Can you release slide on empty chamber?

[Snake45]

Well, except of course for guns where the base of the barrel has been relieved so it makes no contact with the breech face at all,

The barrel hood would have to be relieved lot to keep the breechface from touching it at all. Like way out of spec a lot.

The barrel hood is what the slide uses to push the barrel forward as it goes to battery.

Well, I meant when in battery, of course. I know I saw an old magazine how-to article explaining how to do this and why it was supposed to work.

 

[gmartinnc]

It's really bad to drop the slide after first slipping a round into the chamber. That might break the extractor.

I don't really have a problem with dropping the slide on an empty chamber. If it could hurt the steel pistol, why doesn't it hurt the little brass cartridge? Why does a little brass cartridge keep the steel pistol from being damaged?

???

Because the little brass cartridge actually indexes off the front of the chamber spreading the load out to the entire base of the cartridge. Without a cartridge in the chamber the only contact area the slide has is the small section of hood it contacts.

If the headspace is correct on both the cartridge and the pistol, I don't see how any load would be on the cartridge.

 

[eveled]

why would you want to?

Still waiting for the answer to this question. What practical purpose does it serve?

 

[gmartinnc]

why would you want to?

Still waiting for the answer to this question. What practical purpose does it serve?

It serves no purpose whatsoever, but that isn't the title of this thread.

 

[sousana]

Easiest way to solve this debate, do to your weapon what you want, and give me the same courtesy.

I choose not to drop on an empty chamber, if you want to with yours, no skin off my back lol.

 

[Jagdhund]

The owner's manual for my Kimber Target II specifically prohibits dropping the slide on an empty chamber. I don't remember seeing it mentioned in my SR1911CMD manual, but if it's good enough for Kimber....