Slide won't lock open on STI Escort

[police chief 2007]

I just fired my new STI Escort today, and while it digested 400 rounds of FMJ and JHP ammo perfectly, the slide would not lock open after firing the last round of a magazine. The gun came with a Meggar magazine and I also purchased 2 Tripp Cobra magazines and the same thing happened; last round fired and the slide would not lock open. As a point of information, the slide would not lock open when an empty magazine was inserted and the slide was cycled to the rear. The slide did lock open on the first three magazines fired, then it would not. Is the part defective, or is it something else. Just as a final point. After the range session today, I did clean and lube the gun, and when inserting an empty magazine the slide would lock open.

Help!!!! I'm puzzled as to send the gun back, buy a new slide stop, or is this a magazine issue, The gun did cycle perfectly, chambering a round, firing, ejecting, and returning to battery. The gun handled and shot beautifully.

Thanks,
Ray

[pa_guns]

Hi

Ok, here's the deal.

When the mag is empty, part of the mag pushes up on part of the slide stop. If the mag and slide stop arm aren't "compatible" they miss and no lock. If the spring in the mag is weak, no lock. If you look into the empty pistol just right you can see the mag follower where it hits the slide stop "arm".

In order for the slide to lock, it's got to go back far enough. If the weapon is dirty, or if there's a shock buff in it, the slide may not go back far enough. A to-heavy recoil spring can also get into the act. A drop of oil on the frame rails at the range will eliminate grunge as being the issue.

Further down the list, the slide stop is held in place by a plunger. There's a little spring that drives the plunger. If the plunger "freezes up" the slide stop won't do it's thing. The simple check for this is to apply gentle pressure on the slide stop while you rack the slide with an empty mag.

The list goes on from there, but that should give you a few things to take a look at.

Bob

[police chief 2007]

Thanks Bob,

The magazines are all new, so I don't think it's a weak mag spring issue. The recoil system is a captive STI system, and while it does seem heavy, I guess that's what they feel is needed in a short slide 1911. It just seemed peculiar that the gun fuctioned initially, then would not lock the slide at all, either during firing, or with an empty magazine. Just from the "feel" I'm thinking the slide stop may not be properly fit, it seems very stiff as compared to my other 1911's. I did order a Wilson bullet proof slide stop and I'm hoping it remidies the problem. I know I should just probably send the gun back, but I hate to go through the ususal waiting game to see if the manufacturer may or may not fix the gun. Quite honestly I've stayed with a 1911 throughout my career beacuse it is so easy to shoot and carry. Unfortunately, it appears that since so many people manufacturer 1911's the issue of specs is all over the place. My career carry weapon is a Series 70 Colt Government model made in 1975. It had some very minor work done by Bill Laughridge of Cylinder and Slide; other than that it's 100% reliable with hardball.

As an aside, would you recommend 6 round mags for this gun as opposed to the 7 rounders. Also, what magazines are absolutly the best, most reliable. I've heard about the Tripp mags, that's why I bought them, but reading here it seems like Metalform has a huge following because of the "dimple" on the follower.

Thanks,
Ray

[pa_guns]

Hi

Mags are not something I'm an expert on. For reliability I would always go with the "one less" option. In your case that would be the 6 round mags.

If the recoil system is similar to the one in my New Agent, it may be getting dirty. Looking at the one on mine I can easily see how that could happen.

The slide stop may help, but my guess would be that the problem lies elsewhere. There's no harm in trying it out.

Tolerances on 1911's have been "all over the place" ever since they first tried to make them outside of Colt in the WWI era. There are all sorts of things written about what they tried to do to keep things "standard". Even with the Army buying all of them during WWII they had a tough time.

The stiffness of the slide stop is mostly the size of "dent" in the stop and the strength of the spring driving the plunger.

This is something that's within the scope of "kitchen table gunsmithing". An empty mag and the pistol will let you see most of what's going on. A shot of Gun Blast will take *all* the lube out of the pistol. Play with it and see what you find out.

Bob

[police chief 2007]

I can see what you mean about the part of the stop contacting the plunger spring. There is almost no space between the stop lever and the plunger spring. In my other 1911's there is much more space. I was thinking about taking a bit of material off the face of the lever contacting the spring, to open things up a bit, however I was going to see how the Wilson part fit first. I really should try taking a slide stop lever off one of my other guns and checking the fit.

[pa_guns]

Hi

I would resist the impulse to start chopping. Better to spend to much time analyzing than to chop to soon.

Bob