Showing clear in the 1911?

[Tully Mars]

This question may have been answered here before, but I'm asking it again. After dropping the magazine and showing clear it has always been my understanding that the slide must be released and allow to go into battery. Today a shooter was gently putting the slide forward and was told that was perfectly ok. I interrupt the wording "allow the slide to go forward into battery" as Allow the slide to move under it's own power. Of course the wording "unimpeded" is used in regards to the trigger and not the slide.

So what's the correct procedure?

Below is copied from the WB handbook.

UNLOAD and SHOW CLEAR: this means remove any live rounds and the magazine if one is
inserted, and with the slide open hold the pistol so the official can see there is no magazine
inserted and the chamber is empty.
SLIDE DOWN: This means allow the slide to go forward to battery.
HAMMER DOWN: While the pistol is pointed in a safe direction pull the trigger allowing the
hammer to drop, unimpeded.

Thanks,

Tully

[Samuel B Carpenter]

 Hey Tully

 The way I read and practice this is that the slide can be let down gently
 BUT the hammer must be released unimpeded by the trigger,  in order to set off a primer, but hopefully just go click

Samuel B

[Tully Mars]

Hey Sammy,

Okay. That's not how I recall the description during the RO classes I've taken, but it's been awhile

Thanks,

Tully

[Garrison Joe]

+1 for SBC's reply.

Yes, slide can be eased down.  Hammer can not. The important TEST is that there is no live round in the chamber after you have cleared the gun.   

Finely tuned 1911's are not going to like having the slide dropped hard on an empty chamber.  It wears the sear and hammer notch, and leads to hammer following down even when charging rounds into the chamber during normal firing. 

[Happy Jack]

Tully, we changed the wording a few years ago for the reason GJ mentioned.

[Tully Mars]

Thanks to everyone. Apparently I need a refresher course!

Tully

[Allie Mo]

Thanks to everyone. Apparently I need a refresher course!

Tully

I'll be there with you!