling off the gun and the take down pins to go flying off in every direction shattered.

truth be told im more concerned with having the slide dropped empty on a plastic gun than i am on a 1911.
plastic fatigue scares me more than metal peening.

 

[wayupnorth]

PS: I have no intention of buying a Kimber... Period. JP.

Smart choice.

that's fine, you g̶i̶r̶l̶s̶ guys leave the Kimber's for me, ill take them, im not so high class i wont shoot a nice Kimber!