Smyth Busters: Dropping a 1911 Slide on an Empty Chamber

[@genevandenham7999]

I dropped a STI 1911 slide on an empty chamber and my Glock went off. I called Smith and Wesson but they said it was an ammo issue.

[@Sam-iw6te]

...what?

[@tacitus_kilgore7685]

@@Sam-iw6te cocaine's a helluva drug.

[@Sam-iw6te]

@@tacitus_kilgore7685 apparently

[@samarthur591]

That makes no sense at all, you’re a genius😎

[@frccustomguns7859]

Lol!

[@bad74maverick1]

I've had my ww1 1911 for over 20 years. It is well used. It has its box and discharge papers. It was discharged on Feb, 6 1961 for $15.87 in un-serviceable condition (finish was cited and bore wear). I have had it since I was 14 and lost count as a kid how many times I empty chamber slide dropped it. To this day when I shoot it, I take the mag out pull slide back and let it go forward to make sure nothing is in battery before I load the mag. I'm sure that gun has had it happen many hundreds of times before I got it and it has never had a problem. And its been through 2 world wars. made in 1917 and refurb'd by a Remington Rand slide in ww2.

[@dukecraig2402]

Not Remington Rand nor any of the other M1911 contractors, with the exception of Springfield Armory of course (the government arsenal not the civilian company that bought it's name after it shut down), ever refurbished any .45's, only government arsenals refurbished them. If your's has a Remington Rand slide on it that doesn't match the frame because it has the serial number from another contractor (which it would if the frame dates 1917 since Remington Rand hadn't made any by 1917) that means it was government refurbished at one of their arsenals, when they did that unfortunately they didn't concern themselves with keeping slides and frames with each other, when refurbished at that level they'd completely disassemble them and throw all the parts in bins, after cleaning the parts they would be gaged and inspected, parts that passed would be refinished and then would be sent to assembly where they'd be fit together with other refinished or new parts. There's plenty of ex GI M1911's out there in the collectors world that are documented to be in "as in" condition from the military that have mismatched slides and frames as a result of government arsenal refurbishment, most of the WW2 bring home guns are all original due to so many having been made for the war, but the further you go along like one's brought back from Korea and Vietnam the more likely they will be mismatched from government refurbishment, my friends dad was an officer that after over 20 years of service including having been in Vietnam purchased his sidearm when discharging in the late 70's and it has a Union Signal and Switch slide on a Colt frame. Every single .45 I had in my hands in the Army in the 80's said Remington Rand on the slide, I remember one time thinking "I thought Colt made these things", some looked brand new and at the time I assumed they were but what I didn't know then was that they were undoubtedly refurbished pistols and likely had mismatched slides and frames, who knows maybe one of the one's I held had an ultra rare Singer frame on it.

[@bad74maverick1]

@@dukecraig2402 Thank you. I knew all that 20 years ago...... posted a typo when I typed it two years ago. RR made over 900,000 and half that in parts for 1911's and most of the ww2 colt rebuilds have RR slides on them. Post war rebuilds find the RR slide on them through surplus parts into the 60's so it makes sense as to why you saw so many of them in the 80's. Mine is a Colt GHB inspected ww1 1911 dated circa mid 1917 serial number 227*** . Mine shows to be a ww2 rebuild as it's not an 11A1 upgrade completely. It retains it's short hammer spur, short safety spur, and flat mainspring housing. The grips are the non diamond type (1911A1) and short trigger. Seems at some point they deemed them in good enough condition to retain them. What's funny about my gun is the discharge papers. The gun is listed as discharged from Rock Island Arsenal Feb 1961 and is listed as Remington Rand, not by its serial number of manufacture, Colt. Faster to just do it that way than look up any government record for numbers It also came with a target where it was tested before shipped out and the discharge papers are in triplicate in the original envelope. It's a really great setup for my collection.

[@deucedeuce1572]

I've seen guns damaged from that, but I think most tilt barrel designs are safe. I guess the pin that the barrel cams on can take a pretty hard hit too though and can be damaged from it. Mostly though I've see it happen to fixed barrel guns like most 22lr's and other smaller calibers like .25acp and .32acp. The Ruger Standard models (MKI, MKII, MKIII, MKIV and 22/45) are a good example where if you keep doing it, it will damage the breech face on the barrel... and then if your barrel ends up too far forward in battery, it will start to slam into the bolt stop pin. (They call it the bolt stop pin, but the bolt doesn't stop on it unless the breech face gets damaged. I've tested about 5 of them and there's always at least a couple thousandths of an inch gap between the bolt stop pin and the inside of the bolt).

[@bad74maverick1]

@@deucedeuce1572 I can see that in a fixed barrel gun.

[@patthegunsmith]

I REALLY hesitate to jump into this discussion. However, here's my "two cents." I did warranty work for Colt and S&W when they had warranty service centers. Mine was in Brooklyn, NY. I've done hundreds, if not thousands of trigger jobs in over 45 years. Those who know me can vouch for it. What many mistake for bad or too light sear engagement is actually caused by the inertia and physical weight of the trigger. This can easily be tested by the following procedure. FIRST AND FOREMOST, CLEAR AND MAKE THE FIREARM SAFE. NO AMMO PRESENT OR WITHIN REACH. Now, with the slide closed and no magazine inserted, depress the grip safety, pull the hammer back as far as it will go, and let it fly forward into the sear. It should hold fast. Then, with moderate, reasonable pressure, push forward on the hammer. It should hold and not fall to half cock. Next, lock the slide back, pull the trigger fully to the rear, and let the slide fly forward. The hammer should NOT follow. This indicates that there is sufficient sear engagement and actually duplicates what happens when the pistol is actually fired. Next, lock the slide back and, this time, do NOT hold the trigger. Let the slide fly forward. If the hammer now follows here is what happened. A little bit of physics and mechanics. "Bodies at rest want to stay at rest and bodies in motion want to stay in motion." When the slide flies forward, the trigger, not being fastened to the frame, wants to stay where it is. the frame is now suddenly accelerated forward. the trigger, relative to the frame, is now accelerating to the REAR, carrying with it, the disconnector. It now impacts the sear. If THAT force exceeds the trigger pull weight, it will rotate the sear out of engagement and the hammer will fall to half cock. You can then verify this by then locking the slide to the rear, reaching around the trigger guard and holding the trigger forward with your thumb and index finger of one hand. Let the slide fly forward. The hammer should not follow. You can then, if you want, increasing the MIDDLE leaf tension/pressure of the sear spring on the disconnector, will usually work to prevent hammer follow if this is the case. When the Colt Gold Cup had a 1/4" wide steel trigger, the sear depressor/sear depressor spring was an attempt to keep hammer follow from happening when slamming the slide home on an empty chamber on a pistol which worked just fine when actually fired.

[@DPMConnacht]

patthegunsmith, thank you for the clear explanation as to how the hammer and sear operate/interact under various scenarios and how to check for proper/safe engagement. Your concise description is among the most informative I've ever experienced. Once again, thank you very much.

[@patthegunsmith]

David Mills David, Thank you very much. I much prefer to shed light rather than fire.

[@DPMConnacht]

@@patthegunsmith, you are very welcome. I'm much the same way when answering a question or commenting on a topic I have experience in. Too often there's a smart arse who's only goal is to start an argument. I saved the link to this video (most importantly your post/advice). I am forever grateful to learn that I have been checking the interaction between the sear, hammer, and trigger properly so as not to have a negligent discharge caused by hammer follow/slam fire. Many, many, thanks! May God Bless you and your loved ones.

