[WetWork999]

I have a Nighthawk Custom Talon IV that is failing to lock the slide black after the last round.

I have changed mags all the while using the same WWB ammo from Wally World. I also loaded up a few mags with Ranger SXT and the same thing still happens.

Pistol has less than 500 rds in it.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

~A

 

[Cedric]

It could be a number of things, but hopefully it's just the slide stop (if it's happening with a number of different mags. If it's only one mag, then it's probably the follower in the mag).

Try field stripping your pistol, reinserting the slide stop into the frame, and slowly inserting a mag. This way you can watch the interaction between the mag follower and the slide stop without the slide being in the way.

If the slide stop is barely interacting with, or not interacting with your followers at all, you've found your problem.

Oh, and if you have more than one 1911, try swapping out slide stops and see if that solves your problem.

Been there, done that, have the slide stop to prove it...

Best,
Christopher

 

[WetWork999]

Thank you sir... I will try that right now.

~A

It could be a number of things, but hopefully it's just the slide stop (if it's happening with a number of different mags. If it's only one mag, then it's probably the follower in the mag).

Try field stripping your pistol, reinserting the slide stop into the frame, and slowly inserting a mag. This way you can watch the interaction between the mag follower and the slide stop without the slide being in the way.

If the slide stop is barely interacting with, or not interacting with your followers at all, you've found your problem.

Oh, and if you have more than one 1911, try swapping out slide stops and see if that solves your problem.

Been there, done that, have the slide stop to prove it...

Best,
Christopher

 

[the.batman]

Check your right thumb-

A-

I use a very high grip with my right hand and my right thumb rests right on top of the slide stop. I have shot Glocks, sigs, 1911's and none of them will go to slide lock unless I shoot off (left) hand where my thumb is high on the other side of the pistol.

I'm going to bet that your thumb may be riding the slide stop. It's kind of a pain in the butt, but you have better control over the pistol when your hands are as high as possible, with as much of your hands in contact with the pistol.

Good luck figuring it out, and good shootin'!

G-

 

[ocpd44]

Interesting. I have this same problem that recently showed up on my Warthog. When I took it out to the gunsmith at the range, he verified it was put back together properly, inserted an empty mag and then locked the slide back. As soon as I took it back, I couldn't get it to go. This morning, while cleaning the firearm, I double checked the slide stop on reassembly and it locked back fine. Weird stuff, these autos...

Jeff

 

[WalterGC]

If you've eliminated weak mag springs, and the slide stop locks the slide back when the slide is manually retracted with an empty mag in the pistol, then there are a couple of other possibilities.

One is that you're using weak ammo that will work well enough to eject fired cases and feed rounds, but isn't strong enough to send the slide all the way back. Along this same line of thought would be that you're limpwristing, which would exacerbate the weak ammo problem. (Or your recoil spring is too heavy for the ammo being used.)

 

[SG688]

Lots of previous discussions, of which this was a recent one:http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?p=1114922&posted=1#post1114922. Here's a quick cut & paste:

Inadequate slide travel: Is the slide moving back far enough to engage the slide stop? Take out buffer, if present. Recoil spring too strong. Ammo too weak.

Holding down slide stop with thumb. Right or left, if using two hand hold. (Thumb pressure under the slide stop can cause premature slide lock.)

Weak magazine spring not strong enough to lift slide stop. Replace. Stretching the spring will not last.

Too big a 'dimple' on the slide stop, especially combined with an 8 round magazine, can be a factor too.

Follower over-ride: follower moves past slide stop and usually sticks the magazine in the pistol: bad slide stop and/or follower dimensions.

Easier to view with slide removed. I crudely measured the wear marks on a couple of followers and got about 0.07 inch [ +/- a bunch ] as the amount the slide stop over rides the follower. I won't argue if someone wants to suggest a different number.

Kuhnhausen gives the dimension of the stud on the slide stop that engages the follower as 0.198 - .002 inch for a .45 ACP. The slide stop might also be out of square, which would not allow the tip of the slide stop to protrude far enough into the mag well.

He gives follower width as 0.472-.006 inch. The .45 ACP cartridge is .480-.010.

