I Need Assistance With A FTF...Please

[Big Shot]

I have a new Para PX745S SSP with aver 300 rounds so far with great accuracy and no problems other than this.......every 2 or 3 clips I'm getting a FTF which I've never seen before. The slide is locked in fully back with the slide stop engaged. I look inside and the next shell is still in the magazine but just a little forward. I've tried 4 different mags and 8 different brands of ammo. It doesn't make any difference. I still get these FTF's and I just simply pull done the slide stop and away we go ready to fire off.......Anyone know what is going on???? Is it just because it's brand new or maybe is it me doing something ???? I'm not knew to 1911's as this is my12th new gun in 45 ACP. Thanks for any help....Big Shot

[niemi24s]

You have premature slidelock. As it occurs with different magazines, two causes come to mind:

1. The bullet of the top cartridge in the magazine is contacting that part of the slidestop's lever that pokes inside the magazine well slightly. This contact is made when the slide's disconnector rail allows the top round in the magazine to rise up under the magazine's feed lips.

This is the same thing the lower tang on the magazine follower lifts up to lock open the slide after the last round is fired. The bullet doesn't do it all the time because the cartridge's fore-aft position in the magazine is pretty variable.

2. Or, the slide stop lever is not sufficiently restrained by its spring-loaded plunger and is too free to move up & down. Inadvertent pressure from the hand or shooting glove (or possibly even recoil gyrations) can then easily move the lever up and let it do what it's designed to do - lock open the slide.

Others may chime in with other possible causes, but until they do you've got a couple of leads. Cheers

[John]

Since this is new, I do not think the plungers spring is tired, so my guess is that it has an oversized slide stop. Do this test.

Remove the slide from the pistol and put the slide stop in its normal position. Make sure it is pressed down, as it will be when the pistol is loaded. Now take a loaded magazine and insert it in the frame slowly. Notice the area where the nose of the round almost touches the slide stop, inside the frame? Let's call that Area A.

Now, remove the loaded mag and replace it with an empty one. Push it slowly in and notice the area of the slide stop that the magazine follower engages when it pushes the slide stop up. Let's call that area, Area B.

You can file down a little on area A so that the nose of the rounds no longer touch the slide stop and lock the slide back, but you should be careful not to file on area B.

[Big Shot]

Thanks to you both for your imput on this problem. John, I took my Kimber custom ll and did the experiment you suggested with both guns side by side. Yes, I kept the different parts separated to both guns. I see what you are calling area "A" & "B" but I'm not seeing anything that is touching with my new Para. Actually, it looks exactly l ike the Kimber concerning the bullet clearances. One thing for sure, the Para's slide lock/pin is 1/2 again larger than the Kimbers. But, I failed to see any clearance problems with the shells in the mag test. I believe with the Para being new, I'd be better off sending the pistol back to Para and let them address the problem if it don't disappear by the end of the break-in period - about 200 more rounds. Thanks for getting back with me so fast. Big Shot

[John]

If there is clearance there, shoot a PM to Hawkmoon, he has a special theory for Para Ordnance pistols having this problem. He might be able to help you.

[niemi24s]

The lower corner at the aft external end of the slide stop should be 90 degrees, perhaps a bit less, like "___!". When rotated up, the plunger spring is compressed. If the angle at this corner is more than 90 degrees, the slide stop loses its ability to compress the plunger spring when lifted and, conversely, the plunger spring loses its ability to keep the slide stop down.

Also, if the aft vertical surface is convex, like "___)", the plunger spring offers less resistance to the slide stop being lifted because it's not compressed.

Does this gun have an extended slide release?

Has the slide ever prematurely locked open with SWC ammo?

[Big Shot]

No, I haven't tried any SWC's but I have shot 230 gr RN lead reloads and they seem to shoot pretty well....come to think of it, the gun hasn't done this dirty deed with these shells. Are we on to something here ??? Also, no my Para doesn't have an extended slide stop. When you look at the stop lever from the rear (this is what the bullet is seeing) that shelf (I think) you're talking about is very shallow now...under a 1/8", maybe a little bigger than 1/16th of an inch........Any more ideas ???? Before I take a file to this will Para refuse to work on this gun being as how it's only one week old and under that lifetime warranty deal. Listen, I'm willing to try anything that would relieve this situation but I also don't want to be told "someones been messin' with gun and we aren't responsible" type of deal....you know what I mean ???? Thanks, Big Shot

[niemi24s]

No, I haven't tried any SWC's but I have shot 230 gr RN lead reloads and they seem to shoot pretty well....come to think of it, the gun hasn't done this dirty deed with these shells. Are we on to something here ???

Don't think so. Although I don't use them, a 230gn LRN probably has a profile close to a 235gn JRN, so my guess is your good luck with them is just a matter of chance.

When you look at the stop lever from the rear (this is what the bullet is seeing) that shelf (I think) you're talking about....

If you're referring to Post #6, the two pictograms (in quotes) are side views of the external, aft part of the slide stop arm (or lever). The slide stop plunger pushes on the right (as drawn) end.

Any more ideas ????

Is there any possibility your hand or shooting glove might occasionally and inadvertently nudge the slide stop upward?

Does any part of the tube of any of your magazines come close to the aft end of the slide stop when the magazine is pushed up and forward in the receiver? The left side of the tube should not be visible through the arched hole in the frame when the magazine is all the way up and forward.

You said you've tried 4 different magazines. Has each one of these magazines been involved in the problem? Are these 4 magazines each individually identifiable (so you can keep track of exactly which magazine is involved)?

Before I take a file to this will Para refuse to work on this gun.....

Give Para a call. Maybe they have a fix for you without having to send in the gun. If not, maybe they'll foot the shipping bill and give you a pre-paid RMA. Maybe.

[Big Shot]

OK, I finally got home to open the safe and retrieve the pistola and a couple mags. No the left side cut away hole in each mag doesn't show up in the arched hole. You did ask a question that brought up a thought or two about on occasion I'll accidently bump the safety lever into it's locked position while shooting the gun, which brings all shooting to an abrupt stop. I hold this PX745S SSP Para the same way as I shoot my old KImber Custom ll and I have never had either problem while shooting it. I can't believe I'm holding this Para any different....BTW, I have 7 mags, 2 Para's, 4 Kimbers, and a Mccormick Power mag. They have all a one or another had the slide lock open with a least one or two shells in it. I think I'll call Para Monday morning and talk with the service dept. Big Shot

[gsmith]

Big Shot,
A detent in the slide stop will fix the problem. It is positioned exactly where the plunger touches while the slide stop is at rest ( not engaged ). The depth of the detent can vary from pistol to pistol. I use a #2 carbide center drill for the job. I put the drill on the spot and press the trigger to start the drill. Just about the time it starts turning, I release the trigger and stop the drill. It makes about 1-2 small curls of metal. If the slide stop will not engage after this mod when the mag is empty, then the detent is too deep. You can feather it out ( on the bottom ) with a bit on your Foredom tool.
Good Luck,
Gsmith