[@patthegunsmith]

@@DPMConnacht And also you, and yours. All the best!

[@patthegunsmith]

@@KenDavis-uo8kq Thank you for the kind words, Ken. I have thought of it. When I was a licensed gunsmith in NYC I had an unrestricted license and I worked on countless law enforcement firearms. That is a very serious responsibility. You can't "guess." You have to know. I was and am always willing to explain and clarify firearm function and, most importantly, if I don't know something, I will tell you that. To me, the more sound knowledge is available to those willing to learn, the better off we all are.

[@patriotperformanceshootingllc]

A video showing the parts your talking about would be super helpful for us laymen.

[@theykilledjoel1496]

Zachary Brown I was going to say the same thing, very silly

[@jaydee5156]

@@zacharybrown5325 Actually, that's not true. There are countless KZbin videos on that address it. Not banned, just demonetized.

[@m4rvinmartian]

That would make this video useful then.

[@chrisboyd1408]

They could use a printed diagram

[@jaydee5156]

@@chrisboyd1408 Google is your friend. There are thousands of drawings and diagrams on the 1911, right at your finger tips. I even found copies of the original patent drawings.

[@ShellShock794]

If dropping a slide or bolt on an empty chamber is going to damage a firearm, that's not a firearm I ever want to own.

[@gdismine01]

I think (and I could be wrong) but the worry is not dropping the slide on an empty chamber but it is when someone physically loads the chamber with a round and then drops the slide on it, then slips the mag in . But you are correct in assuming that the more high tuned guns tend to be a bit more fragile, then say a repo 1911 that cost a few hundred bucks. Just my opinion. Maybe I am reading it all wrong.

[@evanf1443]

Depends on what the firearm is for, I think. If you’re going to use it to defend your life, I agree it needs to be durable. And with GI triggers they said this wasn’t a concern. The concern is when you trade durability for the lighter and crisper trigger pull you’d want in a competition firearm. Competition firearms don’t need to be particularly durable, they need to be fast and accurate. It’s a trade off.

[@TheDkb427]

@@gdismine01 but the extractor will jump around the rim of the cartridge if you load a round in barrel then release slide. The extractor had a spring so it will move on most guns but I'd imagine there's a few where it's fixed and don't and I wouldn't on those but hell either this video was saying what I said or they just said both. 6 minutes of my life gone gone gone lol

[@gdismine01]

@@TheDkb427 Listen to Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn on that very subject, If you do not believe me then please listen to 2 experts and 1 manufacturer of quality weapons. Wilson Combat. I am no expert but when an expert tells me not to do something because it will eventually ruin my weapon I usually listen. But in your case, I say do whatever you want with your weapon it is yours, and when something goes wrong please do not blame the gun for your own destructive principles. I do wish you well but I think you might be headed for some future trouble. But then again I could wrong, so ask them .

[@rickp1039]

You drive your car without oil in the engine?

[@theparalexview785]

The main warning I remember was to avoid dropping the slide on a chambered round. That could eventually damage the extractor, mostly affecting its spring tension, since the 1911-A1 extractor is both the hook and its own spring in a single unit. The recommendation was to always chamber a round from the magazine, so the rim slid under the extractor hook as it was designed to do. This is probably less critical with other pistols that use hardened extractors with separate springs. It's unlikely those extractor hooks can be damaged riding across brass rims.

[@hoot1141]

Completely different thing. Completely different issue.

[@Coffee_Haze]

The logic there being the extractor spring was internal and effectively had no place to go to get out of the way for the case rim if you dropped the slide on a round in the chamber. If you did it a lot, it could break that spring and extractor. More and more external springs are being used now days, meaning there isn't an immovable slide wall stopping or impairing that spring from moving, so it's not as critical an issue as it used to be. Still not the best thing, but not the end of the world. Internal=Bad, potentially catastrophic. External=Not ideal, but much less likely to end poorly.

[@humorss]

ease on a chambered round, and tap into battery...

[@elifoust7664]

As a Military Policeman,with WW2 era 1911a1 ,part of oncoming shift procedures was slide dropped ,time after time....no negative results.1974

[@shawnr771]

I was in a unit that had some of the last M1911A1s in 1989. There were four platoons in the company. At a minimum each duty cycle one squad from each of the platoons would go to the range and shoot 50 to 100 rds per soldier. These weapons were locked and cleared upon entering buildings and compounds all day every day. I probably cycled my pistol thousands of times during my assignment. Nobody I know ever had an issue. Can it damage a weapon? It is possible. Will it? Maybe, maybe not

[@onpsxmember]

The question is is it right just cause it was military procedure?

[@shawnr771]

@@onpsxmember Right or wrong it was done for 90 plus years. Someone would have to dig into the maintenance records to determine how often the parts in question were replaced. Also digging into any safety recommendations that might have been issued. I have better things to do than to worry about it.

[@traderpete007]

I always thought that if you dropped the slide on an empty chamber a kitten somewhere died. Meow.

I saw that video too. Opinions vary on if the kitten dies or just breaks a leg.

[@kennethguerrero6802]

I love how you guys did the research and were able to give us the best answer showing the grey area and why there could be truth to the other option

[@jreese46]

Interesting topic. I had been taught not to drop the slide on an empty chamber, and then heard several years worth of differing opinions on what I was taught. Not being a gunsmith myself, in the end I concluded that it was easier just to get in the habit of riding the slide forward slowly when empty, but letting it fly as intended when loading from the magazine.

[@1retiredknight]

The danger there is creating a training scar that leads to you riding the slide and inducing a malfunction at a time you actually need to defend your life with the firearm.

[@jreese46]

@@1retiredknight This is a good point.

[@SBC97281]

The Wilson/Hackathorn video got me digging. Which brought me here. I am amazed at the intensity and number of opinions on this. Quality Guns contain little explosions and are designed/built to do so reliably for at least several thousand rounds before needing serious attention--that defines the service life and sets the maintenance intervals. If you slam the slide forward with the slide release on an empty chamber you are using a small to minimal part of that service life. Only a very small number of firearms are ever actually used enough in any form to wear out. Use your handgun service life as you see fit, but practice and MAINTAIN it.

[@leerethamel3204]

If I remember correctly, when we did weapons hand over on guard when carrying condition three, you were handed a pistol locked back, no mag then with pistol in clearing barrel you sent slide forward, with slide release, then inserted magazine. Only time I know of the military would do it. I also agree components matter carry/range/military/ guns would be treated way different than a competition gun.

[@fortunateson6035]

I love that a 1911 can handle a small explosion of a round going off but can’t handle a slide going forward.

[@goinhot9133]

Yet people think glocks are sensitive

[@rybread5718]

Hahaha! Seriously! That made me laugh!

[@probablecosby]

Don’t make me mad, doesn’t make sense so I’m mad now

[@benspires3692]

As a general rule I follow is if it's not yours ride the slide home. It doesn't matter what it is. It's courtesy.

[@ryand.3858]

I don’t think you understood the video.

[@GC-bz3ob]

I bought a Springfield loaded operated, brand new. I was reading the owners manual, and it said the gun had an action job from the factory. And had a warning to not drop the slide on an empty chamber. Doing so would destroy the action job.

[@pirobot668beta]

"Never do X!" Sorry, if doing 'X' ruins/misaligns any tool I have, then I need a better quality tool. Occasion misuse/accidents are going to happen... Being mindful of the operation of a tool is expected, but you shouldn't be afraid of hurting it!

[@Sam-iw6te]

Not all guns are tools. Like they mention in the video, some are target/match pistols. The subject of using one as a war gun or self defense gun didn't come up once, except for as it pertains to the functionality of each type. It's just a general evaluation of 1911s as a whole.

