Slide Won't Lock Open After Last Round?

[Scrod314]

Hello...
I thought it would be a good idea to replace my recoil spring, magazine springs and followers. I did this and put about 100 rounds through my Smith and Wesson 411. The last two magazines would not lock open after the final round, so I ceased fire. Any thoughts? I suspect the follower? I only used 1 of my magazines. The follower looks chewed up. I did have 1 stovepipe, too. If you see pictures, keep in mind those are brand new followers.

 

[Tirod]

Ammo?

I'm sure others will have more questions, but ammo is the first.

 

[Scrod314]

.40 Smith and Wesson. Herter's 180 grain and Remington 180 grain FMJ.

 

[Rule3]

How did it function BEFORE you changed all the springs??

Where and what recoil spring did you get?? What weight (lbs)

You need to try another mag.

Did you put the mag springs in correctly?

 

[Scrod314]

Wolff magazine springs, 10% extra power. Wolff recoil spring. I didn't try it before replacing the springs. I'm an idiot. Yes, I believe I installed them correctly. The springs are labeled as more powerful.

 

[JTQ]

The easiest thing to eliminate is if it is you that is causing the issue. If you are a righty, it's possible you are interfering with the slide stop. If so, try shooting left handed to make sure your hand isn't interfering with the slide stop. If that isn't the issue, it's on to more involved problems/solutions.

 

[herrwalther]

I think the different magazine springs are the culprit. New followers should not look that chewed up after shooting a few mags worth of ammo.

Other factors have already been mentioned like ammo, shooting grip, recoil spring etc. Those can be other things you try but the mag springs is where I would personally start.

 

[Scrod314]

Thanks, yous guys. Yes, I'm going to put everything original back in the pistol and try it when I get home. I'm in the upper peninsula of Michigan, so I'm about 500 miles away from home. I'll report back when I get home.

 

[LiveLife]

Herter's 180 grain and Remington 180 grain FMJ.

Hard to imagine both factory ammunition causing the problem. My guess is cause of problem is with the new components.

replace ... recoil spring, magazine springs and followers ... magazines would not lock open after the final round ... I did have 1 stovepipe

Since you replaced all three components (recoil springs, magazine springs, followers), it may be hard to narrow down which component is causing the problem.

Since you are experiencing problem with both magazines, I would put the old recoil spring back to see if the slide locks back on last round. If the slide locks back with both magazines, I would deem the new recoil spring a bit stiff and keep the slide locked until the next range session and see if the slide locks on the last round.

If the slide doesn't lock back with the old recoil spring, as herrwalther posted, I would then suspect new magazine springs/followers.

 

[JTQ]

T I'm in the upper peninsula of Michigan, so I'm about 500 miles away from home. I'll report back when I get home.

I thought I had a long drive to get to the shooting range.

 

[Scrod314]

Okay, so... I put factory the factory recoil spring and magazine springs back in my pistol. This solved the problem. I did have one magazine of the four that wouldn't lock the slide back after emptying the magazine. I inspected the follower, and the area of the follower that would lock the magazine open was chewed up. I put a new follower in. I also noticed the spring in this magazine looked twisted? I replaced it. I can here a slightly different sound when I put this magazine into the pistol as opposed to my other magazines, but I don't see anything different about it? I put 300 rounds through it today. Only one magazine gave me the issue. I did find a new, old stock magazine for it at a good price, so in waiting for it. I wonder if the plastic followers kind of disintegrate over time?

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Okay, so... I put factory the factory recoil spring and magazine springs back in my pistol. This solved the problem. I did have one magazine of the four that wouldn't lock the slide back after emptying the magazine. I inspected the follower, and the area of the follower that would lock the magazine open was chewed up. I put a new follower in. I also noticed the spring in this magazine looked twisted? I replaced it. I can here a slightly different sound when I put this magazine into the pistol as opposed to my other magazines, but I don't see anything different about it? I put 300 rounds through it today. Only one magazine gave me the issue. I did find a new, old stock magazine for it at a good price, so in waiting for it. I wonder if the plastic followers kind of disintegrate over time?

Smith and Wesson went through multiple revisions of plastic followers for the 2nd and 3rd Gen guns- Yellow, Orange, Black.....

Ive never seen blue before, are those factory parts? If so, its possible they are "new old stock" and have been degrading on the shelf or they are actually recent production replacement parts, perhaps even subcontracted by S&W and the fit and materials stink.

Happens all the time in the car biz with replacement parts for older vehicles, even when the parts are sold as "OEM."

Honestly, the pics make it look like they dont fit all that great in the mag body, either they are out of spec or were redesigned for multiple applications and the result isnt 100% in that mag. Also a major problem with older car parts.

The yellow followers were terribly brittle, and Ive seen a couple of pretty beat up orange as well. I try to get steel followers when possible, but have also had good results with the black ones.

Good luck!

 

[Scrod314]

Thanks all yous guys for helping me. Yes, these were factory followers found on Midwayusa. Actually, the original yellow follower got chewed up, too.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm glad you fixed the problem. The correct follower and spring probably cost you less that $10 per mag. Not a bad price to refurbish good magazines.