Dropping the slide on an empty chamber?

[Dieseltech09]

Ok so I have never heard this before tonight. I was watching a YouTube review of a pistol and in the comments people were all over him about how he dropped the slide in the video. So I googled it and came back with lots of discussion on both sides of the fence. I don’t know how many pistols I have seen people drop the slide down instead of easing it down. So how bad is it and what can happen from repeated slide drops onto an empty chamber? Please educate me

 

[Wormydog1724]

I've been told "it beats the hell" out of the pistol. I don't do it but I don't make a point not to. I have no expertise, I just think doing it wouldn't hurt it anymore than shooting it.

 

[Wall]

I've never really worried about it too much, but I don't do it very much either. I just never saw a need to constantly drop the slide.

When chambering a round the action is slowed significantly over dropping it empty. The constant force could beat up the locking lugs & slide stop pin. I've seen broken slide stops, but can't say it was from dropping the slide.

 

[Glocktogo]

If it's a plastic fantastic like a Glock or M&P, drop away. I've yet to see it do anything to one. With a steel or alloy framed gun, I try to use dummy rounds. If it's a 1911 with a nice trigger I'm extra careful. JMO, YMMV

 

[Rockon71385]

I don't see it hurting the gun much, but there's really no reason to do it anyway. Just don't try to load it single-shot style and put a round in the chamber and drop the slide with no mag. That will break extractors.

 

[mike cyrwus]

While the act of chambering a round off the top of the mag will "bleed" off some energy off of a moving slide, it doesnt hurt at all to drop the slide without chambering a round on any striker fired, plastic guns that I can think of.
On steel guns, you can risk peening the slide, I suppose. Not too much of a deal there, but the #1 reason not to drop the slide on a 1911/bhp/cz, etc (hammer w/sear guns) is that inertia can jostle the sear and booger up the engagement surfaces. If the hammer falls during this exercise that you really shouldnt be doing, it is a warning that your trigger mech. is not properly set up, or damaged.

I could go more into this, but this is a good enough user manual type explanation.

 

[honeybee]

I recieve worn out guns to work on all the time and although there are those who will say "Ive done it a million times and can't see any harm" don't realize that it is often not what can be seen that causes the problems. Guns were made to be shot, that means they are going to take a beating and keep working but they are not designed to last forever.

I do get a little annoyed by those who believe guns were made to look at and not shoot, but that is another story.

 

[Dieseltech09]

Thanks for all the input?

 

[penman53]

Thanks for all the input?

Brian, don't do it on a 1911 with a good trigger job. You will ruin it.

Mark