Help/P9 Slide not locking open after last round

[ORSalesRep]

Hey everyone,

Can anyone offer me some suggestions of things to look at which is causing my P9's slide to no longer lock open after firing the last round? I recently installed one of Steve Bedair's stainless guide rods and I know it is purely coincidence, but the first trip to the range after doing so, the slide has stopped locking in the open position after last round fired. Thanks everyone!

[bsharp]

Have someone watch you shoot and see if your thumb is resting where it interferes with the slide release.

[Bawanna]

I was gonna suggest that same thing but it sounded like this was a new thing that had not happened before. Could still be it if the grip is changed a bit. Can you insert an empty magazine and pull the slide all the way back and have it lock open? Anything else different besides the guide rod? I can't visualize the guide rod changing anything unless its the wrong one and I think that would be obvious. The recoil spring can only work slicker so that would be a plus not a negative. Check the take down lever to make sure it has the normal down pressure, if the spring keeper is messed up it seems like it would lock open or not on any given round, not just empty on the last round.
I keep coming back to bsharps thumb theory myself, good place to start.

[ripley16]

Does it lock open when locked manually by thumb...no mag?

Does it work with an empty mag?

If so, it is your thumb accidently holding it down.

If not, maybe your slide release was improperly installed under the spring.

Good luck.

[jocko]

go back to your original guide rod and retest. Good way to determine if it is the guide rod. Check to see that the erecoil springs are on correctly, open end towards the front of the slide. Can u manually lock the slide open with the new rod in place??? It's all about timing for proper slide locking open and something has changed. Possably for some reason that new rod is not letting the recoil system work as smooth as the original one was .

First thing I would do is go back to original and retest. eliminate the possables..

[ORSalesRep]

okay, so I spoke with Kahr and they suggested checking the slide stop spring and making sure it is in the 3 oclock position. It is. They also said the check the magazine follower, but I am not sure exactly what about the magazine follower that I should be looking for. I did use the same magazine for all 50 rounds today, but again, I'm not sure what to look for out of the ordinary with the follower.
After reading the suggestions on here, I did just try all three of my mags empty and with each of these mags inserted empty, the slide DOES lock open when manually pulling the slide back.
Interesting theory regarding my grip interfering with the slide stop. I did intentionally change my grip today after watching an episode of American Guardian on the Outdoor channel. I kept my thumbs (married together as usual), but much higher. Rather than both thumbs married along the frame, I had them up along the side of the slide. Could this be the issue? I swear, I didn't feel like they were in anyway fighting the slide stop, but perhaps I would not even notice. I figured that I would really have to be putting a lot of downward pressure on the slide stop to stop it from locking the slide open and I don't think I was or would it not take much pressure at all?

[bsharp]

Doesn't take much pressure...I speak from experience. I didn't feel anything, but after two episodes I had someone watch...it was me!

[Bawanna]

Doesn't take much pressure...I speak from experience. I didn't feel anything, but after two episodes I had someone watch...it was me!

Ditto that, if you changed your grip that raises the thumb possibility immensely. Many never notice hitting it with the thumb. The good thing about this is you can just modify your grip (again) somewhere between where it was before and where it is now and your all fixed. Cheap, even free. Sometimes the simplist little thing can drive you completely batty.

[ripley16]

Could this be the issue? I swear, I didn't feel like they were in anyway fighting the slide stop, but perhaps I would not even notice.

Welcome to the club.:o The "thumbing" takes place during recoil so it ends up being hard to detect. Certain HK pistols are famous for this due to the extra long lever style they use.

Glad you found the cause and answer. Happy shooting.

[vitog1946]

take 0000 sandpaper and take off any burrs you may see on the nylon follower. did it to mine works perfect. again gently sand. let me know how you make out.

[KyPilot]

Just received my new P40 and took it to the range. All three of my six round mags had this problem on the first two range trips (went through about 150 rounds between the two trips), but the seven round mag locked back each time on the first visit and sometimes on the second. It definitely was not my grip. The gunsmith at the range discovered that the mag follower was riding over top of the slide stop on the last round. The slide locked back when racking the slide after an empty mag was inserted, but would not lock back after the last round and would not stay back when racking after the last round in each mag. Still waiting on an opinion from Ian.

[jocko]

Just received my new P40 and took it to the range. All three of my six round mags had this problem on the first two range trips (went through about 150 rounds between the two trips), but the seven round mag locked back each time on the first visit and sometimes on the second. It definitely was not my grip. The gunsmith at the range discovered that the mag follower was riding over top of the slide stop on the last round. The slide locked back when racking the slide after an empty mag was inserted, but would not lock back after the last round and would not stay back when racking after the last round in each mag. Still waiting on an opinion from Ian.

about trying this to get some more definite results. Take the good working mag follower out of the 7 rd mag and insert it in the 6 round mag and retest. It is locks open ok, then you have bad followers. If not then you have bad 6 rd magazines. That will give you a start to chat with IAN about, and I would suggest which I am sure they will do for you, to send you a new slide stop lever to try out also. It could be out of spec enough to not be allowing those followers to makd contact. It is very strange that 3 6 rd mag are causing this. This to me kinda tells me that it is not the magazine or followers even but you can test this out very easy. Also reinstall the bad followers in the 7 round and test out. It should not work.

