gc70
Bearcat
freedomcosts said:
If your gun auto-forwards when inserting an empty mag, you have a problem. An empty mag's follower, pushed up with the force of the mag spring, holds the slide stop lever in the up position.
SR9, slide closes when mag inserted
- Thread starter freedomcosts
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If your gun auto-forwards when inserting an empty mag, you have a problem. An empty mag's follower, pushed up with the force of the mag spring, holds the slide stop lever in the up position.
freedomcosts
Single-Sixer
gc, considering the gun never did it before- and it has over 2,000 rounds thru it- but it started all of a sudden, and does it with 3 diffrnt mags, wouldn't you think the slide-stop has gone bad? and probaby should be fixed?
The slide stop engaging the notch in the slide is subject to the same mechanics as a sear engaging a hammer notch. The important factor is the angle at which the two parts engage. If the slide notch engages the slide stop at a positive angle, the notch is angled so as to push the slide stop up slightly holding it in the locked position. If the notch is angled the other way, you have negative engagement, and the notch tries to actually push the slide stop out of lock. A neutral angle is just that. The notch is angled so that it doesn't push the slide stop in either direction. Like a sear and hammer notch, the more positive the engagement, the less likely it is to be released by a jar or impact. And like a sear and hammer notch, wear on the surfaces will tend to make the engagement less and less positive over time, making premature release more and more likely.
I've seen guns with "hair triggers" on the slide stop. I came across a well worn 1911 a while back that would release the slide if you just waggled the gun around in your hand. I've seen others that wouldn't release no matter what you did to them.
There is no "right" or "wrong" here. Well, sort of. If the angle is too negative the slide won't lock open at all. Which is not good. But otherwise it comes down to personal preference. If your slide stop is too loosy goosy, and you don't want to, or can't send it back for service, it's easy to fix. A very light treatment of the slide notch and/or slide stop with a file or dremel can alter the angle and tighten it up to suit your style.
By the way, if you have the habit of thumbing the slide stop to release the slide, instead of pulling the slide back to release it like most manufacturers recommend, this greatly increase the wear on the surfaces and will cause the lock to loosen up faster than normal. This is the best single argument I know for not using the slide stop as a release.
I've seen guns with "hair triggers" on the slide stop. I came across a well worn 1911 a while back that would release the slide if you just waggled the gun around in your hand. I've seen others that wouldn't release no matter what you did to them.
There is no "right" or "wrong" here. Well, sort of. If the angle is too negative the slide won't lock open at all. Which is not good. But otherwise it comes down to personal preference. If your slide stop is too loosy goosy, and you don't want to, or can't send it back for service, it's easy to fix. A very light treatment of the slide notch and/or slide stop with a file or dremel can alter the angle and tighten it up to suit your style.
By the way, if you have the habit of thumbing the slide stop to release the slide, instead of pulling the slide back to release it like most manufacturers recommend, this greatly increase the wear on the surfaces and will cause the lock to loosen up faster than normal. This is the best single argument I know for not using the slide stop as a release.
gc70
Bearcat
CurlyQ nailed it. Parts wear when they rub together and the recoil spring has also lost some of its strength after 2,000 rounds. Put those factors together and your gun has become more prone to auto-forwarding.freedomcosts said:
Has the slide stop lever gone bad and should it be replaced? The lever has undoubtedly worn some, if only surface polishing. As CurlyQ said, whether it should be replaced is a matter of preference; some competitive shooters file and polish the lever to insure auto-forwarding every time they insert a magazine. Since it seems to bother you, go ahead and replace your slide stop lever ... and replace the recoil spring while you are at it.
CurlyQ is also correct about releasing the slide with the slide stop lever. The lever catching the slide or being released by retracting the slide results in nearly no wear; releasing the slide by thumbing down the lever does produce wear.
freedomcosts
Single-Sixer
Thanks guys- good stuff Curly, makes it clear.
