Took my 108284 and put another 100 rounds through it this weekend. At the end I tried to release the slide and it wouldn't go forward on the empty mag. Using Wilson Combat mags, had no malfunctions at all with my reloads. So I dropped the mag, and was able to release the slide. Tried inserting the mag, and rack the slide, still tried a huge amount of force and the slide would not release. After several attempts I did manage to get the slide to release on the empty mag, but only with excess force. Can't imagine the gun was excessively dirty from only 100 rounds, as it had been cleaned before the range session, and oiled and slide greased. Any thoughts, suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

My SW1911 and Colt XSE Government do the same thing.

I don't routinely drop 1911 slides to run forward at full speed on empty chambers, anyway. Old Habit.

On those infrequent occasions when I do, it's as part of an armorer inspection, checking for hammer follow when the slide drops without a round being chambered. (And it's done without a magazine in the guns, for just this reason.)

When I'm shooting, and for whatever reason I decide to let the slide go forward on an empty chamber until I'm ready to reload and continue shooting later, I drop the mag (if only an inch) before trying to depress the slide stop lever. Why? Because it takes a lot more pressure to lower the lever if there's an empty mag in the gun, with the follower providing resistance against it.

This is one of the little peculiarities of 1911's compared to other pistols.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Thanks Fastbolt! That is a relief. I don't generally release the slide on the empty chamber, and when I do I use hold the slide to reduce the speed at which it goes forward.

De nada. That's pretty much what I do, myself.

When there's an empty mag in the gun, trying to depress the slide stop lever to release the locked back slide can feel like you're trying to push against a solid piece of steel, at times, huh?

I recently replaced the springs in my ACT-Mag's with the Extra Power springs used by Wolff for those mags. Combine the fresh springs with the formed steel follower, and pushing down on the slide stop lever on an empty mag is sort of like pushing down on the frame itself.

Just drop the empty mag before trying to release the slide to be eased forward on an empty chamber.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Fastbolt, am so glad you are a member here! Thanks again!

Thanks.

The important thing is that you can depress the slide stop lever to release the slide and chamber the first round from the mag (without undue effort), right?

Granted, I know a lot of folks (including instructors and reps for gun companies) who teach the slingshot or overhand method of releasing the slide to load the chamber, but I've spent too many years shooting 1911's and using the slide stop lever.

Besides, there's no guarantee we're always going to be able to use both hands to load under real world conditions, right? I like to keep some alternative techniques among my "practiced, ingrained" options. (I do the same thing in the martial arts. )

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

You are right Fastbolt, the slide does release on a live round easily. Been thinking of incorporating that fancy technique I've seen on tv several times of racking the slide off of my belt!