[@Aaron_Barrett]

Never cut concret with carpentry saw?

[@stonefox9124]

​@@Aaron_Barrett 🤔 that's why the boss was shaking his head at me for 3 hours...

[@MrMustangMan]

i use my 12" Craftsman adjustable wrench as a hammer sometimes......

[@darkvisiongothacked]

@@MrMustangMan only sometimes? amateur.

[@hendrikmoons8218]

So it boils down to: 1. It is a service gun (not your property) and a cheapo military surplus: SLAM THAT SLIDE whenever, wherever, nobody cares. 2. You got a Les Bear/Wilson Combat/TTI/Dan Wesson or other $3k+ gun: DO NOT slam that slide on an empty chamber, EVER!

[@docaylsw]

In Nam, I had a 1911 go off in the holster when jarred by my flak jacket. Turned out the sear spring broke, the grip safety dropped down and the sear was so warn that the jar was all it took to drop the hammer. Keep in mind, I was in a combat zone, so standard condition one. I imagine the armorer had to answer a lot of pointed questions after that. I do remember the gun was made by Singer, so WWII manufacture. I never did find out why the hammer safety didn't work.

[@dukecraig2402]

How'd you know it was made by Singer? Ever since the internet and it's become common knowledge about the ultra rare Singer's everyone and his brother who was in the post WW2 military swears up and down they handled a Singer when they were in, according to everyone who claims that there should have been several million made. They weren't stamped Singer, they were stamped S Mfg, and since knowledge about Singer .45's was only known to collectors at the time because there wasn't anything like the internet to make it common knowledge I don't understand how everyone who claims they handled a Singer when they were in the military would have even known it was one since they didn't actually say Singer on them. Also knowing that condition 1 is cooked and locked and also knowing how the inner workings of the M1911 function I don't understand how the hammer could have possibly dropped with the safety on even with a broken spring since the safety blocks that from happening broken spring or not, the grip safety is also held outward by a spring so how exactly did it "drop down" on it's own? And since unit armors aren't authorized nor would they have the tools to disassemble that part of an M1911 meaning it would have been sent back to the states to an arsenal how is it you got the word on what was wrong with it? I had an M16A1 lower screw up on me that wouldn't come off safe when I loaded it and it got sent off never to be seen or heard from again by us evermore leaving me wondering what'd gone wrong in it and I was in the states when that happened.

[@johncitizen3927]

Singer only made 500 I think. Costly.

[@tedcollins4684]

I'm doubting too

[@michaelwoods9005]

It's the same thing with guitarists and vintage Gibson Les Pauls. Everybody over 65 or so claims they handled or knew somebody who owned a sunburst 1959 Les Paul.. but only 650 were made, lol

[@JillsNipple]

"Nam" ya say???

[@PigKiller15]

My grandfather left me a WWI era 1911 that he had "accurized" back in the late 50's. It was a USMC armorer who went on to be one of the top gunsmiths at High Standard, so I don't question the work. The way my grandfather taught me to drop the slide was by holding the hammer all the way back and dropping the slide release. He said it was to keep the trigger from getting lighter/out of competition spec. Is there any merit to this and if so, why? Thank you very much for the video. This is becoming my new favorite series.

[@dtenor201]

I agree with this video. If your gun has a match trigger, you'll ruin it. Always hold the trigger rearward while dropping the slide. It is much safer, but an S.O. may not allow it. More below... The 1911 (and most guns) are designed so that the trigger is held rearward during the action cycle. On a 1911 trigger group, this prevents sear battering. A misadjusted trigger overtravel can also cause battering. I read Willson's 1911 book back in the 1980s, Back then, he said "never" EXCEPT in the case of Testing for Hammer-Follow... and then only a couple times. As far as I'm concerned, that is the only reason to do it. What is the point otherwise?

[@Nick-nm8om]

I was issued a 1911 45cal. as side arm in the Corps and I never had a problem with it, and I always used to dropped the slide on an empty chamber.

[@mic982]

It's part of the fun of owning a GI-style 1911. Lock that big heavy slide back and when ready to close it, let it fly! The sound and feel of that heavy steel slamming closed is almost magical. That said, I'd not do it a lot, or unnecessarily. Handle the weapon with the respect it deserves. It's a John Moses Browning masterpiece of function and design. Beauty with a purpose.

[@billquillin1952]

Good analysis. I've found cheaper guns (the old Star comes to mind!) The barrel extension would take a beating. Colts and other quality pieces never showed an issue. However, slamming the slide on a Hand Fed round would sometimes ruin the extractor.

[@sanguinemoon9201]

Very true. This is even more true with a cheap gun and steel cased ammo.

[@armadefuego5907]

Once I learned about hand fed rounds; I never did it again in any action type. Ignorance is bliss.

[@Kodiac]

This is absolutely true, I could not agree more. From my limited knowledge about the extractor damage that is also backed up by Jerry Miculek and his opinion and i would trust him to know so I would trust your judgment above also

[@herbderbler1585]

I too recently learned about hand-feeding ammo causing damage to the extractor. It's something I rarely did anyway so not a huge issue, but now I know to keep it rare. I've heard plenty of people insist, "if your gun is that fragile you need to get a better gun," but I see no reason to keep rolling those dice to find out how sturdy my extractors really are. If my life depended on it I already know my guns can do it at least once. That's good enough for me.

[@herbderbler1585]

@@Kodiac Jerry is awesome. He educated me on how stupid it is to do the Hollywood spin and snap-shut with revolver cylinders. I'd be lying if I said I didn't do it a few times with the first revolver I ever bought, but thankfully I found wisdom quickly. Now one of the first things I do EVERY SINGLE TIME I hand a revolver to someone else is tell them not to do that, because there's about a 50/50 chance they will. It's unfortunate that something that is not fuddlore but well known to wear and damage cylinders has become ingrained behavior from entertainment. In my mind it's like ramping a car over a railroad crossing at 80mph. Hollywood does it because they don't care if the car runs after the movie is done filming. Anyone who paid their own money for a car and wants to keep it working as long as possible would never.

[@joed3264]

I have built dozens of 1911s from scratch. I only use EGW sears from Brownells. I like the Wilson Combat Ultralight hammer, also from Brownells. There is only one barrel to use - Kart. It is the barrel the AMU uses in their 1911s.

[@heyron9357]

I feel that it's Far Better to Be SAFE, than SORRY. As an OLD 1911 guy, I have made it a life-long (40+ yrs. of carry) practice of NOT Gambling with the Longevity of my Firearms... or my Life. 'Any mechanical device (as well as Human Being), is subject to failure'... Never enhance that possibility with a pointless wager. Be SAFE, Out THERE.... 👍😉🇺🇸

[@EC-mc7vg]

As a mechanic of 40 years I totally agree, EVERYTHING mechanical wears out and has a failure point. That is the very reason I DO NOT dry fire my weapons. The "tacticool operator" thing seems to be doing THOUSANDS of rounds of dry fire "practice", when all that is being done is beating and wearing out the pistol. Save the life of the pistol for firing live rounds. What good is it if you dry fire 20,000 times to "practice" only to have your pistol fail at 1,000 live rounds???

[@flinch9748]

Very well said sir, I totally agree.

[@ethanhouse11]

Ericka C this is what we call FUDDLORE, train whenever you can and however you can, you will wear out the slide on a striker fired pistol before you will wear it out from dry fire, it’s considered a safe practice for a reason....

[@EC-mc7vg]

@@ethanhouse11 So you are under the false impression that dry firing your pistol THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of times doesn't take a toll on your firearm???

