GOOD NEWS! Using the slide stop...

[The War Wagon]

... WON'T break your handgun.

[Donny1]

Depends on the gun.

Some are intended for a slide release and some are not.

[desertrider]

I drop the slide on most of my handguns, buuutt........

[Notpc]

I just thought using the same motion (overhand grip) to release your slide, that you would use to clear a malfunction is a good idea. Makes the motion more second nature.

[k1dude]

I use both methods.

In competition where split seconds count, I'll hit the slide release because it's faster.

When I'm shooting under no pressure, I'll overhand rack to release.

Some of my pistols don't lock back reliably every time, so I use an overhand rack to chamber a round.

I've never understood the naysayers one way or the other.

[200Apples]

I was taught to only drop the slide to chamber a round stripped from the magazine. Otherwise, control the slide as it returns to battery in an unloaded pistol.

Watching the vid, we see that Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn confirm this. Never drop the slide on an empty chamber. It can damage the sear/hammer interface.

[kenl]

As others have said, depends on the gun. Kahr tells you to always use the slide release

[Pofoo]

I have seen guns that had buggered up slide stop notches. Metal has been displaced.
I don't believe that every gun has been hardened at the notch.
I also don't believe that a few releases will damage most guns.
I don't use the lever regularly.

[IVC]

Slide stop release is faster, it has been measured in competition. Slingshot is more universal and the only way for guns that don't have external slide stops. Slingshot with *slow* release of the slide is also the way to lower the slide on an empty chamber.

Potato... tomato...

[ugimports]

Did Bill Wilson muzzle Ken? Or did I miss see that? Was pretty close if he didn't do it....

[sigstroker]

I was taught to only drop the slide to chamber a round stripped from the magazine. Otherwise, control the slide as it returns to battery in an unloaded pistol.

Watching the vid, we see that Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn confirm this. Never drop the slide on an empty chamber. It can damage the sear/hammer interface.

That advice is mostly confined to the weak-*** 1911.

[The War Wagon]

That advice is mostly confined to the weak-*** 1911.

That's what I hear.

MOSTLY from you... but that's what I hear...

[9kracing]

If Bill and Ken say not to do it then that's good enough for me.

We are talking about some legends here.

[subscriber]

Did Bill Wilson muzzle Ken?

Sure looked like it to me.

[B2D]

I was taught to only drop the slide to chamber a round stripped from the magazine. Otherwise, control the slide as it returns to battery in an unloaded pistol.

Watching the vid, we see that Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn confirm this. Never drop the slide on an empty chamber. It can damage the sear/hammer interface.

I was taught that as well - only drop slides on loaded mags. Otherwise, ride the slide forward into lockup. Pistols aren't faberge eggs but I like to avoid abusing my tools for no reason. I also don't dry-fire other people's guns w/out permission.

If I'm buying a used 1911 or semi-auto with a hammer, I do check the slide's return to battery and check for hammer follow by using the slide release, but I do this with a dummy round or a snap cap and not on an empty chamber.

If Bill and Ken say not to do it then that's good enough for me.

We are talking about some legends here.

Agreed. If Bill Wilson says don't do that, that's about the most qualified source you're ever going to get.