Drop the slide stop, or not?

[Danny]

On the RimfireCentral board, I read warnings that depressing the bolt stop (or whatever Ruger calls it) on the rimfire MKII pistol, to load the first round, is hard on this part and the bolt, and that you should pull the bolt back then release it. I don't know if this is true or not. Maybe it's too conservative, I don't know. I know that my walking this Earth is inducing some wear on it :p. This makes me wonder if it is improper function to load the first round from a 1911 by simply depressing the slide stop. Can anyone help me? I'm just getting back into handguns and will again start shooting my 80s era Springfield. The little that I did use it back then, I did simply depress the slide stop.


Thanks,

Danny

[ignats]

I've always pushed the slide stop down to release the slide for the first round when the slide is locked back. I've never worn out a slide stop yet.

[Johnny P]

On the Ruger .22's I just always found it easier to pull the bolt back to release it.