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

chadm · Mar 10, 2024

GunsNstuff said:
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.

I feel like this is good advice and not a hard and fast rule that applies in every situation. I try to not let my 1911 slides go forward at full speed most of the time. Just trying to prevent any unintentional damage and wear to the gun.

I also have revolvers and I don’t spin the cylinder really hard and fast and snap it back into the frame like you see on tv. Again I’m not trying to cause any additional wear on my guns.

WebSnyper · Mar 12, 2024

chadm said:
I feel like this is good advice and not a hard and fast rule that applies in every situation. I try to not let my 1911 slides go forward at full speed most of the time. Just trying to prevent any unintentional damage and wear to the gun.

I also have revolvers and I don’t spin the cylinder really hard and fast and snap it back into the frame like you see on tv. Again I’m not trying to cause any additional wear on my guns.

It's an OCD (CDO?) thing for me. It probably doesn't hurt anything on the majority of semi auto guns, but it just makes my inner brain cringe to release a slide on an empty chamber without "cushioning" the release a bit.

chadm · Mar 12, 2024

WebSnyper said:
It's an OCD (CDO?) thing for me. It probably doesn't hurt anything on the majority of semi auto guns, but it just makes my inner brain cringe to release a slide on an empty chamber without "cushioning" the release a bit.

I 100% agree. I’m totally ocd about it too.

tscherry70 · Mar 14, 2024

I'm particularly fond of the follow up video...

AZ D · Mar 14, 2024

I can remember an old timer telling me not to do this on a 1911, because it’s hard on a tuned trigger. Never thought about it again, just took his word for it.

Wabatuckian · Mar 17, 2024

It's really simple.

Speed accelerates wear.

The slower a pistol cycles, the less wear on all parts.

As mentioned, specifically in the case of the 1911, it causes sear bounce which can ruin trigger jobs.

As far as dry firing goes, how hard it is on the firearm depends on the firearm. A firing pin with a hard stop at its extension will eventually crystalize and break. A firing pin that is stopped by a spring doesn't have an abrupt stop.

The hammer, however, does. I broke a forged Ed Brown skeletonized hammer after several hundred dry-fire cycles. Now I install the heaviest firing pin spring that's reliable to cushion the hammer, and no longer use skeletonized hammers.

Regards.

700 LTR 223 · Mar 17, 2024

I mean its your gun do as you please. With that said I can't really think of any reason that I want to release the slide full force on an empty chamber. I don't do it until I have rounds in the mag . To me the sound of it has always been annoying at best.

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

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