[@FlyTour69]

Ericka C I prefer to use snap caps myself.

[@peteshour768]

The Armorors in The Army did this all the time when you handed them a 1911 locked to the rear after you cleared the weapon. Each weapon must of had this done hundreds if not thousands of times while issued. Never had a problem. Those were Mil-Spec guns. When you start paying up towards $1k And more for a 1911 then yes, I agree.

[@m4rvinmartian]

"Must of had" Say the phrase "of had this done" and think if that makes sense? It's "Must HAVE had", because "have had this done" is correct.

[@peteshour768]

@@m4rvinmartian Go fuck yourself

[@peteshour768]

@snoopy dubnation Thank you. I'm surprised You Tube didn't flag me.😂

[@emort6]

@@peteshour768 I'm glad they didn't, your response gave me a good laugh.

[@dukecraig2402]

As they pointed out in this video the concern isn't with out of the rack service grade M1911's, it's with match grade one's that are "tuned".

[@BusyBasaz]

I don't own a firearm, but I am reminded that like any tool, the difference between a novice user and an expert is made quite clear here. Good, informative and interesting.

[@willglo]

This argument sounds just like the caliber debate.

[@tomgiorgini9154]

then you didnt learn a thing, caliber is choice, dropping the slide on a empty chamber is a no

[@amishdinkledork]

lol look another smooth brain normie! LMAO@@tomgiorgini9154

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

Eh ... I would say that you guys have a point about just which kind of a weapon you're dealing with. The only 1911's I ever used were the basic Military Model. My contribution to the Vietnam War - was being a Sentry in California for 15 months. My armament varied with the post. Gates and Roving Patrols had 1911's. Every single time the watch was changed, the Corporal of the Guard would draw the weapon from the holster of the person being relieved, eject the magazine, pull the slide back - check the chamber, let the slide go home, pull the trigger to drop the hammer and then insert the magazine. We did not carry the pistol with rounds in the chamber. Then - he would put it in the holster of the person coming on watch - where it would stay - until he was relieved. He did this for every single person armed with a 1911 on the watch - every time the watch was relieved. The biggest problem we had - was these guys would do this so much - when they were dead on their ass - at any hour fo the day or night - and they would insert that magazine before they let the slide go home ... Bye, bye Corporal's Stripes. 24 hours a day - 7 days a week - those pistols were all cleared every 4 hours. This went on for years. I never heard of anyone having a problem with any of those weapons - but then - those weapons were almost never fired. However, none of the weapons that were in use when we qualified with them ever had any problems. The weapons I used to qualify were accurate enough for me to shoot Expert. So - the idea of not dropping the slide on an empty chamber was a non-starter in the Marines when I was in. I was in from 1970-1972. My Dad was in the Marines for 20 years - and they were clearing those weapons every time the watch changed when he was in. Now a problem I have here - with the terminology employed - is that these weapons WERE 1911A1's. So - yes - there could be some kind of a special market for custom made "1911's" but THESE were the REAL 1911's. Now - that said - everything else I used in the Marines was all beat to hell so why should the pistols be any different? As to what Browning intended when he designed the 1911 - I can't say - but if he was designing it for the Military - the idea that it was going to be used hard would seem to be a basic assumption. Again - everything else is. .

[@1248dl]

Basically, I agree with you both. The correct answer is, "It depends." As a general practice, I discourage my customers letting the slide go on an empty magazine. If they decide to ignore my advice that means I get a bit of work fixing the ones which have soft parts or were not done right by someone else. As you say, on most guns an occasional slam isn't going to hurt, but why chance it?

[@hoot1141]

It doesn’t depend.

[@rohesilmnelohe]

If it damages the gun: It is bad build quality or bad design. If it doesn't: working as intended. It could be comparable to grenading your cars engine if you give it some gas while in neutral. It just doesn't make sense.

[@davidforce5617]

I was a small arms repairman in the Marines. Part of the function check was to rack the slide on an empty chamber several times while holding the trigger back and depressing the grip safety. This was to see if the hammer followed the slide. in other words checking sear engagement.

[@chavo4265]

"Dude it's never ok!" Lol Just don't over do it and cheap stuff will always break prematurely. And why would you do it on a fine quality 1911 anyways.

[@isaiahcampbell488]

I didn't even know that this was a question. Thanks for doing this video!

[@MrKakemann1]

Do one on different 1911 sight cuts, how to tell what you have and what fits.

[@pineapple999100]

Why? Two seconds on Google will answer that. Lol

[@MrKakemann1]

@@pineapple999100 I want to hear it from gunsmiths, not magazine journalists or selftought gun tinkers.

[@Jedidiah-r1m]

yes Why you ask , so that I know 100 prevent its right

[@MrKakemann1]

@@Jedidiah-r1m it is 4 main cut, and a "Novak special?" cut. What will fit in what cuts? Are some of them interchangeable? Is there a hight/point of aim difference like the sig numbering? Etc... (relative new to 1911's)

[@Rubeless]

Check with the manufacturer

[@kennethcraig6439]

I carried a Government 1911 for most of my career in the Marines and we let the slide go home on an empty chamber every day. I shot competitively on the Base Shooting Team, and we never let the slide go on an empty chamber with our Colt Gold Cup National Match pistols. Our duty weapons were not tuned like the match weapons but they shot well enough for normal pistol qualification. Putting every shot in the black at 50 yards was expected with the Gold Cup.

[@garylewis3641]

To me it's like slamming a car door, once in a while shouldn't hurt it but you wouldn't want to do it all the time!

[@Totemparadox]

But a well built car should handle it. I’ve slammed the door on my chevy hundreds of times and literally nothing’s happened? You might be asking why I’ve slammed the door hundreds of times? Because I’m temperamental hothead.

[@GC-Jo]

My mother in law would slam the door so hard the vehicle would rock back and forth! Needless to say, not touching my weapons!!

[@garylewis3641]

@@GC-Jo I don't blame you!

[@sanguinemoon9201]

@@Totemparadox seen dozens of chevys with busted hinge pin bushings. Seen dozens of Fords with sloppy latches. All from slamming doors. Never seen one on a BMW though. I'm not a bimmer fan just pointing out what I see. Same is true of guns. I've dropped the slide empty on many guns with no issue. Then again I don't by crap either.

[@garylewis3641]

@knine1833 Very true!

[@Felix-fy7ki]

I watched this issue on several FN High Powers. They all had factory triggers and when the slide was dropped without a cartridge, most of the time the hammer fell.

[@duck-n-cover477]

It's good to know the factors that inform a gunnowner's own "go/no-go" on dropping a slide on an empty chamber.

[@peterresetz1960]

My only concern with releasing the slide on an empty chamber is the possibility of the either the barrel locking lugs or the slides locking lugs can get battered. Chambering a cartridge by stripping it from the magazine does somewhat buffer the slide as it returns to battery. While I was in the U.S.Army (1979-82) working as small arms repair, I had seen 1911’s that had battered locking lugs in these guns. I also had to replace a few cracked barrel links which was always thought was attributed to what was called “Empty chamber slide slam”. I can remember the discussions with my shop officer and section sergeant pertaining to letting the bolts slam empty chamber into battery in M1Garand, M14, and M16.

[@docbob6897]

Here's a suggestion for a non-myth topic: how to identify a gunsmith who is competent in 1911 repairs. Seems every one says he can do it, but I have to believe that a bunch are only slightly better than mediocre at it. Thanks for great advice, gents!

[@martialman.4563]

I took my Springfield GI to a smith, it went in with a heavy trigger pull but crisp break. Got it back with heavy trigger pull and full of creep.

