wayned said:
Well Hawkeye, it just seems odd that for many years every 1911 I've come across I could release using that lever. Ruger has the same answer as you do and that's fine. I'll just have to re-learn what I thought I knew.
Interesting. Most of the 1911s I've come across are difficult to impossible to release the slide with the lever if an empty magazine in place. Same with CZs and Ruger LC9 and SR22. It's a little easier on Beretta 92s because the lever is longer.
What most seem to ignore is the name of the part is
Slide Stop, not
Slide Release. In the SR1911 parts list it's part number FF03700. All references to it in throughout the manual refer to it as a
Slide Stop.
On page 15 of the SR1911 manual the instructions to release the slide are as follows:
"Hold the pistol firmly in the shooting hand but do not touch the trigger. Keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction. With the thumb and forefinger of the other hand grasp the rear of the slide and pull the slide to the rear as far as it will go (see Figure 7, below and "Slide Retraction Warning", p. 16). When released, the slide will fly forward to strip the top cartridge from the magazine and chamber it."
Similarly, on page 14 of the SR22 manual the instructions to release the slide are as follows:
"With the thumb and forefinger of the other hand grasp the rear of the slide and pull the slide to the rear as far as it will go (see Figure 4, below and "Slide Retraction Warning," p. 15). When released, the slide will fly forward to strip the top cartridge from the magazine and chamber it."
Th exact same instructions are on page 17 of the LC9 manual.
I participate in USPSA and IDPA matches every week during warmer weather. Of the 30 to 40 skilled participants at each match, I'd say all of them "sling shot" the slide closed.
