was talking to a coworker and got talking about reloading and i told him that i sometimes use the slide release to chamber a new round and he goes on rant about how its bad for the gun to chamber a new round that way and you should pull the slide back to chamber a new round so are they any thing behind that or just b.s?

Technically he is correct. That is not a slide release lever and when my gun was new it would not work as one. However, it will now, but I too made the mistake of using it as one. I was told it is also acceptable to use it as a slide release lever in an emergency situation, but never in everyday use. It causes undue wear on the lever and the slide notch that could someday cause a failure to stay open after the last round is fired from the magazine.

Is that stated in the owner’s manual?

Another fable widely spread on gun forums. Show me one? Never proven by even those that are range rats..It sounds like it would round off the edges, but not with steel...

weren't the 1911's from way back when heat treated in that area to prevent such a problem?

new and better steels should not require localized hardening to prevent such wear, and if it does wear badly, it's generally poor heat treat.....the primary reason to not use the slide STOP to release the slide is that it is not chambering from a full stroke, and might not fully chamber a round...also, on a couple of guns of mine a looong time ago, i noticed a first-round-flier that mostly went away by retracting and releasing the slide and allowing maximum and more consistant chambering seating closer to what the gun does when cycling.

We really need a sticky on this subject! The designers/factory nomenclature for a part is generally not a limiting factor in the use. Certainly the training provided by most of the various factories on the use of their weaponry doesn't restrict the use on the part in question to only locking the slide back. There are a few exceptions. In at least one case, the trainers admit that the decision is so that the manufacturer can claim that the slide release is ambidextrous. If your weapon doesn't fully chamber a round when the slide isn't fully retracted, you need a new recoil spring and/or magazines.

BTW, the thought that yanking on the slide uses a different muscle skill/group and is therefore more tactikewl is also bushwa. You used fine motor skills to grasp and insert the fresh magazine (besides operating the trigger & mag release), so now you're suddenly stricken with an inabililty to apply that same skill????????????????

As a matter of fact, at one point in time (WW II) 1911 slides were flame hardened in a specific area. But it wasn't the slide stop notch, it was the front section of the slide and was easily identified by the two toned slide finish. Some parts contractors may have also hardened the slide stop notch, but IFAIK, it wasn't a wide spread practice. It certainly wasn't required under the production contracts.

The original 1911's were made from plain carbon steel and case hardened.

Mr. Moore, the gun is designed to reliably feed from a full stroke, not a short stroke, as the round's nose hits the ramp, is forced forward and upward, generally the nose of the round striking the upper roof of the chamber, and nosing over the breakover clearance at bottom rear of chamber/top of ramp, and lessening the force/momemtum of slide can cause a gun to fail to fully feed a round against all this resistance....just like limp-wristing can do....admittedly, it SHOULD also feed from the slide stop being depressed, but that will not always be the case due to many variables, ranging from how heavily fouled the weapon is, to variations in ammunition, to how much strength is stored in springs. As for it being "kosher", even the 1940 Army Field Manual mentioned depressing the slide stop to chamber from an open slide....it just may not be best to do so depending on other variables....

My experience:
I use the 'slide release.'
It has always chambered and fired properly using this method.
If it wears out and won't hold the slide open, I'll get it repaired.

There are many paths to the same destination.

My gunsmith had just done a trigger job on a 1911 for me and cautioned me that releasing the slide with the slide release would cause the hammer notches to bounce on the sear and chip it. That has been the only reason I've ever heard not to use the slide release and that was on a 1911.

SWCA 892

Over the past 50 years, I have used the slide release to drop the slide when loading a round from the magazine numerous times without a problem. But when shooting in competition or practicing self defense senarios, I don't use it. My reason is that I have short stubby fingers and thumbs and at speed I sometimes missed the slide release especially on some of the polymer pistols. In a life and death firefight, one loses his ability to complete fine motor movements. It's a lot easier to just reach up with the weak hand and pull the slide completely to the rear in a fast motion, ensuring a full stroke of the slide.

It will in no way damage your gun by dropping the slide, the gun sees far more abuse when firing a round than you releasing the slide.

Mtngunr, I had to depart the thread abruptly. You are correct in noting that knowing both ways to release the slide is necessary and may be situationally dependent is correct. As an example, heavy winter gloves may make the slide grab the only way.

The invention and perpetuation of myths to support particular methods is both unproductive and unnecessarily limiting.

austintexas-letting the slide run into battery without stripping a round by any manner can cause issues with target trigger jobs on 1911s-largely due to very tiny amounts of engagement of the hammer hooks. It also doesn't do the slide stop and barrel lugs any favors-the closing slap on a 1911 slide is around 800 Gs while stripping a round. Most folks find it easier to just ease the slide closed.

BTW, if the hammer hooks have been left at a proper, non-softball target load height and the sear has been properly relieved, there won't be anything to chip, nor any follow. FWIW, I know of a Swenson 1911 with a 1 7/8 lb trigger that refused to follow and exhibited no chipping. [When it went back to Swenson for another minor issue, it returned with a 4 lb trigger.]

Dropping the slide on an EMPTY chamber will sure enough mess up a good 1911 trigger job....but not in chambering a round via any means, as the round chambering offers enough resistance to cushion the slide....again, a fine pointer as to why using a short stroke from the stop will not give the chambering authority that a full stroke will....but never never ease the slide home on a round...let the gun chamber it ALL the way.

To be intellectually honest, i often release the slide with the stop, just because i can....but for those of us with short stubby fingers, most guns require an awkward rotation of the gun to reach the stop, and just pulling back the slide allows maintaining a firing grip without such shenanigans.

