dbagwell Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I always thought that it was bad to release the slide and allow it to slam shut on an empty chamber. I have always eased mine closed with my opposite hand. It appears to me that most guys on the range just let it slam shut, pull the trigger, and holster it. What do you think? How do you do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 It has been said that dropping the slide on a 1911 with a light trigger might hurt it eventually. A lot of Bullseye shooters hold the hammer and drop the slide and then snap the trigger (some people don't even drop the hammer they hold it and ease the hammer forward). I'm not a gunsmith so I don't know if either is bad. I can't speak for any other types so others will have to chime in. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 For USPSA "hammer down", you need to let it drop as normal (ie, pull the trigger and do not interfere w/ the hammer movement). All semi-autos out there are made to close the slide while stripping up a round. Dropping the slide on an empty chamber ends up slamming the slide closed with more force than is intended in the design. That can cause issues with some types of light trigger jobs on a 1911 (hammer bounces onto the nose of the sear). I don't know that it'll really hurt anything else - but I just smoothly let the slide forward on any gun I'm shooting, if I'm not dropping it on a loaded magazine. I don't do that for a specific reason on a non-race 1911, just something I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-JQ- Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 My Wilson came with a video. Bill Wilson said specifically NOT to release/slam slide forward on empty chamber. I ease slide forward and pull trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I wouldn't drop the slide on an empty chamber...no need to do so. Besides, I don't often lock the slide back anyway. When I unload to show clear...I drop the mag, rack the slide to eject the round in the chamber (I probably rack it twice...that would catch a mistake of leaving the mag in the gun)...then I hold the slide back with my off hand while I present the gun to the RO so that he/she can see it is clear...then I'll rack the slide a couple more times...and I'll look in there again myself (since it's my responsibility) to make sure it's empty...before pointing down range into the backstop and going "hammer down". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Every time I see someone drop the slide on an empty chamber, I cringe. I mean, really, why beat the hell out of your equipment when you don't have to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbagwell Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 It has been said that dropping the slide on a 1911 with a light trigger might hurt it eventually. A lot of Bullseye shooters hold the hammer and drop the slide and then snap the trigger (some people don't even drop the hammer they hold it and ease the hammer forward). I'm not a gunsmith so I don't know if either is bad. I can't speak for any other types so others will have to chime in.Richard FYI - I'm referring to releasing the slide in the context of a USPSA setting. The sequence is stated as follows: 8.3.7.1 Self-loaders – release the slide and pull the trigger (without touching the hammer or decocker, if any). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I wouldn't drop the slide on an empty chamber...no need to do so.Besides, I don't often lock the slide back anyway. When I unload to show clear...I drop the mag, rack the slide to eject the round in the chamber (I probably rack it twice...that would catch a mistake of leaving the mag in the gun)...then I hold the slide back with my off hand while I present the gun to the RO so that he/she can see it is clear...then I'll rack the slide a couple more times...and I'll look in there again myself (since it's my responsibility) to make sure it's empty...before pointing down range into the backstop and going "hammer down". Read the above---twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 When I "release the slide," I thumb down the slide stop and, with my support hand wrapped around the slide cocking grooves, then slowly ease the action closed before pulling the trigger to drop the hammer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Every couple matches I will pull the slide back on my 2011 type and let it fly like I borrowed it from someone I really don't like. I do it on ALL of my 1911 type guns every thousand rounds or so. If the hammer follows I know that I will have problems in normal shooting before long, if the hammer doesn't follow I am good to go as far as the trigger group goes for a good long while. My current trigger jobs in my Open gun and Limited gun have well over 30K each on them, but for my peace of mind I like to know things are still the way they should be. Sparingly done it won't hurt anything. I don't normally do it at ULASC, I let the slide down sort of gently and drop the hammer. I don't lock the slide back intentionally and if it is locked back for some reason I don't use the slide stop, I put two hands on the gun and pull the slide back to drop the slide stop. Just a personal habit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Easing the slide forward at Unload and Show Clear is fine. Pulling the trigger to drop the hammer or striker is required; the decocker may not be used..