If the follower is the problem, simply bending out the lower leg of GI followers- to make the follower wider - has worked for me. If it binds in the magazine, bend it back. Push down on the follower with the eraser end of a pencil. The follower should move freely the length of the magazine. If it binds, you'll both see and feel it.

Other-than-GI followers will probably have to be replaced. Devel/McCormick style 8 round followers will break if you try to bend them! Don't ask how I know this....

 

[WetWork999]

So I took the Nighthawk Talon IV apart and put it back together. I have been around 1911's since 89. I did nto think I put it together incorrectly so I took it apart, and made sur eto lube all the necessary parts.

Put it back together and put in a mag, pulled the slide back and it locked. Took her to the range and same thing happened again.



I tried 3 ACT Mags (all new)
1 Wilson Mag (new)
1 CMC Power *10's

Ranger SXT 230 gr JHP
WWB 230 gr

I am baffled. I even went so far as to shoot strong and weak only...
Guess what... still occurred, but now intermittently...

help out a confused 1911 fan
~A

 

[SG688]

Intermittently -- equally with each magazine? Rule out individual mags.

Does the mag fall free after the failure to lock? If not, then it's follower over-ride. (My bet.)

Check slide stop to follower overlap - with slide off and slide stop in frame - for each magazine. The overlap might be close so that sometimes the follower catches the stop and sometimes not. The problem then: is it the follower or the slide stop -- or both -- at fault?

Try another slide stop, especially a proven one from another pistol.

Also check that the plunger tube is not loose.

 

[AnthonyRSS]

I have to make sure that I don't ride the slide stop when I shoot. I have been known to do this.

 

[WetWork999]

I did notice that if I slam the mag in, it will trip the slide release and the slide will slide home stripping a round with it.

Mags do not drop after failure of the slide to be locked back.

~A

Intermittently -- equally with each magazine? Rule out individual mags.

Does the mag fall free after the failure to lock? If not, then it's follower over-ride. (My bet.)

Check slide stop to follower overlap - with slide off and slide stop in frame - for each magazine. The overlap might be close so that sometimes the follower catches the stop and sometimes not. The problem then: is it the follower or the slide stop -- or both -- at fault?

Try another slide stop, especially a proven one from another pistol.

Also check that the plunger tube is not loose.

 

[ozzy1038]

I had that problem with my P14. When I bought it, it had a wilson extended slide stop and my thumb was keeping it from catching. I filed the extended part off and no problems since.

 

[Cedric]

I just had my Colt fixed by a well-known pistolsmith, and the problem with mine was purely slide-stop in nature. The holes appeared to be drilled in the right place, but a combination of too-short slide stop and a slight deformation away from the frame (it wasn't 90 degrees), led to a slide stop that didn't engage properly at all. He opted to TIG weld up the engagement surface, and he said it needed to be lengthened by 20 thousandths! That's a lot!

Now, no problems feeding rounds, and it lockbacks nicely with all my mags, even my Wilsons!

Perhaps not the same issue with yours, but it's amazing how far off parts can be.

Best,
Christopher

 

[WetWork999]

It worked for the first 400 or so rds... I was going to take it out this weekend with some spare mags, recoil springs, and spare slide stops but some a-hole drunk driver decided to hit my wife this AM and then fled the scene so I am dealing with that.

This is off topic, but please tell all the people dear to you that you love them cause life can be cruel sometimes. God frobid I find this guy. We have a partial license plate but it is an out of state tag.

~A

I just had my Colt fixed by a well-known pistolsmith, and the problem with mine was purely slide-stop in nature. The holes appeared to be drilled in the right place, but a combination of too-short slide stop and a slight deformation away from the frame (it wasn't 90 degrees), led to a slide stop that didn't engage properly at all. He opted to TIG weld up the engagement surface, and he said it needed to be lengthened by 20 thousandths! That's a lot!

Now, no problems feeding rounds, and it lockbacks nicely with all my mags, even my Wilsons!

Perhaps not the same issue with yours, but it's amazing how far off parts can be.

Best,
Christopher