Massad Ayoob says don't release slide on empty chamber.

[GunsNstuff]

This is one of those subjects where there is serious disagreement. Gun Blue says it's fine. Massad Ayoob says it's not good. I say it's fine. What do you say? Has anyone taken microscope pictures of a gun and it's parts, then released the slide on an empty chamber 1000 times, then took more pictures & compared? I bet there is no difference.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

is what brought it up, I suppose?

I've heard Mas talk about it before. I don't know enough to have an informed opinion, but I tend to trust the folks who build things to know. If Wilson Combat says to not to with a Wilson Combat 1911, I'd take their word for it.

That said, I still send it home on an empty chamber. I accept it may cause more wear, and it's a trade off I'm willing to make. I try to make things as absolutely simple as possible. That means, when feasible, having a single way to accomplish a given action regardless of the context. I don't want an "admin" and a "slow" and a "fast" version of a given task if it can be avoided, though sometimes it can't. That, to me, is more valuable than whatever minute amount of wear it causes to my admittedly mass produced and not finely tuned pistols. I'd rather just replace a component than worry about it.

 

[Dean C.]

Dropping the hammer to half cock in the real killer here, now that being said especially on a 1911 with a tuned trigger don’t drop the slide on empty it’s not worth the potential damage

 

[STFU]

While I don't make a practice of send the slide home while empty...I also don't worry about it when it does happen.

I have personally never had a failure or broken anything on any of my weapons ...yet.

Sounds like FUD to me but to each his own...not worth arguing about.

 

[Squid556]

I got to meet the professional builder behind Tommy Guns in North Carolina. He showed me some of his 1911 creations.

He handed me a 1911 and I released the slide to inspect the pistol and he was very quick to correct me on that. Its stuck with me ever since.

I tend to be gentle on stuff when inspecting.... if I'm using it, I tend to run them hard.

I do tend to heed manufacturers advice about dry fire. Occasional I dont worry about but for dry fire practice where there's a lot of reps I really think snap caps can help the firearm.

 

[Expat]

This has always been an accepted recommendation for 1911s As long as I can remember, other guns, I dunno.

I don’t really worry about it with other pistols, but I don’t tend to just play with my guns.

 

[Mongo59]

Well, look at me! I have been killing 1911's for like 50 years now...

(I sure hope nobody tells my guns about it)

 

[wtburnette]

I saw the video come up in my YT feed and I passed it right by. That's what I think of the topic.

 

[Dingleberry]

I seem to remember ole Ayoob being a proponent for dry firing??

 

[92FSTech]

This is specifically an issue with 1911s with a tuned trigger. It's not universally applicable to every semi-auto handgun, or even every 1911.

A tuned trigger on a 1911 usually involves tweaking the sear spring a bit to reduce the tension for a lighter pull. This can put the gun into a condition where dropping the slide on an empty chamber can produce enough inertia to "bounce" the sear/trigger engagement and let the hammer fall to the half-cock notch, which will destroy the finely-fit edge on your sear in short order and ruin your trigger job.

This doesn't happen when the gun is loaded (at least not with a properly tuned gun) because the friction of chambering a round and the slide dragging over the top of the magazine slows it enough to reduce the impact to the point where inertia can't overcome the pressure of the sear spring.

 

[Skip]

I saw the video come up in my YT feed and I passed it right by. That's what I think of the topic.

I don’t do this BUT I do pass any video by Ayoob….

 

[bobzilla]

Well, look at me! I have been killing 1911's for like 50 years now...

(I sure hope nobody tells my guns about it)

I just ratted you out. I also told mine as well. They're going to be very mad at us for a while they said.

 

[wtburnette]

I don’t do this BUT I do pass any video by Ayoob….

I don't go that far. I think he's very knowledgeable, but everyone has opinions that are controversial or apply to one situation but they apply it to other situations that aren't actually applicable. Some people just get incorrect information stuck in their heads and it stays there, even if it doesn't "age" well. My Dad is that way. He was a police officer 30+ years ago. The laws were very different in his time, but he still applies those to current situations, not understanding that things have changed since his day.

 

[GunsNstuff]

I seem to remember ole Ayoob being a proponent for dry firing??

Yeah, he is. Even though the firing pin is not getting the cushion of the primer cup. So I'm not sure why dry firing is okay but hitting the slide release with an empty chamber is not.

 

[cedartop]

Yeah, he is. Even though the firing pin is not getting the cushion of the primer cup. So I'm not sure why dry firing is okay but hitting the slide release with an empty chamber is not.

Because they are different actions? I do however use snap caps when dry firing with my 2011.

Separately, I can't believe anyone who has spent any time with 1911's didn't already know this was a thing.

BTW, who is Gun Blue?

 

[Skip]

I’d rather hear nails on a chalkboard than listen to Ayoob for one second.
I would rather listen to Howard Funk. Here is his Gideon the subject. I was trained in the same mindset as HR on this issue, and, as someone with an “engineering mind", I tend to agree with his analysis of the physics of the issue.

 

[indiucky]

As long as I can keep flipping the cylinders closed on my expensive Smith and Wesson revolvers with a short snap of the wrist and fanning my delicate single actions I am good.....

I've seen some movies...I know what works....

 

[COOPADUP]

Some years back I asked "Da Mouse" about this and he advised that with today's finely tuned 1911's, to not do this either. That really stuck with me since I considered him a true authority on the subject.

 

[flatlander]

I hardly ever use the slide release lever. When I do, I don't let it slam. You do it your way with your weapon and I'll do it my way with mine.
Meh, not the hill I chose to die on.

 

[mcapo]

As long as I can keep flipping the cylinders closed on my expensive Smith and Wesson revolvers with a short snap of the wrist and fanning my delicate single actions I am good.....

I've seen some movies...I know what works....

Finally, some common sense in this thread