why does a pistol not got to slide lock?

[Dux-R-Us]

what keeps a pistol from going into slide lock on the last shot?

this happens once or twice with my S&W 1911 during an IPSC match. And today my Taurus Slim PT709 all of sudden was not going to slide lock on the last shot. I have fired about 200-300 round in it thus far. Today, it started acting up after about 40 rounds. I have three magazines for the Taurus and the malfunction occurred with each.

Is it a magazine issue? Maybe the spring not pushing up on that little thingy that the cartridge rests on? For the life of me I can't remember what that part is called. Is it riser??

Cheers

Kevin

PS Other than the not going into slide lock issue today, the Taurus Slim has not had a serious malfunction yet. So far it has been very reliable. It's easy to carry and draw, especially with the holster David E made for it. There is one minor flaw thus far. The magazine does not drop free of the pistol when the release button is pressed. I have had to pull it out. This happens only with empty magazine. Full magazines drop all the way. I have used a silicone spray on the magazine to help this out, but I have to reapply it regularly.

 

[Matt1911]

too strong of a recoil spring
A weak mag spring
Weak ammo
Dirty gun and or mag

 

[threegungeezer]

You forgot the dreaded limp wrist.

 

[nikatkimber]

I have an issue with riding the slide lock lever. That will prevent slide lock every time!

 

[Chambers]

I have an issue with riding the slide lock lever. That will prevent slide lock every time!

This is it 80% of the time.

 

[drmitchgibson]

What you're calling the "riser" in the magazine is the follower. You might also be riding the slide with your thumb or hand, but most likely you're holding down the slide lock lever. I'm not sure what a left-handed person would do about that. Might ask Cyrwus.

 

[WillR]

Were you shooting 45 or 40?

Oh I kid!!

For actual advice see above.

 

[dennishoddy]

For me, the reason the Mark III Ruger misses slide lock on occasion is that the slide locker thing a ma jigger in the gun is worn out.

I've got to order another and play wannabe gunsmith.

 

[Dux-R-Us]

BTW, I figured out why the magazines don't drop. The grip is small and hand gets in the way and prevents the mag from falling. My hand blocks it.

What you're calling the "riser" in the magazine is the follower. You might also be riding the slide with your thumb or hand, but most likely you're holding down the slide lock lever. I'm not sure what a left-handed person would do about that. Might ask Cyrwus.

I am not left handed. Just left minded.

 

[The Antichrome]

My official tutorial, 'How To Teach Yourself Almost Everything You Need To Know About The Mechanical Attributes Of Slidelock'
(this does not include riding the slide, riding the slidelock lever, limp wristing, recoil springs, or weak ammo)

1. Remove slide
2. Replace slide lock into frame
3. Insert partially loaded magazine
4. Thumb out rounds and watch as the mag follower rises to hit the release lever.

If it doesnt come up high enough to push the lever up, then you know it is a mag/follower/spring issue.
Fresh mag springs and clean, tuned mag will usually do the trick.

If its something else, you can usually tell by the test above.

 

[Adam Striegel]

I had that same issue with my Sig p226 .40 ... The factory magazine worked fine, but the two I bought afterwards wouldn't lock even though they were Sig branded magazines. I ended up solving the problem by trading it off for a Glock.

 

[dennishoddy]

Mine is wear. I'll post pics when my new part come in. It only took 10K rounds or so to make it happen.

 

[poopgiggle]

In addition to the other problems already mentioned, "you're using Chip McCormick magazines" is an issue that I've run into in the past.

E: With my P6 it was a combination of weak mag springs and riding the slide stop. I've never shot a pistol other than a Sig where the slide stop was in a place that I tend to ride it.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

My official tutorial, 'How To Teach Yourself Almost Everything You Need To Know About The Mechanical Attributes Of Slidelock'
(this does not include riding the slide, riding the slidelock lever, limp wristing, recoil springs, or weak ammo)

1. Remove slide
2. Replace slide lock into frame
3. Insert partially loaded magazine
4. Thumb out rounds and watch as the mag follower rises to hit the release lever.

If it doesnt come up high enough to push the lever up, then you know it is a mag/follower/spring issue.
Fresh mag springs and clean, tuned mag will usually do the trick.

If its something else, you can usually tell by the test above.

that's a good place to start. That 9 mm SA 1911 I had troubles with all the magazines I had would do that test just fine. But it would not lock open under live fire.When I got the Tripps.. I did a side by side look over against the Checkmates and Meggars I had... other than some minor feed lip differences ,,, the trip on the follower was at the same place on all the mags when you looked at them.I dont have a scale.. but the Tripp units springs feel about 20% harder to push down to the others... that seems to snap the follower up into position a little faster. I think the softer springs allow the slide stop to "fall" and the stop drops out of the slide notch under recoil.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

In addition to the other problems already mentioned, "you're using Chip McCormick magazines" is an issue that I've run into in the past.

E: With my P6 it was a combination of weak mag springs and riding the slide stop. I've never shot a pistol other than a Sig where the slide stop was in a place that I tend to ride it.

Which CM's are you using? CM sells a version that is a little better than the Shooting Star units.. "Pro" or something...1911's will be fickle... My Colt works on CM's (all of them) cheap GI mags... Wilsons, Tripps ,,,, it just doesnt care.I had an old Auto Ordinance GI mixmaster... it would not run on Wilsons... and was 50/50 using surplus GI mags... and the Shooting stars always worked on it.

 

[poopgiggle]

Which CM's are you using? CM sells a version that is a little better than the Shooting Star units.. "Pro" or something...1911's will be fickle... My Colt works on CM's (all of them) cheap GI mags... Wilsons, Tripps ,,,, it just doesnt care.I had an old Auto Ordinance GI mixmaster... it would not run on Wilsons... and was 50/50 using surplus GI mags... and the Shooting stars always worked on it.

I have problems with the Shooting Stars not locking the slide back. The follower sometimes tilts and fails to engage the slide stop. It's interesting that the Checkmates have basically the same follower but with a skirt to keep them from tilting and they've been 100%.

It's also run fine with Mec-Gar (basically the same as Tripp, AFAIK) and Baer (basically Wilson). I've never had a feed problem that wasn't ammo related with anything, just sometimes the CM doesn't lock the slide back.

E: I also have a CM Match Grade that I haven't had any problems with, but I don't have many rounds on it either. I haven't tried any of the Power Mags.

 

[jtischauser]

I was having just the opposite problem yesterday when I went back to my Glock after 6,000 rounds in 2011's. I was activating the slide stop lever every shot. I had to depress the lever to release the slide each time.