There is a way to use the slide stop as a release without shifting the gun hand position: a digit from the hand that just inserted the magazine. If you're a righty, use the thumb of the support hand. If you're a lefty, use the social gesturing digit-or the trigger digit.

You'll burn in eternal hellfire if you do.

The man in the cloak at the gun store said it, so I know its true.

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WWSSD?
What would Skeeter do?

really the best solution is to just use a wheel-gun

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.38 Chiefs Special Model 36-1

In any of my gun manuals that I have, it is called a slide stop or lock. Never have I read that it is a slide release. I always use the sling shot method...except for one magazine for my Mk III, it will not release without using the slide lock lever. So, that is the only time that I do use it for that purpose.

3 hours ago I was reading a magazine article in American Handgunner( or similar title)and the topic was regarding the 25th Anniversary of Glock pistols in the United States.

The author wrote a well written section about using the slide lock (or slide stop)on Glocks and other pistols.His professional consensus was basically whatever works for the individual shooter.He personally used the slide lock lever and never had a problem with any of his weapons.He also stated matter of fact that using the slide lock lever to send the slide forward was no more complicated than pressing the mag release button under stress,so stating that its a complicated manouver under stress was unfounded.Its also mentioned by the same author that Glock recommends the slingshot method in its literature.

Sho'nuff...assuming you are after a speedy reload....most times, i am not....and it's been a few since i NEEDED one...

I swear, I get dumber every time I get on the internet.

If the slide lock has a shelf and serrations on it, you can use your thumb to release it.

Much if the retardation you see on topics like this are the work of 'trainers' who are a) trying to make a name for themselves and b) charge people money to teach them complex solutions to simple problems. Then if you're lucky, they'll even sell you a $50 T-Shirt or $25 coffee mug.

These Einsteins have abandoned the old gunfighters base principle- economy of motion. If somebody is trying to get to use two hands to do something you can accomplish with one finger- smile and walk off.

Well put!

I use it, so does everyone I have ever competed with, heck, I saw John Travolta useing it on tv last night, I think it was From Paris With Love.

Well heck- if Vinnie Barbarino uses the slide release, why is there even a question about it? ROFL

I don't work for NASA but that was what I've always believed and its always chambered a round for me.

IMHO I think you beat on the gun more by using plus P versus standard pressure.

I've only been advised not to use the slide stop as a release when "not" chambering a round--empty gun.

I'm no expert, but have been advised the same.

Quanah - What about Horshack or Boom-Boom Washington?

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Ed

I guess my colt 9mm 1911 didn`t read the owners manual, over 110,000 rounds and still shooting great. I use the slide release, and have been doing so for over twenty years on this gun= still has original slide release (barrel wore out). But now that I know better I will stop ..... NOT. what you hear and what you know are not always the same thing

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The absence of pain is...death

so its okay when you are chambering a new round but dont do it when you just let off the last round and are not changing mags? you have to grab the slide and close it gently?

what are these other guys saying, when it locks back from last round, you remove mag, gently release slide with release and hand assistance, then insert new mag and pull slide back again? or while slide is locked back insert new mag and pull slide back and release? it doesnt go back that much at all?

im confused.

basically dont do it with empty chamber though? i would think it being fired cause more wear then releasing mag on empty chamber. so i shouldnt rack the slide when its empty and let it slide by itself either then? right?

i have racked the slide and let it go empty alot, no problems.
i have also inserted new mag and hit slde release alot with no problems, i thought that is what is was for?
i didnt read anything saying not to in the manual, you would think they would put it in there if it were bad for it?
what is slingshot method?

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

If you're doing something that works, don't let anyone 'enlighten' you away from it. Don't think. Just do.

Bottom line if any firearm I own cant handle me releasing the slide im sending it back to Mattel. If you have to baby it whats the point? If someone is scared to drop the slide what do you do when you actually have to fire it? When the gun is fired there are huge amounts of force at work far more than you dropping the slide no matter how you do it

The exception would be the 1911, although it doesn't hurt a thing to use the slide release to chamber a round. Dropping the slide in an empty chamber, however, can cause damage to the sear and full-cock notch.

???

i can keep doin, what im doin then? okay.

droppin the slide on an empty chamber doesnt exert(sp) as much force as a round being fired? when its locked, it isnt as far back as it goes when fired. although when fired it does have a round to cushion the blow a BIT.

interesting subject...

It's one of those things that I've made a point NOT to do anymore instead opting on just pulling the slide back to release it.

I get the feeling that by doing that it probably puts unnecessary wear on that part and yeah the gun should be able to take that without any trouble but the less wear you put on the parts the better plus I've also made a point to hold down the magazine button when putting in a fresh clip to do the same with the magazine catch.

the casing (the brass that holds the bullet) of the round acts as a shock absorber in the gun so by closing it on the chamber without a round or a snap cap in there you are slowly but surely damaging the metal by doing that, if you ARE in fact releasing the slide from its locked back position WITHOUT holding it and slowly sliding it into battery manually.

and same thing goes with the firing pin.

I learned that from one of these vids, cant remember which though and when exactly Terry G said it:
YouTube - ‪Gunsmithing the 1911: Trigger Job by "Terry G", Pt 1‬‏
YouTube - ‪Gunsmithing the 1911: Trigger Job by "Terry G", Pt 2‬‏

one of the few times when once in a blue moon looking at the nutinsane project for anything that isnt about killing people actually paid off.

FYI that seems to be his only reason for having an interest in firearms unlike sooch00 and Hickock45, but anyways ill stop now before I get into another tirade about that nutball.