I don't habitually release with the slide-stop, but I do - maybe half the time- it's when I'm working on fast reloads, ya know? If I'm just plinking I slingshot it. Guess maybe I've done it too much, cause my 9c- with more rounds thru it, and 10-round instead of 17-round mags- still works fine.
OK, got great advice, now it's up to me- and again, thanks guys.
I don't habitually release with the slide-stop, but I do - maybe half the time- it's when I'm working on fast reloads, ya know? If I'm just plinking I slingshot it. Guess maybe I've done it too much, cause my 9c- with more rounds thru it, and 10-round instead of 17-round mags- still works fine.
OK, got great advice, now it's up to me- and again, thanks guys.
Pocketfisherman
Bearcat
On Some ammo with a longish bullet ogive like found on hollow points, the side of the bullet tip will contact and bump the part of the slide stop that sticks inside the mag well. It is supposed to contact the magazine follower so the slide stays open on an empty mag. I have seen this happen on other pistols and assume it is also a possibility on Rugers too. If you see copper deposited on that part of the slide stop, try different ammo with a different bullet profile.
freedomcosts
Single-Sixer
I can see that but- I hardly ever fire HPs anymore. Once I determined the HPs that were absolutely dependable, I bought some- and only fire FMJs for practice- on occasion I fire a mag-full of HPs just to be sure nothing's changed, but not lately when this started happenin'.
freedomcosts
Single-Sixer
OK, took the 9 to local G'smith and he said- something's wrong, sending it to Ruger. With the Ultimate trigger bar and the Galloway springs in it. Did I mention I had a couple of double-feeds and a couple of stovepipes while figuring out what to do with the slide release? I did....
So 10 days later I get it back from Ruger- my Galloway springs and trigger bar in a plastic sack. And here's what they said:
Repleaced barrel extractor, 1 magazine, magazine disconnect, slide-stop assembly, striker assembly, striker blocker, trigger assembly, trigger bar uplift spring, trigger bar re-set, ejector, fire control housing.
I don't know what most of those are.
Both my 9 and 9c are engraved on the top of the slide, or it sounds like they may have replaced the whole thing- maybe the frame, too.
So, picked it up, walked into the range- trigger is really good- maybe as good as when I sent it off with the Galloway parts in it. Can't tell any difference, really. But as soon as I popped the mag in, the slide closed. All 3 magazines.
So I will ignore the slide closing, unless it gets worse or something. And now have to decide whether to re-install Galloway's stuff- right now it doesn't make sense, does it. But I didn't fire it alongside the 9c, which has the same parts in it- after I do that, if I see no difference in triggers- guess I'm good to go. Re-sets just as well as with Galloway's., too
If anyone wonders about the new trigger group, vs the original- the serial # is 331-71xxx. Maybe the newer triggers on SRs would explain why it's as good as with the Galloway parts in it?
So 10 days later I get it back from Ruger- my Galloway springs and trigger bar in a plastic sack. And here's what they said:
Repleaced barrel extractor, 1 magazine, magazine disconnect, slide-stop assembly, striker assembly, striker blocker, trigger assembly, trigger bar uplift spring, trigger bar re-set, ejector, fire control housing.
I don't know what most of those are.
Both my 9 and 9c are engraved on the top of the slide, or it sounds like they may have replaced the whole thing- maybe the frame, too.
So, picked it up, walked into the range- trigger is really good- maybe as good as when I sent it off with the Galloway parts in it. Can't tell any difference, really. But as soon as I popped the mag in, the slide closed. All 3 magazines.
So I will ignore the slide closing, unless it gets worse or something. And now have to decide whether to re-install Galloway's stuff- right now it doesn't make sense, does it. But I didn't fire it alongside the 9c, which has the same parts in it- after I do that, if I see no difference in triggers- guess I'm good to go. Re-sets just as well as with Galloway's., too
If anyone wonders about the new trigger group, vs the original- the serial # is 331-71xxx. Maybe the newer triggers on SRs would explain why it's as good as with the Galloway parts in it?
