Ruger SR45 Slide Stop Problem-Anyone Else Experienced This? Or Am I the Only One?

[gerrym526]

I've had my SR45 since April and really like the gun-ergonomics and fit are great, like the trigger, very accurate, and low perceived recoil. Have put about 300 rounds through the gun to date.
However, the slide stop doesn't hold the slide open after the last round is fired. I shipped the gun to Ruger in Sept and they replaced the magazine assembly and tested it. No complaints on the promptness and courtesy of customer service-a real plus for Ruger.
Now, the same problem is happening with both factory ammo (Winchester Winclean) and reloaded ammo (I reload 230grn FMJ, with either 4.1 or 4.5 of Bullseye). The problem is unpredictable-sometimes the slide stays open, sometimes it doesn't.
Any SR45 owners experiencing this as well? I noticed the recoil spring is very tight-is the ammo underpowered and causing this? Or is it a manufacturing issue?
Thanks for the help on this guys.

 

[5-SHOTS]

It could be out of speck magazines springs or followers; or too weak loads. Assuming you are 100% sure it isn't you touching the slide stop during firing or limpwristing, I'd try first to see if the problem happens with both magazines or with only one. Second, I'd try hot factory 230gr RN rounds to see what happens. Third, I'd call Ruger again.

 

[hardluk1]

It could be the slide stop too. Write a detail letter to tap to the grip describing the problems contact them again ,get a shipping label and tell them to fix the problem and to check the slide stop. Do NOT mention reloads!!

 

[9mmepiphany]

It could be a number of things, it is always best to start with the easiest to test.

1. See it the slide will lock back on an empty mag when you retract the slide be hand...if it does, it isn't the magazine follower
2. Try shooting it with full power ammo...if it locks back, your ammo is underpowered
3. Try shooting it with you support hand only...if it locks back, it is your grip pressing down on the slide lock

Do these in order while only changing one thing at a time to eliminate each item separately

 

[ritepath]

^ Yup see if it'll lock back with an empty mag. Mine stopped locking back on both mags when just racking the slide. I ended up just bending the ear of the mag catch, not ideal and most probably wouldn't recommend it but it worked. From what I could tell the mag springs just didn't have enough ummph to engage the slide catch.

 

[fastbolt]

I agree with 9mmepiphany's suggestions.

Manually running the slide fully to the rear, in a brisk manner, with an EMPTY gun & magazine, ought to result in the slide being locked back by the magazine follower. If it does, the "problem" is probably elsewhere.

If you're right-handed, try shooting the gun left-handed. If the "problem" doesn't occur, that could likely mean that your grip is positioning your thumb so it interferes with the slide stop lever tab's freedom of movement (when the magazine follower is trying to lift the lever when the magazine is empty).

If you're left-handed, then this might move on more quickly to other possible influences.

FWIW, I've seen a surprising number of shooters not only prevent their slide stop levers from rising and locking the slides back on an empty magazine, but also unintentionally create other problems for themselves. Things like "thumbing" the slide, pressing against the slide and slowing its normal cycling rate, and having a support hand thumb shift and press the mag catch, dropping the magazine.

Sometimes recoil forces can cause someone's hand/fingers to shift, and the gun to shift under them, in such a way that what happens during recoil isn't duplicated when just dry-firing, so the shooter isn't aware of what's actually happening.

Some folks who use a high-thumbs grip may find an occasional pistol that just doesn't fit as well as they might wish when it comes to their thumbs being in the way of gun controls when the gun and/or their thumbs shift during recoil.

Also, you've only used "green" and reloaded ammo for function-testing? If it were me, I'd try some regular factory ammunition for my function-testing. Something made by one of the major American manufacturers. Sometimes an ammunition issue might be mistaken for a "gun" problem, and it can become frustrating trying to chase down a gun issue which doesn't exist.

Ditto for a shooter grip issue.

Now, if the shooter & ammo issues can be reasonably eliminated, then it might be a gun issue. Something best left to Ruger to identify and resolve. Might be a slide stop lever issue, or a follower (design/production spec) issue, or even a mag spring issue. They wouldn't be the first manufacturer to experience some issues when it comes to springs, spring vendors, or necessary revisions in materials, wire gauge, hardening, etc.

The shooter (grip) issues and the ammo are the easiest to look toward eliminating, though.

 

[gerrym526]

SR45 Slide Stop Problem-Solved

Guys,
Thanks for all the helpful input. Took the gun to the range over the weekend. The problem turned out to be a bad magazine. The rear of one of the feed lips was bent out of shape. Put 100 rounds through the good magazine-both factory ammo and my reloads without a hitch.
Called Ruger this week and they're sending me out a new magazine because the gun is still under warranty. I love Ruger customer service!
And the more I shoot the SR45, the more I like it.
Gerry

 

[Fremmer]

Good job, you found the problem and didn't have to ship it back to ruger.

How's the trigger on it?

 

[TimboKhan]

It's fascinating to me how many problems boil down to mag issues!

 

[gerrym526]

Trigger Question

Fremmer posted the question on the trigger. I shoot/own different guns both semi-autos and DAO revolvers-so it's a hard question to answer from a comparison standpoint.
Basically, I like the Ruger trigger and can shoot accurately with the gun. Trigger reset after a shot feels somewhat like my Beretta 92G.
Does the answer help?
Gerry

 

[Fremmer]

Yes it does, thanks. They look like nice pistols.

 

[fastbolt]

It's fascinating to me how many problems boil down to mag issues!

Isn't that the truth?

It gets more puzzling & annoying when it may involve some production, design or material spec revision introduced by the vendor of the parts, or some design change made to address one identified "problem", but which now makes another problem more possible in the hands of only some users.

While I'll still attempt to identify a hopefully "simple" magazine problems that might be caused by a mag spring or follower, if it's not something that's quickly corrected by a simple parts change, the whole mag gest discarded and replaced.

Magazines are just "assemblies" when all is said and done, and it's seemingly more possible for the main "part" of the "assembly", meaning the mag body, to be the "problem" than some folks might like to think.

Toss it (or have it replaced under warranty, if still relatively new), replace it ... and go think about something else.

One we started seeing more widespread use of hollowpoints, higher & lower pressure ammunition, and lighter/smaller slides, dual/nested combo recoil spring assemblies ... things really started to get "interesting" when it came to magazines trying to keep up with helping provide optimal feeding & functioning. :banghead:

I remember hearing in the Sig pistol armorer class how we needed to be alert to problems caused by owners or users having mixed up the parts between the German and Italian made magazines. As if we don't have enough to try and keep up when out-guessing what some folks think it's okay to do with their guns.

 

[sigma 40ve]

Only issue I have had is light strikes.