Letting the slide go home on an empty chamber?

[Agent Lemon 157]

So I recall hearing that its not a good idea to let the slide of a 1911 fly home on an empty chamber. Something about it wearing down the sear, causing full auto fire if it gets damaged badly or something like that.

 

Tokarevs take apart kind of similarly to the 1911. Could they also have such an issue if the slide is released home on an empty chamber excessively?

 

In general, is it a bad idea to do this to pistols? Why?

 

P.S. I'm talking about locking the slide back and then pushing on the slide release.

Edited October 26, 2012 by Agent Lemon

[Voltia 375]

Well 1911s fracture frames around the take down pin from that. The idea is the compressed spring supplies

enough force to push the slide forward, strip a round from the mag, chamber it, and assume battery. The slide

snugs up against the chamber, which is the end of the barrel.

 

Now, with no round, that energy does close the slide against the barrel. But, the excess energy that normally would push

a round free and up and in, didn't, and makes the slide hit harder than designed. This slams the barrel forward, against

the take down pin, which is anchored in the frame. Eventually, something cracks.

 

Doing it accidentally once in a while is fine, the gun should be engineered for it. Repeated drills though, will bust it.

[Agent Lemon 157]

Okay, but what about damaging actual internal parts? I understand the force bit and cracking and whatnot, but will any internal parts get broken from this?

 

I just bought this sweet tokarev and watching some videos on it, people compare it to a 1911 but also slam the slide home empty.

[liberty -r- death 1,445]

Never seen any proof that this actually damage anything. I think it came from gunshops selling new guns that did not want the slide marking the frame on a new gun in the shop. I know a kimber dealer locally that will boot let anyone even pull a slide back until you but the gun for that reason.

[Syndicate 812]

the real damage can come from dropping a bullet into the chamber by hand and closing the slide (for 1911s, and according to my buddy CZs will not like it either)

 

put it in the mag and let the gun chamber the round as designed

[G O B 3,516]

SOP on the Sub was to drop the mag, rack the slide twice,check the chamber clear and release the slide,pull the trigger and stow the pistol. The1911 I was issued was stamped "U.S. Calvary 1914". As the pistol was nearly 60 years old at the time,and had been in constant service on the Boat for 38 of those years I do not think this would cause any problems!

[Garys4598 1,065]

Depending on the semi-autos' make, model and design, allowing the slide to slam forward on an empty chamber can be harmful to the pistol's extractor.

 

Besides, IMO any semi-auto pistolero that chambers his first round while the slide is back by using the slide release lever/button, is naive. One should always tug-back on the slide with the free hand, to allow the slide to travel forward to chamber the first round. That way the slide release lever sustains little-to-no wear. Just say'n.

[Matthew Hopkins 1,065]

Well 1911s fracture frames around the take down pin from that.

 

I'm going to have called a big BS on that, I have a USGI 1911A1 that was made in 43 and no doubt has been reissued more times then you can shake a stick it. GIs don't baby their weapons, no doubt this 1911A1 has been closed on a empty chamber 10s of thousands of times, probably even more then that, and there is zero indication of any crack around the take down bin on the frame.

Edited October 26, 2012 by Matthew Hopkins