[@ChuckSneed88]

American pistolsmith guild

[@JJ_SDWR]

@@martialman.4563 did you go back to the same guy to fix it or pay somebody else? Just curious.

[@Fullyautomagic]

Mediocre means average so a bunch are better than that.

[@ronaldp.vincent8226]

I still think it’s all about gun etiquette. Drop it all you want on your own pistol at your own risk. Don’t do it to your buddy’s gun unless he’s cool with it. There are things I don’t do on other people’s weapons like smacking the bolt release on an AR, or slamming magazines in. Those don’t hurt the gun, but it’s not good manners. They’re letting you hold or borrow their gun, be respectful with it and don’t treat it like it’s yours.

[@ShootAUT]

You should treat a tuned race gun differently than an ordinary range toy, like you'd do with cars. An old station wagon can take different kinds of beating, and will most likely be less sensitive to it than a $100,000.- track monster.

[@LocHoang580]

Then there's no point paying all that money for a gun to have it be so delicate lol. It should be quality made and be able to take some beatings.

[@ShootAUT]

@@LocHoang580 It always depends on the particular purpose your tool was built for and what you mean to do with it. Let's take professional target shooting as an example. Those guns don't need to be able to handle rough situations. They need to be light, feature good grips, good sights, an outstanding barrel and next to no tolerances. Some of them are hand-made like the proverbial swiss watches - exceptionally well, just not as tough. Of course, buying such a "race car" of a gun simply for self protection or to go hunting with it is a waste of money and craftsmanship.

[@E.L.RipleyAtNostromo]

I’ve always followed the guidance I read from Bill Wilson in 1982 when I built my first IPSC pistol, and that was to just hold the trigger back when dropping the slide on an empty chamber to disconnect the hammer and sear; potential problem solved. Also, when Ross Seyfried was world pistol champ about that time with his Pachmayer special 1911, he said he hated to do it, but he would lube everything and drop the slide at least once on an empty chamber to test a new trigger job to ensure the hammer didn’t follow. All I know is that if someone does it on my Series 70’s without holding the trigger back I’m going to kick their ass. 😳. I equate it with flipping the cylinder closed on a revolver. It can be done, but not on my pistols and revolvers. To me it’s a sign you’re dealing with an amateur who doesn’t know how to treat fine firearms.

[@djay6651]

The .45s that the military had were all built during WWII. The unit I was in in Germany traded out their. 45s for Baretta's in '94. Some of those pistols were just shagged out and some were fairly new.

[@clarkclifford2338]

Yes, I had one of those 1911s. They were beyond used up. Mine was basically in the white and rattled when you shook it. We were supposed to get the Berettas back as far as 1990, but they were held back for reasons. The 1911s were sloppy as all hell and the ammo was worse. Shot all over the place. In some cases the front sight was visibly worn from use.

[@bigl6322]

@@clarkclifford2338 what does “in the white” mean?

[@clarkclifford2338]

@@bigl6322 bare metal

[@scottcurts113]

It's interesting to watch your video on this topic vs Bill Wilson's & Ken Hacathorns video. Some similarities, but two schools of thought.

[@HybridPhoenix08]

You keep drawing my attention to your coffee mug. And yes, it does make me want to buy that astronaut cat coffee mug.

[@eford7]

I like your fair and unbiased analysis. For me, better safe than sorry. If you choose not to drop the slide on an empty chamber you cannot hurt the gun - tuning or otherwise. If you do choose to drop the slide on an empty chamber, it might not hurt, but there is no way it can be good, neutral perhaps but not good.

[@rustytaylor7708]

Not a hundred times a day. Lol That advice works for me.

[@JP-lv4dj]

I have a colt series 80 that I would drop the slide on an empty chamber until the slide stop broke. I bought a new slide stop and never dropped it again. Every other part still works as it did when new.

[@spookyskeledook]

This channel is so fucking wholesome, I love it

[@Scronks_McDonks]

making me feel much better about dropping the slide on my dad's service 1911 before i heard the fun fact about it damaging the gun by dropping the slide. Thanks a ton!

[@willglo]

John Browning had always said its OK to do!... If anyone knows it would be him! So no worries and don't be so paranoid!

[@CalebSavant]

Agreed

[@clarkclifford2338]

If your seer burns out from dropping the slide, it wasn't right to being with.

[@DeadNoob451]

Keep in mind that only goes for guns designed by the same spec as Browings.

[@yesterdayshero2916]

I guess you spoke with him?

[@LongPigg]

But if your gun isn't made by him...

[@keithkrone77]

I like the little smithy. He seems old fashioned yet very knowledgeable.

[@frankbutta9344]

GunBlue490 is the KZbinr who drops his slide endlessly, and he’s using a MIM Ruger. I don’t have much reason to drop the slide on an empty chamber, but wouldn’t loose my mind if I did. 👍

[@Nattleby]

I wouldn’t do it 100’s of times in a row.

[@brentmack51]

I've got a mim sr I plan to put wc innards in it I drop mine every time I'll let yall know

[@flinch9748]

Frank Butta i’ve always wondered why Gunblue490 does this. Is it necessary? Why can’t he just ease the slide to a close? Is it a toughguy thing to slam the slide like this? Problem with mr. Gunblue490 is that his knowledge is from 40 years ago and so are his guns. Slamming the slide on an old sloppy 1911, unlubricated is a different story then doing so on a modern thightly made competition gun. Firing a bonedry all steel gun makes me cringe.

[@brentmack51]

@@flinch9748 I'm not going to speak for mr gun blue but he n I think a like. He was proving a point. That the argument is as silly as breaking in a barrel. Lead copper and gun powder is soft compared to a gun barrel steal. Think about a 3k dollar wc guaranteed for life. Does bill want to pay his guys to fix his works of art bc some guy dropped the slide? Understand gun guys are like pipe smokers you got your corn cob guys n your $500 pipe guys with humidor. Same argument as craftsman or snap on

[@frankbutta9344]

Brent Mack I put WC parts in my Ruger Lightweight SR1911’s, and it makes a HUGE difference in trigger function. 👍👍👍👍

[@jamesbradyjr8067]

I was taught never to drop your slide without a round in it. You will eventually damage your gun,That's pretty much all model pistols. That's just my opinion, though,, I treat my firearms with respect.

[@jeffreyrogers5689]

I'll defer to Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn who both emphatically say "Do not drop the slide on an empty chamber!" I trust that Bill Wilson knows the guns he designs that are coming out of his shop better than any one on the internet.

[@msgt1942]

Bill Wilson does custom guns so of course he's gonna say not to do it, if you have a colt 1911 no problem you can do it. I have lots of a usgi colt and civilian colts it is not a problem! But I also have a colt national match pre 70 series that has a great trigger and it's light came that way that is the only gun that I DONT do an empty slide drop. exactly because of what these gentlemen stated in the video.

