Hard to rack the slide on a 1911

[JTQ]

I suspect it is just you now understand the level of effort it requires, and that you now know you won't break it if you use that level of effort.

You simply rack the slide freely, rather than with some hesitation.

 

[Zerodefect]

One of those surprised results is your hand is covering the ejection port, so clearing a jam or checking the chamber isn't possible. If it works well for you when loading, then use it.

What type of jam? Stovepipe can be wiped out, or treated like a double feed. Use the slide lock lever.

And when chamber checking, I'm on the nose of the slide, not the rear. Totally different tecnique.

 

[rcmodel]

That's the way it works on a tight hard-fitted gun.

By the time you shoot it enough to wear out a lesser gun?

It will be 'wore out' just the right amount to not wear out anymore in many more thousands of rounds.

Once all the parts are mated in perfectly from shooting it, it will last a very long time with top level accuracy, and easy operation.

rc

 

[mikemyers]

I suspect it is just you now understand the level of effort it requires, and that you now know you won't break it if you use that level of effort........You simply rack the slide freely, rather than with some hesitation.

'rcmodel' knows what I mean. It's a different gun, and a different thread, but I'd like to see you try to "simply rack the slide freely" on a Les Baer. The only way I can get the slide on that gun to even start to move, is to rest the end of the gun against a table or something solid, and "break it free", after which it's just very stiff.

It reminds me of a saying, "anything is easy to do, when you're not the one who has to do it".

All the advice up above has been very helpful, and I certainly learned a lot.

By the way JTQ, I wasn't worried about breaking the gun - if anything, I was worried about breaking something inside 'me'. I'm 71, and weigh only 140 pounds, and I think I flunked every phys-ed course I ever took....

 

[JTQ]

... but I'd like to see you try to "simply rack the slide freely" on a Les Baer.

I have, but as I mentioned in my first post in this thread, that remember you argued against doing, it is easier if you cock the hammer first.

"anything is easy to do, when you're not the one who has to do it".

Anything is easy if you know how to do it too. We've talked about it in this thread. Just pulling with your support hand is tough. It's a lot easier pushing with your strong hand.

I do agree it gets easier as the gun gets some rounds through it though.

 

[mikemyers]

I have, but as I mentioned in my first post in this thread, that remember you argued against doing, it is easier if you cock the hammer first........

Yep, at the time, the video I watched said it was not safe; from what I've learned here, it's completely safe. The internet is full of bad information. On THR, bad information quickly gets corrected, time after time.

After learning the trick from Joe, I've always been "pulling" with one hand, while "pushing" with the other. The Colt has been at different distances from me, and I found the distance where this worked the easiest for me. Doing it as you suggest gets more of the muscles involved. I now hold the gun about a foot in front of me, pointed down at about a 45 degree angle, without any need to pull back the hammer unless I want to, push with my right hand on the frame, and pull back on the slide gripped between my palm (towards the right) and four fingers on the left. If I find someone to hold the camera, I'll make a video. Or, maybe I can use a tripod.....

I was curious yesterday afternoon, and tried to rack the slide with the Les Baer, with the hammer pulled back. Nothing. Pushing the gun with the end of the slide/barrel against the floor, the parts broke free, and then even though the movement was very stiff, I was still able to rack the slide. I should clarify things a bit - I'm not really asking just to rack the slide on a Les Baer, but to do so on a brand new Les Baer that has not yet been fired, and hasn't even started to get broken in.