Something else to check: Push and hold the 6 rd magazines up in the mag well and keep it there and test out. Here is what I found with my P380 and solved the issue also.

My P380 was working perfect for up to 1250 rounds and then all of a sudden it would not lock open the last round. I tried new slide stops, no luck, new mag followers, no luck, new 10% more strength mag springs, with some luck but not perfect. What elase was there to do. I was at wits end. It would not even lock open doing a manual rack. So when I was studying it, I put in an empty magazine and just pushed the bottom of the magazine flush with the bottom of the grip and walla, all 3 magazines worked perfect. I called and ordered a new mag release button and a few days ago, it came in. I installed it and now all 3 magazine lock open as they should. I could even feel alittle more tightness in the magazine lock up even, so evidently my mag release button somehow worn alittle ( I do not slam magazines either).

Normaly when more than one magazine causes issues, it is not magazine related. You just might have a worn (out of spec) mag release causing it.. again very easy to test out.....

[at_liberty]

Make sure the slide lock spring is firmly in the little groove provided. It should "snap" in place when reassembling. Sometimes they need coaxing. I had slide lock trouble with my T40 and solved it simply by tightening the screw that ensures the lock is held close to the follower. The slightest fraction seems to make the follower skip by the lock. Good springs were a factor on mine too, but I read you as having a new gun. Mine had spent too many years as loaded magazines that got no exercise. All better now, but I am especially vigilant about how the slide lock goes back in. Putting an empty mag in to test before reloading is a good idea, I think.

The P40 and P9 slide locks are different, so if you don't find a groove like I describe on my P40, the principle will still be the same. Get that little spring firmly seated where it is meant to be. Insert slide lock with care.

Maybe not the answer, but something to check. Good luck.

[jocko]

Make sure the slide lock spring is firmly in the little groove provided. It should "snap" in place when reassembling. Sometimes they need coaxing. I had slide lock trouble with my T40 and solved it simply by tightening the screw that ensures the lock is held close to the follower. The slightest fraction seems to make the follower skip by the lock. Good springs were a factor on mine too, but I read you as having a new gun. Mine had spent too many years as loaded magazines that got no exercise. All better now, but I am especially vigilant about how the slide lock goes back in. Putting an empty mag in to test before reloading is a good idea, I think.

The P40 and P9 slide locks are different, so if you don't find a groove like I describe on my P40, the principle will still be the same. Get that little spring firmly seated where it is meant to be. Insert slide lock with care.

Maybe not the answer, but something to check. God luck.


the difference of the P40 and the P9 slide locks, They both should have that little notch where the spring snaps into. u are correct though that the spring should be in that little groove to affirm proper installation and a snap sound will beheard if done correctly. I have my doubts if that is the issue, for he should be able to see if the slide stop was actually pulling out of the frame, even a tad. again four sure something to eliminate before calling kahr..

[KyPilot]

I should have clarified on my first post. This is a new P40 and Ian had already sent me new mag followers for the three 6 round mags. They didn't change anything. Now the 7 round mag does the same. It was confusing because whenever I loaded an empty mag, the slide locked back every time. Only after the last round in a mag did it fail to lock back. Ian's next thought was the slide stop spring. I emailed him Friday and today, so he hasn't had time to look at my emails which agree with his diagnosis. Tonight while cleaning my P40, I realized that the slide stop slides out for break down much easier than my P45. With the slide off, I was able to replicate the problem by inserting the mag numerous times until the follower rode over the slide stop. At that point, I could push the slide stop pin back in and hear the click. Looks like the slide stop spring may well be the culprit as Ian had suggested. Will update when he sends a new spring.

[jocko]

u can tweek that slide stop spring yourself, just get some long nose pliers and probably bend it downward . Might not be eniough pressure on it. There should be alittle notch on the slide stop lever where that little spring should rest. You can hurt anything by trying it and more than likely you willfix the issue also..

[ORSalesRep]

for my situation and my P9, you initial opinions were both very helpful and correct. It was my grip and my new thumb position interfering with the slide stop. Changed grip back and all is fixed (except my accuracy isn't as good as it was with both married thumbs high on weak side.
Thanks everyone!

[bsharp]

Always go for the simple answer first; with quality equipment...it's usually us!

[KyPilot]

Took a while to get back to the range for my P40 failure to lock back after the last round in a mag. Ian sent me a new slide lock and that seems to have fixed the problem. I tried adjusting the slide stop spring which helped but did not fix it. The combination of the spring and new slide stop did the trick. Thanks for everyone's help.