[@johntremblay704]

The Colt Series 70 and 80 Armorer's Manual specifically states that armorers need to check sear engagement by dropping the slide on an empty chamber. According to the same manual, if the hammer falls to half-cock when dropping the slide on an empty chamber, the gun is unserviceable and corrective action should be taken. A customer brought in a long-slide Wilson several years ago that would drop to half-cock during while shooting. The relationship between the sear and the hammer appeared to be negative under a microscope and the sear spring was weak. Replacing the sear spring fixed the problem. This was verified by dropping the slide on an empty chamber and test firing. The sear nose was undamaged and the resulting trigger pull was fine. I suspect the reason that Wilson is emphatic that you don't drop the slide on an empty chamber is because doing so is likely to cause the sear to slip off the hammer hooks, causing the sear to crash into the half-cock notch. This can damage to the sear nose and generally mess up a trigger job. This is not meant to be a criticism of Wilson products. A customer buying a Wilson 1911 expects a light and smooth trigger pull, and Wilson sets their guns up accordingly. In this case, the spring was too weak. Stuff happens. As is pointed out in the video, service pistols have a lot of sear/hammer engagement, usually a positive relationship between the sear and hammer hooks, along with a lot of sear and trigger return spring pressure. This is why, generally speaking, they have heavy and creepy trigger pulls. Because of this, a service pistol is far less likely to drop to half-cock when dropping the slide on an empty chamber. If it does, the gun is defective according to Colt. Besides, a service pistol's trigger job isn't going to be ruined, since it's likely full of creep anyway. A Wilson is going to have less sear engagement, a neutral or slightly negative relationship between the sear and hammer hooks, less spring/trigger return pressure and the result will be a smoother/lighter trigger pull. Therefore, a Wilson is far more likely to fall to half-cock when dropping the slide on an empty chamber. Thus, more likely to be damaged. Make sense?

[@jeffreyrogers5689]

@Brutal Truth Did anyone claim "Wilson combat makes the best guns"? Moron indeed...

[@bartrice8278]

msgt1942 I’d agree with your statement about Wilson not making the best guns. Expensive yes, but the best...that’s debatable. Case in point, and this is chasing a rabbit, but I ordered a WC AR15 matched receiver set, and the uppers tolerances were so out of whack that the BCG wouldn’t slide in the upper without significant force. Wilson did make it right, but it just shows they don’t necessarily have the best guns. I don’t think a hammer drop is gonna kill a 1911, unless you do it repeatedly, over and over and over.

[@jeffreyrogers5689]

@@bartrice8278 Yeah, agreed. depends entirely upon YOUR needs and the intended application. In my case, my need was a lightweight (aluminum frame) compact (4 inch) 9MM 1911 platform for concealed carry in the warmer months. For full sized 45ACP 1911 I carry my Nighthawk custom in the winter. Wilson Combat has the recipe for compact 9MM down pat and claims they have the reliability surpassing that of the full sized 45ACP. As for AR platform. I tend o go with BCM, Seekins, Noveske, and my favorite - V Seven.

[@keithwilliams2766]

Thanks for this discussion. I have seven 1911s of various styles. I probably have dropped a slide on an empty chamber a time or two over the years. I don't generally do this anymore. So, I'll continue to not do it. That way I won't have to remember if it damages it or not. Thanks for the video.

[@JayDubb3BCT]

Plausible deniability and accountability.. I love it! 🤣

[@kc5hgv]

I have a CLARK Bowling Pin .45 1911 Series 80 frame. The Instructions states that you should hold the trigger back as the slide is let forward for the first shot. This will prevent the hammer from following to the half cock notch and thus damaging the sear.

[@rileyfenley522]

You aren’t going to hurt your 1911 by not doing it, so I just don’t do it.

[@tacticplanner7188]

The best video on this I've seen is on Wilson Combat. Like any good tool you take care of it, I don't use my Starret calipers as a wrench but I could.

[@SamFisher1957]

You should cover the slide stop vs slide release vs rack the slide myth also along the same lines bolt stop on ar15 vs charging handle 100% of the time

[@markt5450]

Bolt catch

[@ethanhouse11]

Mark T I feel like you’re not serious

[@SamFisher1957]

Well I think its dumb but there are people out there that think it causes damage.@@ethanhouse11

[@ethanhouse11]

Sam Fisher absolutely agree, modern centerfire pistols/rifles are absolute fine to be dryfired, dropped on an empty chamber, dropped with the slide release and so on and so forth

[@rayzielonka7856]

The manual for my Springfield TRP Operator, 10mm longslide dtates specifically not to drop the slide on an empty chamber.

[@keyhole9601]

And what about the barrel link? A little of over stretch on this part?

[@patricklozito7042]

The barrel link should never been under compression force i.e. pushing the barrel into engagement with the slide. The purpose of the link is to PULL the barrel down out of engagement with the slide. The lower barrel lugs and the slide stop lock the barrel in battery, the link should not have any load on it.

[@ReverendTed]

I think I'd like to see a graphic representation of what's being described here, and the concerns being expressed.

[@cbsbass4142]

I have had my 1911 since the 1980s so that's at least 31 years and have dropped my slide since then with any cleaning finished up. It is a straight up out of the box Mil-spec 1911 and has never broken and shoots just fine. I don't plan to buy a fragile Wilson Combat so, I'm not going to worry about it.

[@Rubeless]

A 30 year old 1911? How many times has that been rebuilt? I’m guessing it sits in the closet.

[@E.L.RipleyAtNostromo]

I don’t have a “fragile” Wilson, I have a factory Colt Series 70 from 1978 with a fine 3 lb trigger job and am not going to treat it like some GI junker. I drop the slide on an empty chamber all the time, WITH the trigger held back while I do it. No problem. I would never abuse the trigger job without holding the trigger back while I do it though, especially as it’s so easy to take that simple precaution.

[@Vapourwear]

It always amuses me when the advice comes down to: "read the manual." :D

[@r.l.royalljr.3905]

A 1911 drops the slide after firing every single round (except the last one, of course). Why would dropping on an empty chamber cause any problem whatsoever?

[@geraldbathurst2218]

i agree with you.

[@michaelmcduff2263]

Dropping the slide with a bullet dampens the slide impact to a degree. Without a bullet........ the slide hits noticeably harder and thus jars the sear and hammer interface and other parts in the gun needlessly. Hammer and sear damage is the issue we are mainly talking about and it's what you want to avoid. If the sear is jarred hard enough, it damages the engagement surfaces to a point that they may slip off or eventually break causing a double tap or full auto condition. It is a good practice NEVER to drop the slide on an empty chamber unless you are specifically trying to determine if the hammer is trying to follow. Other than that kind of test...........There's no GOOD reason to drop the slide on an empty chamber. Only bad things can happen if you do. So don't do it.

[@michaelpeterson1169]

I have a Colt that I bought new in 1981. I almost immediately had a trigger job done to reduce the nearly 8 pound pull it came with. When I got it back, it had a 2.5 pound pull. I also put in an 18 pound recoil spring. I have slammed the slide on an empty chamber hundreds of times and, I’ve fired many thousands of rounds through it. I did notice that the hammer will sometimes fall when I slam it. Maybe one out of ten times but, if I pull the trigger before I hit the slide release, the hammer never falls. I have to release the trigger, resetting the sear and, pull the trigger again before the hammer falls. I figure that if slamming the slide was going to break my gun, it would have happened in the forty years I’ve owned it.

[@mazkact]

Slamming it empty does not do your extractor any favors.

[@johntremblay704]

Why?

[@mazkact]

John Tremblay This applies to any semi auto firearm. There is no cushion of the brass and no slowing down of the bolt or bolt carrier , the extractor is slammed against the barrel/barrel extension at a great force, not as designed. I have replaced many extractors on my firearms (from my youth) and others belonging to friends for this vary reason. It is not just 1911 variants but any semi auto firearm, do not make a habit of slamming the bolt while on empty. Pertaining to 1911’s with the as designed internal extractor you will kill it.

[@kurt9894]

*Stares in every gun that doesn't have a bolt hold open device*

[@karatos]

The extractor in the 1911, and in the vast majority of all firearms for that matter, does not even touch the barrel, much less slam into it. If you had to replace broken extractors on lots of guns then it was not for this reason. Dropping the slide on a 1911 with a loaded chamber, however, is much more likely break the extractor than dropping it on an empty chamber. Maybe you or your friends were just using them wrong?

