PM9 slide fails to lock back

[Skully]

I took my PM9 out to the range for the 2nd time today. On the first range trip the slide failed to lock back quite a bit during the first 250 rounds. Today I fired 100 more and it failed to lock back on all but 3 times.

All ammo so far is Remington FMJ and WWB FMJ.

Any ideas?

[paul34]

If you insert an empty magazine into the weapon and manually pull back the slide, does the slide lock back? If so, I would check my thumb position to be sure I am not inadvertently pushing the slide release and preventing auto slide lock.

[crazymailman]

The most typical cause is the thumb riding the slide release. A couple of weeks ago, I took my new PM9 out and had that happen 3 times in the 200 round break-in. On the 3rd time, I felt my thumb hit the release and made the change in my grip. Next outing watch where you put your thumb and you'll likely be cured.

Paul beat me to it.

[TucsonMTB]

Does the slide lock back reliably if you insert an empty magazine and rack it by hand? If not, you might gently bend your slide lock spring upward a tiny bit. Try not to over do it. Better yet, take a needle nosed pliers with you to the range so you can test while shooting.

Also, make sure the slide release lever is lubricated with a high quality lubricant.

Hope this helps. Please let us know. :)

[Skully]

Hmm I'll check my thumbs next time. I normally have them both up high when shooting.

Thanks!

[CJB]

Odd shot... but a weak recoil spring coupled with a weak magazine spring would result in that scenario too. Not sayin' thats it for sure, but... something to think about.

[les strat]

Mine did that the first few rounds, then stopped. Ride hard with a couple more boxes of different ammo and see if it gets better.

[O'Dell]

My new PM9 did the same thing in the first 150 rounds. I was shooting cheap StoneHart and Federal bulk ammo. The minute I switched to Federal HST the failures to lock back stopped. I think the 'weak' ammo was failing to properly cycle the action on a tight new pistol. After 300 rounds the gun will shoot anything, including the cheap ammo.

[Skully]

I got back to the range today and it looks like my thumb was the culprit. I put about 80 rounds through the PM 9 and the slide locked back every time.

Thanks for the help!

[TucsonMTB]

I got back to the range today and it looks like my thumb was the culprit. I put about 80 rounds through the PM 9 and the slide locked back every time.

Thanks for the help!
Awesome! Glad it was not a hardware issue. :)

[atv223]

This thumb thing is VERY interesting. I took my brand new PM9 to the range today for the first time after buying it over 3 weeks ago (just couldn't find the time to shoot it before now). I did all the pre shoot "processes" except sanding the mag followers.

Anyway, I put 100 rounds through it perfectly except, 2 instances of the slide not locking back on the last round, and both times it occurred when my buddy was shooting it (2 our of 3 mags). Sounds like it may have been operator error. I'll monitor it and see how happens. BTW, LOVE the gun!