Slide Stop Lever - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

officer_gummy · 03-10-2005, 01:27 PM

I put in Dons guide rod and #22 spring in my XD40 service. I am having an extremely tough time getting the slide stop lever to release after the gun empties. Most of the time I have to pull the slide back with my hand and then pull the lever down with my opposite thumb. I am wondering if there is anything I can do to make this easier without ripping the skin off my thumb trying to pull it down or do I just need to wait for the spring to losen up because it worked fine before I swapped it. Thanks guys!!

one-eyed-fatman · 03-10-2005, 02:14 PM

Don Don Where are you Don? From what I've read you may have put a washer in the wrong spot. But check with Don, he knows best.

wJAKE19 · 03-10-2005, 02:20 PM

it would help to put this question in the dons guide rod forum,

but about the washer, did you use only one washer in the front of the slide. it comes with many but you use only one.

aiformula · 03-10-2005, 02:22 PM

you now have a stiffer spring keeping the slide pushing foward on that slide release point. This is going to make it harder to use the slide release period. You will either need to start utilizing the slide rack method of release (which is better anyway as it gets just a little more ass behind the bullet as it strips/seat/locks) or start doing thumb curls to strengthen the thumb.

officer_gummy · 03-10-2005, 02:32 PM

yes, I only used one washer and I followed the install video so I dont know.

9mmMakarov · 03-10-2005, 03:36 PM

You should get in the habit of using the slide rack only anyway. The more your body practices this motion, the easier and quicker it will perform immediate action should you have a stoppage.

ajamesp51 · 03-10-2005, 07:37 PM

Another problem may be that your spring is too long and when the slide is back the springs coils touch each other. At this point the slide wont move back any further and it would be hard to make the slide release. To check for this empty the pistol and pull the slide as far back as it will go. Look at the slide cut where the release pops up into. Think of this as the top half of the rectangle not look at the frame you will see the bottom half of the rectangle. Your slide should go back enough to form a perfect rectangle then should move about a mm or more past the rectangle. If the slide dont move back enough to make the rectangle or even further cut a coil off the end.

officer_gummy · 03-10-2005, 08:22 PM

It make the rectangle and moves back far enough, but for some reason it is very hard to pull the lever down, most times (since my thumb is so sore) I have to push back the slide and pull the lever down.

nickc50310 · 03-11-2005, 08:08 AM

perhaps your thumb is just sore from loading up new mags? do you have new mags that are hard to load? after a day at the range loading my fairly new 12 round mags my thumbs are killin me! My 24lb spring just arrived this week and yes it is harder to release. i can release it though just like before- no need to even shift my grip- right thumb releases it no problem. i used to work in construction so i hvae some calous on my thumb. also im a big bastad and i lift weights. maybe im just a bad ass, hahahaha! i think once that spring loosens up maybe it will be better?

ps- range report with pics on monday!

Wilkenstein · 03-11-2005, 09:55 AM

I was taught that you should never release the slide by thumbing the slide lock.

03-10-2005, 01:27 PM	#1
officer_gummy XDTalk Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Rogers, Arkansas Posts: 32	Slide Stop Lever I put in Dons guide rod and #22 spring in my XD40 service. I am having an extremely tough time getting the slide stop lever to release after the gun empties. Most of the time I have to pull the slide back with my hand and then pull the lever down with my opposite thumb. I am wondering if there is anything I can do to make this easier without ripping the skin off my thumb trying to pull it down or do I just need to wait for the spring to losen up because it worked fine before I swapped it. Thanks guys!!

03-10-2005, 02:20 PM	#3
wJAKE19 XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Belding, Michigan Posts: 520	it would help to put this question in the dons guide rod forum, but about the washer, did you use only one washer in the front of the slide. it comes with many but you use only one. __________________ ~JAKE

03-10-2005, 02:22 PM	#4
aiformula XDTalk 3K Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: sw ohio Posts: 3,087	you now have a stiffer spring keeping the slide pushing foward on that slide release point. This is going to make it harder to use the slide release period. You will either need to start utilizing the slide rack method of release (which is better anyway as it gets just a little more ass behind the bullet as it strips/seat/locks) or start doing thumb curls to strengthen the thumb. __________________ Tony Obama '08... change we can bereave in. Guns are like orgasms.......you just can't have enough good ones!

03-10-2005, 03:36 PM	#6
9mmMakarov XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 10	You should get in the habit of using the slide rack only anyway. The more your body practices this motion, the easier and quicker it will perform immediate action should you have a stoppage. __________________ XD40 PA-63 P3AT

03-10-2005, 07:37 PM	#7
ajamesp51 XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Birmingham, Al Posts: 5,027	Another problem may be that your spring is too long and when the slide is back the springs coils touch each other. At this point the slide wont move back any further and it would be hard to make the slide release. To check for this empty the pistol and pull the slide as far back as it will go. Look at the slide cut where the release pops up into. Think of this as the top half of the rectangle not look at the frame you will see the bottom half of the rectangle. Your slide should go back enough to form a perfect rectangle then should move about a mm or more past the rectangle. If the slide dont move back enough to make the rectangle or even further cut a coil off the end. __________________ "God shall not have his word made manifest by cowards" RWE www.xd-hs2000.com

03-10-2005, 02:14 PM	#2
one-eyed-fatman XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 10,210	Don Don Where are you Don? From what I've read you may have put a washer in the wrong spot. But check with Don, he knows best. __________________ http://home.houston.rr.com/gunpics/images/one%20eye.wav

03-10-2005, 02:32 PM	#5
officer_gummy XDTalk Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Rogers, Arkansas Posts: 32	yes, I only used one washer and I followed the install video so I dont know.

03-10-2005, 08:22 PM	#8
officer_gummy XDTalk Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Rogers, Arkansas Posts: 32	It make the rectangle and moves back far enough, but for some reason it is very hard to pull the lever down, most times (since my thumb is so sore) I have to push back the slide and pull the lever down.

03-11-2005, 08:08 AM	#9
nickc50310 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Des Moines, Iowa Posts: 369	perhaps your thumb is just sore from loading up new mags? do you have new mags that are hard to load? after a day at the range loading my fairly new 12 round mags my thumbs are killin me! My 24lb spring just arrived this week and yes it is harder to release. i can release it though just like before- no need to even shift my grip- right thumb releases it no problem. i used to work in construction so i hvae some calous on my thumb. also im a big bastad and i lift weights. maybe im just a bad ass, hahahaha! i think once that spring loosens up maybe it will be better? ps- range report with pics on monday!

03-11-2005, 09:55 AM	#10
Wilkenstein XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 103	I was taught that you should never release the slide by thumbing the slide lock. __________________ xd9 tac-stolen xd45c ready to rock! 1300

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