Fieldstripping the gun with the snap cap in the chamber?

[Breadfan]

Originally Posted by rogerxd45

1.empty all rounds out of gun and magazine
2. lock the slide back
3. push up the slide release lever
4.load the snapcap in the empty mag
5.release slide which in turn chambers the snapcap (now i really dont like letting the slide go forward at full speed when the slide release lever is fliped up to field strip it. it seems like slide might not stop at its normal pos and might go to far forward and maybe damage a part) so i usually pull the slide back just enough to disengage the slide stop and slowly ride the slide forward.
6.dryfire and pull the slide off

That's what I pretty much did this evening. As for the slide release lever..hmm..well, I just let it slam back, that's what the manual says, nothing about holding it with hand and being gentle about, although I understand what u mean there and I actually might start doing that as well.

[firemanjohn]

Originally Posted by CajunBass

What's going to happen if you drop the F/P on an empty chamber?

It is fine to as far as I know, the manual states it is ok and even suggests you dry fire it as part of getting familiar with it. When I put mine away I eject the mag, clear the chamber and then rack the slide again just because I'm paranoid, the click the trigger to release the hammer. As far as I know this is a safe proceedure.

[CajunBass]

Originally Posted by CajunBass

What's going to happen if you drop the F/P on an empty chamber?

Originally Posted by Monkhouse

Click

My point exactly. Nothing.

[YosemiteSam]

With modern firearms it is perfectly safe to not use a snap cap. They were originally used on old design firearms (esp. shotguns) that could conceivably launch their firing pin if it didn't make contact with something. That's not going to happen with your striker-fired XD.

In some cases it's still a good idea to use them in .22s, or not dry-fire the .22 at all, because the FP can make contact with the chamber wall, peening it over, making it impossible to chamber a round. This is because the FP strikes the rim of the cartridge (hence "rimfire"). If the cartridge isn't there it can strike the chamber edge instead. Many modern .22s get around this by having a notch in the edge of the chamber where the FP can slide into without damage.

Obviously this isn't a problem on a centerfire, where the FP emerges into the center of the chamber.

-- Sam

[.40-.45]

I would not want to get into a habit, even only at tear down, of pulling the trigger with the chamber loaded indicater up unless prepared to destroy whatever is in front of the barrel icluding mywork bench or the kids in the nextroom

empty
check to confirm empty
dry fire and clean

[rogerxd45]

Originally Posted by Breadfan

That's what I pretty much did this evening. As for the slide release lever..hmm..well, I just let it slam back, that's what the manual says, nothing about holding it with hand and being gentle about, although I understand what u mean there and I actually might start doing that as well.

i was saying not to let the slide slam forward
the slide release has nothing to do with this.
if you let the slide travel foward at full speed "after" you have pushed the lever that lets you remove the slide up the slide will travel further forward then it normally does so i dont think it will hurt but if you treat you gun good it will treat you good