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Is it OK to drop the slide on an empty gun?


LeviSS

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Is it OK to drop the slide when practicing reloads? I'm transitioning to a reload with the slide catch instead of power stroking it and want to run it dry a lot to build muscle memory. Is there anything wrong with letting it slam forward?

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Absolutely nothing wrong with it.... People who are the average gun enthusiasts will tell you otherwise... Just like they say dry firing a pistol is going to break it... It's because that don't know what they're talking about. Lol

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Do you think you put more force on it that way then when the slide cycles from a round firing?

I mean, when you're new, you kind of just take what everyone says, and most 'gun guys' have no clue.

"Don't dry fire your gun"... Oh yeah?

I bet you carry a .45 for the stopping power too. Lmao. Gun store heroes.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Thanks guys. Like most things in shooting, there's so much conflicting info out there.

I figured it was fine, but wanted to check. The difference, I figured, between dropping it empty and actually firing the gun is picking up the new round out of the mag slows the slides forward travel at least a little.

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Glocks I wouldn't have a problem dropping the slide. 1911's/2011's I very, very, very rarely drop the slide with an empty magazine.

Same for me, My understanding on this is that it can be hard on a gun with a really good trigger job. Might be wrong but I make it a habit or not doing it on my 1911s, Glocks I don't worry about

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Glocks I wouldn't have a problem dropping the slide. 1911's/2011's I very, very, very rarely drop the slide with an empty magazine.

That's part of what got me thinking about it. I saw Matt Burketts vid and he gets on Elpers for dropping it on a 2011.

Edited by LeviSS
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If you want to do it on your own pistol, have at it. Enjoy. If you are handling someone else's pistol, please do not do it. It is not your property to play with in that way. Doing it does accelerate wear on the pistol. For that matter, dry firing without a snap cap does too. I make it a point to lower the slide gently on an empty chamber on all pistols I handle. I always use a snap cap too when drying firing (except for when field stripping the Glock). Have a nice day.

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Glocks I wouldn't have a problem dropping the slide. 1911's/2011's I very, very, very rarely drop the slide with an empty magazine.

And so begins the argument. I don't think the 3 times you do this for every 300 live rounds fired could possibly show any appreciable wear that actually using the pistol won't completely overshadow.
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I learned NOT to do that with Bullseye-tuned 1911s decades ago (call me names, I don't care) so I don't do it with any gun, just out of habit. Marine match armorers go APESH*T if you mistreat "their" guns!

If it's your gun, do whatever you like. I don't do it with mine.

Mark

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Glocks I wouldn't have a problem dropping the slide. 1911's/2011's I very, very, very rarely drop the slide with an empty magazine.

And so begins the argument. I don't think the 3 times you do this for every 300 live rounds fired could possibly show any appreciable wear that actually using the pistol won't completely overshadow.

3 time every 300 live rounds? Try never ever during live fire in say the last 20 years with a 1911/2011.

Only time I do it with a 1911/2011 is to test a trigger job.

With the Glock I do it all the time.

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glock, no problem wont hurt anything. a 1911, just dropping the slide will batter the sear nose ruining your trigger job. those that say it wont hurt dont understand how a 1911 works.

Thanks for an explanation, rather than just an opinion. Care to explain how it batters the sear more on an empty chamber than a hot chamber? Not being argumentative, just figured as long as your bringing facts to the discussion you may as well enlighten us further.
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Empty chamber slide-drops have more impact than when chambering a round, so you're likely to get "trigger bounce" on a really light trigger job. If you hold the trigger back when dropping the slide on an empty chamber, it's probably going to be OK, but most don't do that when they are unfamiliar with the 1911.

Alan~^~

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the slide lock isn't a very heavy duty piece. It's really all that holds the gun together. I've seen quite a few fail leaving the shooter holding the frame while looking at their slide laying in the dirt. I tend to not let the slide slam home on an empty chamber as I see no need to abuse that part (plus it's still a habit from yrs of 2011 shooting).

-rvb

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Empty chamber slide-drops have more impact than when chambering a round, so you're likely to get "trigger bounce" on a really light trigger job. If you hold the trigger back when dropping the slide on an empty chamber, it's probably going to be OK, but most don't do that when they are unfamiliar with the 1911.

Alan~^~

What about the slide dropping on an empty chamber at the end of a mag. The majority of people set up their guns to not slide lock. So they are damaging it every time they run the gun dry?

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Empty chamber slide-drops have more impact than when chambering a round, so you're likely to get "trigger bounce" on a really light trigger job. If you hold the trigger back when dropping the slide on an empty chamber, it's probably going to be OK, but most don't do that when they are unfamiliar with the 1911.

Alan~^~

What about the slide dropping on an empty chamber at the end of a mag. The majority of people set up their guns to not slide lock. So they are damaging it every time they run the gun dry?

Possibly. The difference there is that they probably still have the trigger pulled, i.e. holding it back until after the slide has returned to battery. I'm not fast enough to release a trigger before the slide returns. :roflol:

Alan~^~

Edited by Alan550
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keeping the trigger pulled on a 1911 keeps the hammer and sear disconnected from each other, and this is what prevents battering the sear nose when the gun is running, and also on those guns that dont lock back on the last round. if you feel like dropping the slide on a empty 1911, its best to hold the trigger back, and also drag a thumb or finger on the slide to help keep velocity down. a nice crisp light trigger pull on a 1911 will last a very long time if not abused. on the other hand if you like to drop the slide alot, your gunsmith is gonna love you! lol

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