[@MizeryScratcher]

how about the OWNERS MANUAL! or did you toss it

[@alesana1208]

Me: I have a 1911 question Caleb and Steve: We're all ears

[@MrEazyE357]

Oh man! 😂🤣

[@CalebSavant]

Ok... that one was funny!

[@manganvbg90]

Probably great listeners!

[@jthrelf]

Jesus some things you just can't unsee.

[@MaelVampire99]

I'm glad someone else said it, I don't want to be mean.

[@MumblesMarbleMouth]

I had a police officer bring in a Beretta PX4 that they where using it as a dry fire/mag change training pistol. They had been using it for a number of years but, they had drop the slide so many times on an empty chamber it caused the lug of the rotating barrel to pop a small crack in the slide.

[@jthrelf]

Why would there ever be a need to do this anyway? Slam the slide when loading, ease it forward when unloaded... Easy.

[@rodneyalaking8241]

Exactly. This is such a non-issue. Click bait. I clicked on it, but only to read comments, which are always amusing.

[@johntremblay704]

Why? "To check proper hammer engagement..." according to the Colt "O" Frame Armorer's Manual CM 121 Revision A.95, Page 9, Paragraph M.

[@brianbelliveau5551]

I have a 1911 that has been worked on and I don't drop the slide on a empty chamber not good practice thanks for the video

[@blainecolbry3192]

Been dropping my slide on empty chambers on my Les Baer and Kimber Gold Medal Match for 20 years, no problems.

[@nonyabiz9487]

Well theres your problem those guns are well made.

[@Paladin1873]

This video was sent to me by Brownells today, but I wasn't aware it was nearly a year and a half old. Having read some of the comments, I'll now add my fifty cents worth (inflation). My gunsmith was one of the top in the country back in the 1970s. Before that he had been an Air Force gunsmith (not an armorer) and was one of a small cadre of enlisted and civilian gunsmiths who rebuilt all the Air Force shooting team pistols when LeMay was Chief of Staff. His name was Bob Day. He advised me not to drop the slide on an empty chamber for a variety of reasons. Potential sear damage was high on the list, but so was the needless penning of the barrel lugs and the slide engagements. It also caused wear on the link. Frankly, one could argue it causes wear on all of the parts. So does shooting the pistol. How much wear is caused by dropping the slide on an empty chamber vs. firing the pistol is something I doubt anyone can answer with authority because no two 1911s are entirely alike. It's not a question of if a part will break or wear out; it's a question of when. For those who think GI 1911s are indestructible, I've seen plenty of them malfunction due to parts wear. The military has not purchased a 1911 since 1945, so the ones I encountered were old and tired from 40 years of use. In conclusion, while I see no harm in easing a slide closed on an empty chamber, I can see no good in letting it slam home either. I prefer to err on the side of caution. Now on to the next topic - slapping the cylinder home on a DA revolver. Is it Hawaii Five-0 cool or evidence of family inbreeding? You be the judge.

[@ishkabibble2204]

To answer your second topic: yes

[@nonyabiz9487]

First problem you have here is listening to an Air Force gunsmith. LOL!

[@Paladin1873]

@@nonyabiz9487 Except these gunsmiths supported the top shooting teams in the world at the time thanks to General LeMay's interest.

[@tubeonline629]

I would like to know if doing sear and hammer work should be done on mim parts? Do they have the same hardness though out.

[@vivillager]

I have a Para-Ordnance with Cylinder & Slide hammer +sear kit, about 1,000 rounds through it, never had a problem. It was scary at first because it was my first trigger job, and I thought I did a good job, went through a few magazines with no issues, but trigger just felt too light. It was a few days later when I got a gauge that I was able to confirm, I had a 14 oz trigger. Put additional tension on the springs and now it's 2.5 lbs. If I remember right, I think the kit was advertised as 50+ HRc. As far as Metal Injection Molded parts, they'll likely be weaker than forged or billet parts. MIM starts out with powdered metal + a binder that holds everything together and then after shaping the material, the binder is removed. When performed in a vacuum, the density of the part can be raised, sometimes 95% or better density when compared to machined from billet steel, but never 100%. Aside from that MIM can still undergo the same treatments of non-MIM steel, such as annealing, hardening, nitriding, etc...

[@CalebSavant]

No, they are only surface hardened and that should be avoided!

[@tubeonline629]

@@CalebSavant Oh ok, thanks for the info, in that case I need to order a hammer and sear for my Ruger 1911.

[@ryand.3858]

@@tubeonline629 I wouldn’t do it yourself if you are a beginner, could get a runaway gun. Cylinder and Slide has a drop in trigger kit that’s pretty good.

[@tubeonline629]

@@ryand.3858 I have a Ed Brown jig and the proper stones, I've done several with great results, never getting less than 3lbs, I like a CLEAN CRISP 3.5--4lb. Any less with a .45acp I get unwanted doubles from recoil , light pull and very little pre travel/take up and over travel. I just didn't know about doing mim sears and hammer hooks. But now I know.

[@ArizonaGunsDave]

Logically speaking it's probably safe to say to just not do it at all to any gun and you'll be better off. Why do it in the first place? There is no reason to drop the slide on an empty chamber at all.

[@jimh4375]

Firearms are extremely delicate and should never be subject to Jarring, rapid motion, heat, pressure, explosive gasses, recoil, or discharge. It is also very important to always keep your magazines unloaded to prevent spring failure.

[@jimh4375]

Come to think of the best thing you can do is send your firearm to me for safe keeping, some people shoot just because that day ends in Y, I require it to be a day that ends in Y, Contains at least one vowel, at least one consonant, and at least 3 letters.

[@TheBandit59]

I dropped the slide on an empty chamber a lot, My wife bought me a Wilson Combat Ultralight commander, and I continued to drop the slide on an empty chamber and it stopped feeding properly . I watched Bill Wilson’s video on not to drop the slide on an empty chamber , and stopped doing it.I also saw the videos of older guys that where in the military,who swore it was fine and kept dropping the slide through the whole video. I now have two Night Hawks and the WC, which I worked very hard to own, and just stopped doing it,and they have stayed in good tune, is it because I stopped dropping the slide on an empty chamber? I don’t know

[@Just_Me187]

So you watched gunblues channel?

[@blackbird_actual]

@Darrell Kingsley I don't see how he's a jerk and he's never claimed to be an expert as far as I'm aware - he's simply provided his background as a police marksmanship instructor, trained armorer, soldier, and avid shooter/gun aficionado as evidence to the validity of what he's saying. In his video on this issue, he specifically says that he's talking about 1911s made from quality, up-to-standard materials like GI grade guns.

[@aolvaar8792]

On a properly functioning M1911, you can hold the trigger back and rack the slide and the hammer will not fall. It will remain cocked until you allow the trigger to reset and pull the trigger again. For years, this procedure has been advised by gunsmiths for pistols which have had custom trigger jobs, especially when the trigger is lightened for bullseye-type competition. The purpose of this technique is to prevent the sear engagement surfaces from bouncing against each other when the slide slams into battery. The thinking is that the sear bounce damages the polished engagement surfaces.

[@EC-mc7vg]

I can't imagine why anyone would WANT or NEED to drop the slide on an empty chamber on any pistol, what would be the point. Metal will be slamming in to metal at some contact points. Seems to me people should just use a little common sense about what they are doing with and to their pistols. I personally ease my slide forward on all my empty pistols, why would I slam it, there is no purpose or gain.

