Does using the slide release on a empty gun damage it?

[JTROKS]

Some pistol designs don't really like having the slide dropped on an empty chamber. Do it to an EAA Witness pistol that has a heavy recoil spring and you'll eventually end up with a broken slide stop.

[rivviepop]

OP: it's called a slide stop - not a slide release - for it's own reason. Besides all of the aforementioned possible damage to the barrel/lug/trigger job it causes premature rounding of the slide stop lug itself. This little nubbin holding the slide back being worn down can cause a slide to "jump the stop" accidentally; meaning, if it's worn down (rounded off) from too much "slide release" action, when you hurriedly slam a mag into the well the force upwards can cause that slide to slam forward on it's own, unintentionally.

I had a used-to-me CZ 75BD (decocker, no safety) once that had that problem, the previous owner had slide-released it with the slide stop too often. I'd be at the range and slam a mag into the well and the slide would jump the stop and slam closed ready to fire all on it's own - a very dangerous malfunction if you're not expecting it. (of course that part got replaced by me and it was fine)

[FlyingPen]

Interesting you say that, my P-01 does the same thing if I hit the magazine in hard enough. I guess I kind of liked it though.

So you just have to replace the slide stop to stop that malfunction?

[rivviepop]

Interesting you say that, my P-01 does the same thing if I hit the magazine in hard enough. I guess I kind of liked it though.

So you just have to replace the slide stop to stop that malfunction?

Correct, just a replacement. If your P-01 is doing this, I would advise replacing that part and/or getting it looked at. The P-01 (great gun, love mine ) has no safety either so a slide slamming home on a mag insert without that intention is a safety issue just waiting to happen. All it takes is for someone (not saying you) to accidentally have their booger hook wrapped around the trigger, slam a mag in - bang!

(the CZ-USA online store is down right now, was going to link you - you can buy it right off their site, check the online store later if it's back up)

EDIT: the first time it unexpectedly happened to me I had the weapon pointed upwards at the ceiling (the typical 45deg angle up and downrange gun turned to the side 45deg, safe direction while inserting a mag) and it scared the buhjesus out of me. Thankfully I was trained properly and always keep the booger hook off the trigger.

[FlyingPen]

THeir store has never been up for me in the last 4 months.

I ordered through the phone some mag followers and a recoil spring, wish I included a slide stop.

[rivviepop]

THeir store has never been up for me in the last 4 months.

I ordered through the phone some mag followers and a recoil spring, wish I included a slide stop.

Alas, one of the minor problems of CZ owning - none of the major places (like Brownells, MidwayUSA, etc.) carries all the parts & pieces to DIY work on them, you pretty much have to order from CZ-USA or maybe ghostholster.com (Angus' site). I just checked GH and they're not carrying the slide stops right now, probably out of stock or something...

[slick_711]

dropping the slide on a round in the chamber forcing the extractor to jump over the rim of the cartridge is what you're addressing right?

Correct. Not really good for any extractor, but terrible for a 1911.

Bohoki: The force of the slide running home can *not will 100%, but can* cause your sear to pop out of the notch on the hammer and the hammer to fall with the slide ("hammer follow"). Over time, this happening will round off the hammer/sear engagements if not just snap them, and your trigger pull will go to junk, and a step further down the line the gun may go auto on you.

I just had an ordeal with my Colt the past few months, the hammer was following the slide down. It would fall to half cock anytime I did a tactical reload, dropped the slide, and occasionally during shooting. My gunsmith looked at it and put more pressure on the leaf spring. Same problem. Then it stopped falling to half cock and started doubling on me. Re-cut hammer & sear engagements. Back to original problem. In the end we determined the previous owner had replaced the trigger and it was lightly out of spec. However, after all the shooting and hammer follow the sear & hammer were shot, so I had to replace all three. My problem was due to an out of spec trigger, but this same problem can arise from to much dropping the slide on an empty gun.

[BigRich]

On a 1911 design pistol specifically, the cycle of the slide moving forward on a loaded magazine and stripping a round to chamber it causes three distinct deceleration points. When the slide finally closes into battery it is not moving all that fast. When there is nothing to slow it down it slams the barrel into battery. That causes wear on the barrel hood, locking lugs, link, link pin , locking ramps on the barrel foot and slide stop. As previously mentioned, on a highly tuned gun it will also jar the sear/hammer engagement loose and cause it to land hard onto the safety notch. This rounds the primary release angle on the sear causing it to have an even smaller contact surface. Eventually it will fail to engage and either drop to half cock or go full auto at about 1300 rounds per minute. This is always a breath taking moment when it first happpens. Letting the slide fly on a loaded chamber with a standard internal extractor designed 1911 will cause the extractor to bend outward until it fails to extract the empty when firing. This usually happens pretty quickly. If you or someone else values the 1911 pistol, don't let the slide fly home on an empty chamber. How this affects other designs is another issue. A few designs (usually small pocket pistols) do not have a slide stop and so the slide usually slams home after the last shot is fired (if the shooter does not count his shots). Does this reduce longevity? I don't know.

[choochboost]

OP: it's called a slide stop - not a slide release - for it's own reason.

Depending on the pistol, it is called a slide lock/release/catch.

[rivviepop]

Depending on the pistol, it is called a slide lock/release/catch.

Which manufacturers call that part a slide release? Not colloquially, but in their parts catalog/diagrams.

[Slowshooter]

Wilson combat uses that term, at least for that part

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/index_1911_part_acc.htm

I saw this debate on some other forum and HK USP also calls it slide release at some point in their manual.

[tonelar]

Glock does, if memory serves... Anyone have a manual? For sure ARO (AM Block parts mfg) calls it a slide release. However, regardless of its name, extended use (even with a round waiting ) can soften the edges on your frame notch.

Use your off hand to sling shot any auto pistol... And close em gently if your intent is to not chamber a round.

[Black Majik]

While dropping the slide can accelerate wear, done a few times isn't going to drastically affect your gun. I've done it myself on accident also, but it's a practice that shouldn't be done on a usual basis. Most cars these days can handle a lot of abuse, but we don't slam our doors if we don't have to.

Gunsmiths drop the slide on an empty chamber as a safety check to ensure proper function on a 1911, ensuring the hammer wont follow with the slide. It's also a form of ettiquette to not drop the slide on an empty chamber, especially someone elses gun. If the chambers empty, I'll drop the slide and pinch the slide home.

Modern guns can handle it, but it's still beating the gun more than it's necessary.

[jamesob]

its doing the same thing as if the gun was actually fired. i dont see a problem with it.

[aplinker]

its doing the same thing as if the gun was actually fired. i dont see a problem with it.

Not true. Releasing the slide when there's a round to chamber has the brass to cushion the impact.