[thetravlor]

NO IT'S NOT MY THUMBS! I had to number my mags a while back because one was messing up. Yesterday while shooting during a NRA class, two other ones started not locking back after empty.
I've taken them down and checked the springs and cleanliness, could it be the plastic follower is worn out? They have pushed thousands of rounds through the gun.
HELP!!

 

[Stogies]

I guess after thousands of rounds that would not be completely out of the question.

 

[Yoopermike]

pics of the mag's in question?

 

[ArmyGuy45]

Slide stop need replacement?

 

[Gallows]

Could there be dirt in the release button causing the mags not to lock into place?

 

[john_bud]

NO IT'S NOT MY THUMBS! I had to number my mags a while back because one was messing up. Yesterday while shooting during a NRA class, two other ones started not locking back after empty.
I've taken them down and checked the springs and cleanliness, could it be the plastic follower is worn out? They have pushed thousands of rounds through the gun.
HELP!!

Ok, you have the mags numbered. Did you test them? First clean the gun and the mags well. Empty the mags and insert into the gun and pull the slide back. See if it locks back. Do that for each. Drop the slide and repeat the test at least 10 times for each mag. Tear them all down and lay the parts out in numerical order with a note by the ones that fail to lock back. Inspect the followers side by side. The only way one can be "worn out" is if there is a groove worn where the slide lock is held up. You should be able to see that. If you have dropped the mag on the lips they could be bent down far enough so the follower does not reach the release. I would assume one bent that badly wouldn't feed well, but...

Now if you didn't have any that failed the bench test, you may have a problem that only shows up every so often. Strip out the trigger group and slide lock lever / spring. Make sure they are good. The lock lever could be bent, cracked, chipped or otherwise damaged. Inspect it closely.


If you fail to find any obvious issue, would you please fire left handed and absolutely positively guarantee it wasn't a lazy thumb? I know you feel strongly it's not your thumbs -- humor us. I know that I have seen a "defective" gun cured by firing lefty before.

 

[GT Jon]

Check the follower and the slide stop for wear or damage, and if it's not that or your thumbs I'd replace the magazine springs. If they're weak they may not be popping the follower up fast enough to engage the stop before the slide goes back towards battery during recoil.

 

[AZXD]

I'm almost at 14,000 rounds, and only 4 magazines (everything stock, and original) ... If you wore something out, it's probably a maintenance issue.

Look forward to hearing what you determine the problem to be.

 

[mkmsr]

It may be your thumb!

 

[asaucier]

I had the same problem. New mag springs took care of the problem. My gun is the XDM9.

 

[thetravlor]

I tore the gun down and inserted each mag without the slide on. All of them seem to push the slide lock up. A small shiny spot on the slide lock but it doesn't seem to be worn. When I had the springs out last week, I gave them a little stretch. There doesn't seem to be any excess wear on the spot that the follower pushes up on the slide lock.
I'm baffled. The instructors were watching me real close yesterday too. I took the class by myself and had two to watch during the shooting exercise. They were watching my grip and noted nothing wrong there.

 

[Rykko]

I have the same problem with old as well as BRAND NEW Beretta 96 mags, factory & MecGar. Replaced slide stop lever spring, nothing.
Its a police trade in, 5 mags total, I have NEVER seen the slide lock back on an empty round in my life (except when pulled back by hand). All mags are labeled because they ALL do this! Agrivating!

 

[AZXD]

I tore the gun down and inserted each mag without the slide on. All of them seem to push the slide lock up. A small shiny spot on the slide lock but it doesn't seem to be worn. When I had the springs out last week, I gave them a little stretch. There doesn't seem to be any excess wear on the spot that the follower pushes up on the slide lock.
I'm baffled. The instructors were watching me real close yesterday too. I took the class by myself and had two to watch during the shooting exercise. They were watching my grip and noted nothing wrong there.

Well there you go ... You destroyed your springs !!!

Replace them, and NEVER stretch them, ever again ... Problem solved.

In effect you exceeded the modulus of elasticity, and once you do that, there's no going back.

Your followers do not have sufficient tension (spring) behind them to properly engage the slide lock.

 

[thetravlor]

OOPS, thanks AZXD.

 

[dfwbiofuels]

OOPS, thanks AZXD.

I started having this problem with my XDm 45. http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/xd-gun...lide-lock-issue-not-locking-consistently.html

To narrow the problem down, I looked at the mag springs and hypothesized that the spring may not be providing enough power. So I stretched one by hand just a little. I know its a temporary fix and only meant to test the gun and attempt to narrow down the problem.

After stretching the springs out 1/4" from original resting length, the power returned long enough to function the slide lock properly. My conclusion was substantiated. The mag springs were simply worn out and the pistol itself appears to be functioning properly. The disappointing thing for me is that I've only put 800 rounds or so through my gun.

Springfield offered to replace the mags if they found them to be defective. Which means shipping the mags to them. Not a fan of that solution.

I'm currently looking for replacement springs now.

Hope that helps.

 

[thetravlor]

I went to the Springfield web site this morning and couldn't find springs. Sent an email but haven't heard back yet. Searched a couple of sponser sites but couldn't find them either. ANYONE help here?

 

[thetravlor]

Did a google that sent me back to XDTalk. Bought Springer's and they already shipped them!!

 

[AZXD]

I still can't figure out how so many people seem to wear out springs that probably have a life expectancy that is most likely measured in hundreds of thousands of cycles ... Unless someone is constantly trying to get an extra round in the magazine (exceed the design), or taking them out and stretching them, this shouldn't be happening to anyone.

The exception being a bad batch of wire, improper heat treatment during manufacturing, or excessive heat in a recoil spring, due to extended rapid-fire abuse.

 

[thetravlor]

All these magazines have never had more than 12 rds in them. Some IDPA stages we do 12 but mostly 11 or 10. Been doing that for about 6 yrs.

 

[john_bud]

Please follow up when you get the new springs.