Positive Lock into Battery

[patentnonsense]

I've noticed recently that if I push on the back of the slide between rounds, I can move it another fraction of a millimeter into battery. This concerns me, for safety as well as accuracy.

I can wiggle either barrel fore-aft somewhat, maybe .015" or so, whether or not the gun is in battery - so maybe I need to replace the takedown lever??

This is a fairly young gun, maybe 3000 rounds on its two barrels, and the two barrels seem to act the same - so it's not worn out. I bought the gun and its extra barrel new, and no modification has been done to it.

The rotary bolt engages the locking lugs on the back end of the barrel, but there isn't any positive lock: you can grab the slide and pull it right back out of battery. The trigger is live before the slide starts to compress the bolt, so I guess the real limit is the bolt travel: the firing pin can't get to the primer until the bolt is retracted (and hence has rotated to engage the barrel lugs).

I like the simplicity of the DE design, and maybe the above is just a consequence of a gas-operated fixed-barrel mechanism - but it makes me nervous. I'm inclined to put heavier springs on, but I'd welcome comments from the experts here. Thanks,

 

[bountyhunter]

Don't know what kind of gun it is?

 

[rbernie]

Lessee - rotary bolt and gas-operated - must be a Desert Eagle.

So who here knows anything about them? I sure don't...

 

[patentnonsense]

Desert Eagle

Oops, I cleverly deleted the first paragraph, with all the basic facts.

Yes, this is a Desert Eagle Mark XIX, in .44. It seems to be quite accurate, but after some of the exploded-gun posts here I'm cautious about anything that could fire without going ALL the way into battery!

The question about lock-up is more general, however - I was startled to realize that some guns do not lock in battery.

Thanks for any informative comments -

 

[Route666]

This place will give you plenty of DE help. http://pub64.ezboard.com/bthedeserteagle

 

[patentnonsense]

Thanks!

Lots of info on that DE site.

Many newbies there seem to be asking the same question, and the common answer is 1) get the spring "tune-up" kit, which apparently is stouter than the springs originally shipped, and 2) be really careful about lubing the frame/slide interface.

Thanks,

 

[Route666]

And keep it clean.

I remember reading a while ago, when I was really excited by DEs about someone on the DE forum who had the same problem as you, slide not returning to full battery. Can't remember what the fix was, but the thread may still be there if you search for it.

 

[patentnonsense]

It turned out there were a lot of threads there with the same question!

Seems to be a common problem with DEs during break-in - and when a gun is through its break-in (as mine is), I suspect it can still be a lurking factor in accuracy. I think I'll call the factory and see if I can get their upgrade kit for free - it sounds more like a drop-in trouble fix to me.

One of the posters there swears by Mobil-1 synthetic grease, and some others recommend grease for the high-friction areas - I think I'll try that too.

Thanks,

 

[Route666]

I would try some MolyFusion, I think I read about that on this forum, and you heat the gun up (not too much, and slowly) and put this stuff on and it bonds with the surface of the metal to make it really slippery. Do a google search on it.