Hellcat Pro Slid Release Lever - VERY hard to use?

[DeadAirDad]

Is It just me or is slide stop lever incredibly hard on the Hellcat Pro out of the box? I have not had a chance to fire it yet, will that help? Pretty much a noob, but this one is much harder to release than other's I've used in the past.

 

[nmedge]

Take it a part clean and lube and go fire it. It probably just needs to be broken in.

 

[Annihilator]

Is It just me or is slide stop lever incredibly hard on the Hellcat Pro out of the box? I have not had a chance to fire it yet, will that help? Pretty much a noob, but this one is much harder to release than other's I've used in the past.

With mag in or out? On my XDs with the empty mag in, it’s a bear to drop the slide with the lever.

 

[Area52]

Is it that at least on the XD the slide release is always difficult w/mag inserted.
On my XD45 which is over 12 yrs old, well over a 1000 rounds run and not only the slide release reload but also the magazine release button is still stiff as new.
Are these an XD characteristic, or
by design to be a two hand operation?

 

[Pitdogg2]

On my XDs with the empty mag in, it’s a bear to drop the slide with the lever.

It couldn't be that the mag follower is working against you, could it?

 

[Annihilator]

Yep, got to be that, no problem though, on my Colt Competition same thing.

 

[DeadAirDad]

With mag in or out? On my XDs with the empty mag in, it’s a bear to drop the slide with the lever.

@Annihilator - You nailed it. Took it out of town and worked with it some after a clean & lube. IF there is a round to load, the release is what my limited experience would call normal. Without a round to load, like you said, it's a bear! Thank you!

 

[DeadAirDad]

So I/we figured it out. If the mag has a round to load, it's "normal". If there is no round to load, it's incredibly hard to pull the slide release lever. Thanks to everyone for the ideas. Makes complete sense that it's setup this way too. Nice feature I think.

 

[Bassbob]

Yeah, it's probably best to pull the slide back and let it go to drop the slide anyway.