Slide Locks Back - Load Related?

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  • TGR

    Active Member
    May 20, 2009
    170
    Harford County
    Ok. So Ive never seen this before. Load Ive shot at least a 1000 thru this gun (Glock 34) with no problem. Its a Light Load I worked up for fun shooting... 9mm, 3.2 Bullseye over 147 grain plated xtream. Shoots soft, very accurate, and have never had a failure of any type with it.

    I bring it out today and get maybe 10 times where the slide locks back and fails to feed the next round. The empty is ejected and all I have to do is hit the slide release to feed the next round. Ive never seen this before and want to rule out the load first. I put some heavier loadings thru it and they fed fine, but the lighter load also did most of the afternoon. Multiple magazines tried with same results.

    Has anyone seen this before where it was caused by a lighter load? Doesn't make sense to me that the load is strong enough to lock the slide back but not feed the next round. Or should I look at the gun. Maybe the Slide Release? Only thing I did between shooting it last week was a full strip down and cleaning.

    Only issue, load related I thought of, is maybe I got a few light throws off the progressive. But then I would assume that the lighter than normal charge would make the slide fail to lock back or cause some stovepipes and failures to feed. Not what Im seeing.

    Any input is welcomed!
     

    DaemonAssassin

    Why should we Free BSD?
    Jun 14, 2012
    23,970
    Political refugee in WV
    Ok. So Ive never seen this before. Load Ive shot at least a 1000 thru this gun (Glock 34) with no problem. Its a Light Load I worked up for fun shooting... 9mm, 3.2 Bullseye over 147 grain plated xtream. Shoots soft, very accurate, and have never had a failure of any type with it.

    I bring it out today and get maybe 10 times where the slide locks back and fails to feed the next round. The empty is ejected and all I have to do is hit the slide release to feed the next round. Ive never seen this before and want to rule out the load first. I put some heavier loadings thru it and they fed fine, but the lighter load also did most of the afternoon. Multiple magazines tried with same results.

    Has anyone seen this before where it was caused by a lighter load? Doesn't make sense to me that the load is strong enough to lock the slide back but not feed the next round. Or should I look at the gun. Maybe the Slide Release? Only thing I did between shooting it last week was a full strip down and cleaning.

    Only issue, load related I thought of, is maybe I got a few light throws off the progressive. But then I would assume that the lighter than normal charge would make the slide fail to lock back or cause some stovepipes and failures to feed. Not what Im seeing.

    Any input is welcomed!

    Sounds like the top pin in your frame might have sheared in half.

    Here is a thread on the issue I had and the resolution on it.
    https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=162556
     

    TGR

    Active Member
    May 20, 2009
    170
    Harford County
    Great info. Pins are good. But Slide Lock Lever appears slightly loose from side to side. When I disassembled it, I think the trigger pin hole in the lever shows excessive wear. Not sure why since the pin looks good. I’m going to order a new lever and pin tomorrow. Hopefully I just got a bad one and this will fix the issue. Thanks
     

    DaemonAssassin

    Why should we Free BSD?
    Jun 14, 2012
    23,970
    Political refugee in WV
    Great info. Pins are good. But Slide Lock Lever appears slightly loose from side to side. When I disassembled it, I think the trigger pin hole in the lever shows excessive wear. Not sure why since the pin looks good. I’m going to order a new lever and pin tomorrow. Hopefully I just got a bad one and this will fix the issue. Thanks
    No problem. Glad I could help narrow it down somewhat, from what I went through to fix mine. Keep me posted on what is wrong with it, after it is fixed so I'll know what to do if I have the same issue.
     

    TGR

    Active Member
    May 20, 2009
    170
    Harford County
    Replaced the Slide Lock Lever and Trigger Pin. The Slide Lock Lever's hole looked excessively worn (for its age) to me and maybe slightly out of round. Have about 500 rounds thru it without issue. Thanks guys!
     

    ClutchyMcClutcherson

    Active Member
    Aug 29, 2016
    703
    Odenton, MD
    Is it possible your grip is causing you to push the slide lock up with your thumb? I have a bad habit of the opposite happening where my thumb is hitting the release so the gun never locks back on empty.
     

    TGR

    Active Member
    May 20, 2009
    170
    Harford County
    Haven’t had that grip issue with the Glock. Just looking at the wear, I think it was a bad Slide Lock Lever. The pin looked fine, but changed that too.
     

    GuitarmanNick

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 9, 2017
    2,221
    Laurel
    What atblis said. Most likely the bullet pushing the slide stop up. Use 124 gr. bullets or work the slide stop with a file.
     

    ironpony

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2013
    7,191
    Davidsonville
    Glad you figured it out TGR.
    I'm curious if these slides stops can come from the factory out of spec, my gen 5 G19 ambi stop literally has a visible gap on the right side. Gap is between the inside of the stop and the "bump" part of the frame, left side is nearly as bad. all my other gens are virtually flush to the frame bump , smooth transition. No malfunctions.
     

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