Using slide release lever

[the86d]

With thousands of M9's and M16's in the military, and I never heard the armorer tell us not to use it, especially with anti-finger-slip serrations on them when testing function, post cleaning, or at the range. I would guess they would know if it was an issue, and I worked with the armorers quite often in the reserves...

[Fishslayer]

Ive done it at Iron Sights before then the next day I bring both of my M&P's and my AR's in to shoot. Its fun. I use the slide stop to charge my weapon all the time.

I've seen some pretty serious jackwagons roll up with fancy gear, especially big $$$ ARs. How they handle their weapons tells me more than a $2K+ optic on their M forgery...

[Tjfearl]

I've seen some pretty serious jackwagons roll up with fancy gear, especially big $$$ ARs. How they handle their weapons tells me more than a $2K+ optic on their M forgery...

Yes, I too have seen this happen multiple times. Iron sights is a decent indoor range, but they have the absolute worst customer service I have ever seen personally. Its unusual to give money to a place of business and they talk to you like you are an idiot and whatnot. This has not happened to me, but I witness it everytime I go in. I continue to go there and buy targets and range time because it is close and convenient. That is about all they have going for them. I can assure you that I know how to use my weapons though, if that is what you were hinting at.

[Merc1138]

I like to purposefully do it to see if it irritates people and see if they give me "The Talk". I like to act like i have never handled a gun before. I dont bother telling them about the multiple M9's I have been issued and the military training where I have done thousands of dry fires and used the "slide stop" to send the slide home. Ive done it at Iron Sights before then the next day I bring both of my M&P's and my AR's in to shoot. Its fun. I use the slide stop to charge my weapon all the time. If it wears the slide stop out on my M&P then I will replace it. No big deal.

That's fine, treat your own guns however you want.

If you're handling a gun at the shop before you've purchased it, handle it like you're handling someone else's property(because you are).

[Press Check]

I'm not sure we give modern firearm makers enough credit for their designs, durability and materials used to make pistols. If slamming a slide forward is going to cause the gun to stop working over time, then God forbid it get dirt, mud, water and fowling in it. Because we may as well call it a day and just through the gun at the target. To the hammer example, the hammers are designed to take stress and forces like that and so is a gun. It's a controlled explosion inside a metal barrel...if a gun can't handle the slide coming forward with or without a round in the chamber, is that really something you would want to pick up and compete/defend yourself with?

I'm sorry for my sarcasm, but that's the impression I get from the "anti slide release" side of the argument. That the gun will break, fall apart and won't be usable after 100, 1000 or 100000 slide releases.

Now I will stop here and say that we all have our own preferences on how to "handle" a gun. I think this is one of those, it's one persons preference vs best practice.

In my Springfield manual, owners are cautioned against slamming the action against an empty chamber, so your comment regarding modern firearms manufacturer is moot, and completely unfounded. You clearly do not own a 1911 pistol, and your logic-based personal opinion lacks any experience or factual merit.

Call Wilson, Baer or Brown, or any reputable Pistolsmith, and they'd tell you the same. Feel free to share your personal opinion regarding why prematurely battering the internal components is ok, but don't be surprised if the conversation ends prematurely.

[BMWguy206]

Here's a youtube video link on Travis Haley talking about slide release/slide stop vs. power stroke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jm4-R4hYy8

[Fishslayer]

. I can assure you that I know how to use my weapons though, if that is what you were hinting at.

It wasn't.

[Tjfearl]

That's fine, treat your own guns however you want.

If you're handling a gun at the shop before you've purchased it, handle it like you're handling someone else's property(because you are).

Part of handling a gun I am looking to purchase is feeling how the slide release engagement feels. I will do it one time. I won't repeatedly do it.

[SuperSet]

Gryff's post = awesome post.

[redcliff]

I personally don't care how you handle your own pistols. Keep on keeping on.

But in the case of a 1911 dropping the slide on an empty chamber does put more stress on the barrel feet, slide stop, and the slide stop hole in the frame than normal firing does. It also jars the hammer/sear engagement more than normal firing does.

The reason dropping the slide on an empty chamber is used as a safety check after a trigger job to ensure you have a margin of safety that the hammer won't follow is precisely because the slide slams home faster and harder without the decelerating effect of stripping a round from the magazine and feeding it up the feed ramp. When you double the speed of an object you increase it's energy by 4x, so small increases in speed can have larger than expected results in energy.

