Ortgie slide problem

[Cyberiante]

While trying to get a 7.65 Ortgie back into shape, the slide locked back (just like on most autos when the last round is fired), but I can't get it to unlock and travel forward. There is about 3/8 inch rearward play in the slide but it is hitting on something when the spring pulls it forward that has it stopped.

This gun was sitting in my Dad's closet since he got it in WW2 as a souvenir and he never fired it, but it was fully gummed up and didn't move at all. Once we got the slide to move, my mistake was to try to rack it instead of going straight to the take down position and just remove the slide as per instructions.

The backstrap safety and left side safety buttons work - click in and out as they should. The trigger moves (but since it is not cocked it doesn't dry fire), the magazine is removed, I have the grips off.

Anybody got any ideas why the slide is locked back and what I can do to release it?

 

[Jim K]

That gun does not have a slide holdopen on an empty magazine, so something else is holding the slide back. In trying to free up the side, did you push the button and pull the slide upward? If so, the firing pin spring and firing pin spring guide may be all kinked up. That will keep the slide from retracting all the way. I am not sure what to do if it is really messed up, but if you can get the slide off you can at least begin to resolve the problem.

Jim

 

[woad_yurt]

For horribly gunked up guns:

1) Remove the grips.

2) Submerge it in some kerosene and swirl it around for a while. If that doesn't work, lather, rinse and repeat.

 

[Jim K]

On that Ortgies, be careful how you remove the grips. There have a latch inside that has to be pushed back using a tool inserted in the magazine well. If you try to pry off the grips, you will break them.

Jim

 

[Cyberiante]

Thanks so far for the help - still need more

To Jim,
You are correct and I did break the grips since they were "glued" to the frame with gunk. Fortunately all that broke was a small sliver from the edge where the latch engages on the back of the grip and it can be glued back. I didn't crack the actual grips themselves.

To Woad-yurt - thanks. We have previously done that. Needed the mineral spirit bath about 5 times to even get the slide to move at all and to get the mag out of the grip. Where we are now is past what Jim K originally recommended. Instead of pulling the slide back a little and lifting it off as you would to break the gun down, we fully racked the slide back and now it is hung in the open position. It is not "frozen" since it has about 3/8" rearward play, but it it hitting on something that feels like a slide stop as the spring tries to pull it back to full forward.

I can see inside now that the grips are off, but can't spot what it holding it. And to be clear, it is not a soft "binding" feel, it is a hard stop just like it is hitting a fixed slide stop in the gun. The slide is too far to the rear to perform the breakdown step - I need to get the slide clear of the obstruction and more forward to position it to lift off, as per cleaning instructions.

Thanks for all your help, any more ideas?