Guns Custom Made to Avoid Slide Lock?

[Myles]

For the competition shooters here, why are some custom made guns made so that the slide won’t lock to the rear when empty?

When I bought my Hyperion, I was asked if I wanted the slide to lock back or not.

Any Ideas what the benefit is?

Fred Ruiz any idea?

[Myles]

For anyone interested, I heard back from Atlas Gunworks:

"The design is so flawed in 1911s that for a long time it was not an option. People got in the habit of counting rounds and just stuck in their ways."

[JoeFarewell]

It's something that I've heard several explanations for... but none that really satisfy me. Some people prefer it to not lock back and that's their prerogative, but my personal belief is that I'd rather have the notification that the gun is dry than take another shot before realizing it. Because I've worked a lot with my Hyperion I've gotten a really good feel for when it's dry and can pretty well call it when I'm at that point before I drop the hammer, but there have been a handful of times at matches where it cost me a second because I took that dryfire shot before realizing I needed to reload. Much of that time can be masked in movement and cut by effective manipulations, but it's still lost time.

[Myles]

It's something that I've heard several explanations for... but none that really satisfy me. Some people prefer it to not lock back and that's their prerogative, but my personal belief is that I'd rather have the notification that the gun is dry than take another shot before realizing it. Because I've worked a lot with my Hyperion I've gotten a really good feel for when it's dry and can pretty well call it when I'm at that point before I drop the hammer, but there have been a handful of times at matches where it cost me a second because I took that dryfire shot before realizing I needed to reload. Much of that time can be masked in movement and cut by effective manipulations, but it's still lost time.

Yeah, me, too. I prefer that it lock back even if I don't plan to have it lock back, i.e. speed reload from one position to another. I'd think it would be nice to have just in case. I got the featured added to the pistol, but the mags are competition mags and the follower has a cut out that doesn't allow it to lock--but it's all good.

(Joe, FYI, text you earlier after my class...Will give you a ring tomorrow.)