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MemphisMechanic Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 (edited) I have no problem slamming the slide shut on my beat-to-hell Glock. Do it anytime the gun's locked-open at ULASC while pocketing the mag with the other hand. I won't do it to a 1911, though. Especially since every 1911 I've ever shot has been borrowed. Wanna watch someone cringe? Look over a high-end 1911 at the local gun shop. Drop the slide with the lever, unretarded. Seen that twice, hard to keep from laughing at the look on the salesguy's face. Edited January 6, 2009 by MemphisMechanic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Wanna watch someone cringe? Look over a high-end 1911 at the local gun shop. Drop the slide with the lever, unretarded. Seen that twice, hard to keep from laughing at the look on the salesguy's face. Your local gun shops have knowlegeable sales staff? Wow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmanfixit Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 What Flex said. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makomachine Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Well, I'm embarressed to say "I didn't know that". I'm a new handgun owner and nobody ever told me this - and the sales people I've been around just let it clank shut! Learn something new daily on this forum! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonC Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I ease the slide forward because I am already holding it open to show clear. So I guess it's a matter of habit rather than concern for the gun. I mean really, we are pounding about 150 rounds through the gun in a typical match. Is dropping the slide after each stage really going to damage the gun? I doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Burtchell Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 (edited) I ease the slide forward because I am already holding it open to show clear. So I guess it's a matter of habit rather than concern for the gun. I mean really, we are pounding about 150 rounds through the gun in a typical match. Is dropping the slide after each stage really going to damage the gun? I doubt it. Do it enough and watch your fined tuned 1911 trigger job go full auto. Back before I knew better, 20+years ago, I had know clue about damaging the sear engagement by slamming the slide. I had dropped the slide many times as described above on a 1911 Clark Custom Combat in 9mm. Gun did a full auto burst on me in an indoor range and I launched one through the roof. After a trip back to Clark Custom for a new trigger job and a good lesson on the phone by Jim Clark Sr. I never did it again. Edited for grammar and spelling. Edited January 6, 2009 by baerburtchell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UltraTen Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I wouldn't drop the slide on an empty chamber...no need to do so.Besides, I don't often lock the slide back anyway. When I unload to show clear...I drop the mag, rack the slide to eject the round in the chamber (I probably rack it twice...that would catch a mistake of leaving the mag in the gun)...then I hold the slide back with my off hand while I present the gun to the RO so that he/she can see it is clear...then I'll rack the slide a couple more times...and I'll look in there again myself (since it's my responsibility) to make sure it's empty...before pointing down range into the backstop and going "hammer down". I do basically the same thing, I'll rack the slide a couple of times (one of my good habits ), show clear while holding the slide open in my weak hand, let the slide go forward slowly, hammer down and holster. Dropping the slide on an empty chamber can cause more problems than what it's worth, and most manufactures don't recommend it. It's plain not worth taking the chance. Would you beat on your gun with a hammer?? basically the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hefta Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 (edited) I am a Production Glock shooter and was never concerned with letting the slide fly, that is until one very important match when the RO (after giving the unload and show clear command) did not put the timer behind his back and the sound of my slide slamming shut made the timer count one more shot. I didn't know what happened until I reviewed my video. To make a long story short I ride the slide forward now. Edited January 6, 2009 by danscrapbags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartzpad Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 hahaha!!! I read this thread and then visited a local gunshop. While looking around, I hear a loud and careless slide drop, "Ching!!!!". I turn around and it is the employee behind the counter holding a Bersa handgun and pointing the muzzle in my direction about 20' away while holding it sideways for a customer to see. I moved out of the line of sight of the muzzle and just laughed out loud. Thanks for making my day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wooddog Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I ease the slide down too. Just makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbagwell Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 Well everyone, thanks for your replies...you pretty much confirmed what I had learned long ago. It's just that I started to second guess it when I started to witness so many people slamming their slides shut when empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 "Professionals are predictable....but the world is full of amateurs." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) Interesting factoid... Now I know none of us runs the gun dry right? I do it all the time in practice... guess what.. yup, you are doing the same thing. Those of us that don't lock open on the last round at least. I'm not going to sweat it... Edited January 8, 2009 by JThompson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) The trigger is held to the rear during the cycle and the sear is disconnected from the hammer when you shoot the gun dry..... EDIT: This ^^^^ is wrong, the hammer and sear are disconnected from the trigger bow by the disconnector. Sorry. Edited January 8, 2009 by HSMITH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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