JJE
Member
I have a S&W PPK/S-1. The manual says that if the slide is locked back, that I can close the slide without a magazine inserted by drawing back and releasing the slide - just as you would expect:
"To close the slide on an unloaded pistol, first remove the magazine and then pull the slide fully back and release it."
Today, I noticed that if the slide is locked back, it won't close with no mag in the gun, and won't close WITH a mag UNLESS the mag has a round in it. I'm using OEM mags and it works the same way with both mags. Nothing is obviously broken and the gun is unmodified except for aftermarket grips. I removed the grips and it works the same way. The gun has less than 1,000 rounds and has been reliable and regularly cleaned.
The only "problem" I've had is the last time I cleaned the gun, the ejector and ejector spring came loose, but I put them back and they seem to be in the correct position. I haven't fired the gun since this happened. If I chamber a round (which is the only way I can close the slide) - and then pull the slide open, the slide locks back and the round (I'm using snap caps) seems to extract and eject properly.
If you can help me with this problem then you already know that the mag follower has a notch that contacts the ejector when the magazine is in place. If a round is in the magazine, the follower is depressed by the round so that it doesn't contact the ejector. I can also close the slide with no mag in place if I use a pencil to push the mag follower down through the ejector port (takes 3 hands), just like a round in the magazine would do.
I'm almost sure that the gun USED to close on an empty mag. What part did I break, bend, mis-install or loose? Now that I think about it, the ejector and ejector spring used to fit pretty loosely (which is why they fell out recently), but now they're pretty snugly in place. Did I put the ejector and spring back the wrong way???
"To close the slide on an unloaded pistol, first remove the magazine and then pull the slide fully back and release it."
Today, I noticed that if the slide is locked back, it won't close with no mag in the gun, and won't close WITH a mag UNLESS the mag has a round in it. I'm using OEM mags and it works the same way with both mags. Nothing is obviously broken and the gun is unmodified except for aftermarket grips. I removed the grips and it works the same way. The gun has less than 1,000 rounds and has been reliable and regularly cleaned.
The only "problem" I've had is the last time I cleaned the gun, the ejector and ejector spring came loose, but I put them back and they seem to be in the correct position. I haven't fired the gun since this happened. If I chamber a round (which is the only way I can close the slide) - and then pull the slide open, the slide locks back and the round (I'm using snap caps) seems to extract and eject properly.
If you can help me with this problem then you already know that the mag follower has a notch that contacts the ejector when the magazine is in place. If a round is in the magazine, the follower is depressed by the round so that it doesn't contact the ejector. I can also close the slide with no mag in place if I use a pencil to push the mag follower down through the ejector port (takes 3 hands), just like a round in the magazine would do.
I'm almost sure that the gun USED to close on an empty mag. What part did I break, bend, mis-install or loose? Now that I think about it, the ejector and ejector spring used to fit pretty loosely (which is why they fell out recently), but now they're pretty snugly in place. Did I put the ejector and spring back the wrong way???
. Besides this (hopefully) minor problem, the PPK/S has actually been a good gun for me.