People that make their living by working on other peoples 1911's, having inspected and repaired hundreds or thousands of 1911's, almost universally recommend you don't drop the slide on an empty chamber unless you are performing the safety check. Thats good enough for me. YMMV.

[Tjfearl]

I can tottally understand the thought processes on 1911's. I don't own one yet, but I will be attempting to build one in a few months. I am more concerned with the train of thought on striker fired firearms like m&p's and Glocks. Like it has been said previously there are thousands of Beretta M9's out there that get released on an empty chamber due to the many clearing chambers and whatnot. I'm pretty sure the M9 I am currently wearing is older than I am and it still functions flawlessly. 1911's are more like a finicky work of art to me so I would baby mine.

[Masada86]

In my Springfield manual, owners are cautioned against slamming the action against an empty chamber, so your comment regarding modern firearms manufacturer is moot, and completely unfounded. You clearly do not own a 1911 pistol, and your logic-based personal opinion lacks any experience or factual merit.

So you are basing your opinion/advise off one manual and therefore that nullifies my experience and that of everyone else here, that's an interesting point of view. Also someone has already posted that their Glock manual literally says the opposite so what does that tell you? That a 1911 can't handle the forces of dropping the slide on an empty chamber like a Glock can. So does that mean a Glock is more reliable and will last longer than you Springfield 1911???

From the Glock Manual:
4. After the last round has been fired, the slide remains open. Remove the empty magazine from the weapon by pushing the magazine catch (19). Insert a new magazine and then either push the slide stop lever (27) downwards (see photo), or pull the slide slightly backwards and allow it to spring forwards. The weapon is now again secured and ready to fire.

I would assume all handguns are different but per instructions for my Glock I'm gtg.

Call Wilson, Baer or Brown, or any reputable Pistolsmith, and they'd tell you the same. Feel free to share your personal opinion regarding why prematurely battering the internal components is ok, but don't be surprised if the conversation ends prematurely.

However, if all you are used to using and shooting are 1911's I can see how one would be more cautious about dropping the slide on an empty chamber if it's going to hurt the internal mechanisms. But again, we are talking about a controlled explosion here, do you really think that dropping the slide is going to hurt it more than shooting it the gun???

If that is truly the case, a 1911 can be harmed by dropping the slide on an empty chamber, then now I understand why the military and LEO have moved away from that plat form. It just can't take the abuse other guns can now. Maybe I should start babying my Kimber Custom II a little more then...

[CV62]

[QUOTE=Masada86;9096299]So you are basing your opinion/advise off one manual and therefore that nullifies my experience and that of everyone else here, that's an interesting point of view. Also someone has already posted that their Glock manual literally says the opposite so what does that tell you? That a 1911 can't handle the forces of dropping the slide on an empty chamber like a Glock can. So does that mean a Glock is more reliable and will last longer than you Springfield 1911???


Don't get me wrong. My statement is not a 1911 vs Glock but just that different firearms have different instructions. If there is an updated manual in terms of the slide lock for my firearm then I would give them a call for an updated version. Thanks for that information.

[Masada86]

So you are basing your opinion/advise off one manual and therefore that nullifies my experience and that of everyone else here, that's an interesting point of view. Also someone has already posted that their Glock manual literally says the opposite so what does that tell you? That a 1911 can't handle the forces of dropping the slide on an empty chamber like a Glock can. So does that mean a Glock is more reliable and will last longer than you Springfield 1911???

Don't get me wrong. My statement is not a 1911 vs Glock but just that different firearms have different instructions. If there is an updated manual in terms of the slide lock for my firearm then I would give them a call for an updated version. Thanks for that information.

Oh I know, my comment was directed elsewhere.

OK I just check my manuals for the S&W MP9, SIG 226, HK P2000 and CZ75 the all literally say to use the slide stop/release as just that a slide stop and release. So I'm getting the impression the 1911 is built so different that it can't handle this type of action. That's the only thing I can think of, 1911 no no on slide down everything else is ok.

[Merc1138]

Part of handling a gun I am looking to purchase is feeling how the slide release engagement feels. I will do it one time. I won't repeatedly do it.

So then don't get mad at the sales guy when you're told to knock it off or outright told to leave. The same would apply for people who flip the cylinder shut on revolvers.