[@eugenecbell]

I agree. I also think the bullet will not protect ones 1911 much.

[@eugenecbell]

Ubal_Blunt, I would like some sciencey channel do some real investigation and show us plots of slide speeds.

[@EC-mc7vg]

@Ubal_Blunt WRONG. When firing like INTENDED the slide has to strip a round from the magazine that is under spring pressure. Try again.

[@GatCat]

Ericka C well that was rude, he was simply looking for facts over opinion. I agree with him. Everyone can yell their opinions, but without solid evidence in a controlled environment there’s no need to really disagree.

[@EC-mc7vg]

@@GatCat So are you really of the opinion that letting the slide slam shut when empty is the same as the slide stripping a round from the spring loaded magazine as intended are the same thing???

[@2012JCC]

I bought a used Springfield GI that I believe the prior owner dropped the slide on. I replaced the sear and all is good now.

[@fjb4932]

Am wondering it it wasn't all good before. Was there a problem you felt dropping the slide caused ?

[@2012JCC]

FJ B yes, just as they described in the video.

[@GoredonTheDestroyer]

Why would manipulating a firearm in the way it was designed, as it left the factory, be bad for it? Excessive dry-firing makes sense, because that's putting undo strain on components, but doing something as simple as dropping the slide? It's like telling someone with a sports car not to drive it like a sports car because you drove a car similar to that once, but with 1000 horsepower, and blew up the transmission.

[@evilcowboy]

I agree, I honestly don't see anything wrong with dry firing either because the firing pin spring should soften the wear on the hammer and firing pin. Considering they are hardened parts I can't see why it would make much difference.

[@GoredonTheDestroyer]

@@evilcowboy Well, consider that when you dry fire something, the hammer/striker is just coming to a dead stop. This is why you shouldn't dry fire rimfire pistols and rifles, because you could break the hammer/striker.

[@evilcowboy]

@@GoredonTheDestroyer Yeah I agree with you on rim fire, I was talking more about center fire guns, I just can't see why it would break a part on the center fire guns. I do recognize not all metals will be the same so the way I look at it is that if a part breaks from dry firing it was likely below par for the gun. In my mind I had a 1911 in mind when I made my statement. Where the firing pin spring should soften the fall of the hammer and the firing pin hits nothing. I should have probably made it more clear I had the 1911 in mind. But yeah you are right never dry fire a rim fire gun or guns where there is a free floating firing pin. Sorry I should have made that distinction.

[@ryand.3858]

For the record you can dry fire a 1911 without damaging it.

[@E.L.RipleyAtNostromo]

Because dropping the slide without chambering a round and hammering / jarring the hammer and sear engagement is not something the mechanism was designed to handle long term. Chamber a round, fine, otherwise lower the slide onto an empty chamber, OR simply hold the trigger back when you swipe off the slide stop to keep your expensive trigger job from getting unnecessarily abused, which is what Bill Wilson used to recommend back in the day.

[@markreed2576]

Kimber’s manual says to release the slide holding it with the support hand to take it down to battery position on an empty chamber. They also state to hold the hammer when pulling it on an empty chamber. I’m sure they know their products well and probably want to protect the sear engagement. Follow the manual folks. The manufacturer knows the metal make up, temper, heat treatment , possible MIM parts etc.

[@chuckadams195]

It’s simply a tool to be used if it won’t stand up to use then it’s probably not worth the price you paid for it.

[@evanf1443]

Depends on what the tool is for. A knife blade isn’t going to be as durable as that of an ax, but the knife blade is more precise. Same thing here, if I understand properly. They mentioned that GI trigger will likely be fine, but a match trigger trades some durability for a lighter, crisper trigger pull.

[@SnellSr]

I have an related question for those with 1911 expertise. I have a Gold Cup series 80 that I bought used. It had been smithed by a master smith and has a 4 1/2lb crisp trigger. I apply the safety, squeeze the trigger, release the trigger and disengage the safety.. the hammer drops to hanlfcock. Is this a common occurrence with precision pistols set up for competition or something I should be concerned about?

[@CalebSavant]

No Bueno, you will need a new safety fitted at the least.

[@tomgiorgini9154]

your competent gunsmith was not so competent, without seeing it I would say he has reduced the hammerhooks below 18thousands or he was not using a jig and no longer has straight lines on anything he was touching you need to find a real gunsmith

[@paredg2]

I don't do it myself, but I wonder what bugs gunsmiths worse, seeing a guy come into a gun shop or gun show dropping a 1911 slide on an empty chamber or using the word clip instead of magazine....😂

[@p99shooter]

@Gerry Paredes - That’s a tuffy..😂 Both would likely be overshadowed by someone spinning a revolver’s cylinder, followed by the quick wrist-flip to slam it home. 😳

[@brentmack51]

Dont forget I need some 45 bullets

[@alanbud5181]

I just don’t understand why everybody gets so upset when somebody says “Clip” instead of “magazine”. I do realize there is a difference, but to the ordinary person it makes no difference🤷‍♂️

[@Me2Lancer]

The only time I have addressed this question was in US Navy basic training in 1961. We were specifically instructed to not drop the slide on our 1911A1 pistols. We were also not given a reason for this policy. For this reason I have avoided doing so since then.

[@drjpica]

These guys are fantastic. They can see shades of grey and still remain objective

[@paulis7319]

I have an old Colt 1911National Match that does not lock the slide when the magazine is empty, so if I run 100 mags through it in a day, it's going to close on an empty chamber 100 times in a day. It's had 1000's of rounds through it and has never needed to be serviced other than cleaning.

[@karlnash7105]

If it jambs, force it. If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway. ;-)

[@CalebSavant]

What if it jellys? ;)

[@cbsbass4142]

Yep. Murphy's law

[@willowrabbit]

jerry miculek has a video on this. Its not that the slide can't be dropped empty, rather should only feed from the magazine. If a round gets placed in the chamber and then the slide dropped, that could damage the extractor. Over time the reasoning and detail got blurred about.

[@CalebSavant]

Not exactly, that's a completely separate issue.

[@chrisb7528]

Who is here after watching Wilson Combat's video on 6/11/21?

[@willdenney325]

🤚

[@inyourdefense0]

Soooo, "it depends"?

[@Cretaal]

"That's going to damage your gun!" It's a Colt .45... it's had worse.

[@speedbuggy16v]

a lot of truth in that statement....

[@HPAcustomriflesandcerakote]

That is true I for once agree with the younger guy on the right. When I do trigger jobs on 1911's i let the slide go on an empty chamber to so I can check for hammer fall. I have up graded a lot of Rock Islands with changing everything out inside with Wilson Combat components like sear, disconnector, sear spring hammer, and fitting Wilson Combat solid flat shoe triggers. Some really preform awsome afterwards. Especially those RIA 6" 10mm auto's. Damn smooth and accurate

[@myvenusinuranus]

I never drop the slide on empty on my 1911's and I think it's rude if you drop the slide empty on someone else's 1911 without asking. I've had that happen before so I make sure to constantly say it over and over pretty much EVERY 1911 I've seen that has a trigger job the hammer follows, drops to half cock, or does double taps with one trigger pull. I stay away from trigger jobs and don't trust anything below 4 lbs. I think it's very unsafe

[@jeroendesterke9739]

I have explained time and time again why dropping a slide on an empty chamber will NOT hurt any gun. The most wear and tear any gun will receive is when it's fired for which it has been designed to do so for many 1000 of rounds. Dropping it out of a three story building or throwing it onto a raging fire WILL be detrimental of course.