[Brendan24]

I recently purchased an AC44 and took it completely apart to remove all the old grease and gunk. I went to the range the next day and the slide would stay opened after each round. I would have to pull down the slide lock and it would chamber a new round and then stick opened again. Basically making it a bolt action pistol. I tried 115 and 124 grain of different brands and it continued to happen. I just bought new recoil springs but haven’t received them yet. About 1 round out of each magazine would work correctly (sometimes first round sometimes last or anywhere in between) I made sure my finger was not on the slide lock but since shooting it I need to manually hold the slide lock up to get it to lock but shooting it still makes it lock.. I have no idea what it could be now. I am new to these guns and got it for a great price for no rust or anything so I hope it is just the springs but while I’m waiting for them to be shipped is there anything else I should look for?
Thanks in advance.

 

[czsuby]

Brendan, you may get some better results in the classics forum. Welcome from South Carolina.

 

[MGMike]

When you took it apart and reassembled it, you put back the slide latch spring either backward or upside down. That's probably what's causing the slide to lock open prematurely. Find and study an exploded view to see the correct orientation.

New recoil springs are not going to fix that, but sometimes generate new problems that you didn't have before. Why not get the gun running properly first, before you go willy-nilly changing springs and introducing more variables?

M

 

[1917-1911M]

Dangit....a few years ago when a neighbor wanted me to look at his "funny old Japanese" pistol I unzipped his case and out came a P38.... I took it apart, it was dry as a bone, cleaned and lubed it, shot it and returned it clean and spotless. He mentioned it being tied up the in family so I made no offer on purchasing it. He died six months later and his wife sold it to "the guy who sits in front of me in church". I'm quoting what she told me. Helping her out he bought the P38, a Luger that I never saw and three shotguns for $600. Apparently none of the family members ever materialized. Typical scoundrel.

Anyway, I called myself taking good pictures of every inch of the pistol but I could only find one fuzzy photo of the slide catch spring...I was shooting the number on the frame and happened to catch it...I think this is the spring. Perhaps it shows the proper orientation. 1917

The dry pistol, showing the breech face, etc.

The hold down spring?

 

[Brendan24]

Thanks so much 1917-1911M !I was looking for pictures online and I found them in both orientations. I did end up putting it on upside down. From all of the guns I have taken apart it made more sense in my head the other way. But as for the recoil springs. I thought it could be that because the one on the right side much lighter than the left. I can easily tell just by pressing it down with my finger, am I better off just leaving it alone or should I change those too?

 

[MGMike]

https://www.waltherforums.com/forum/faq-classics/17704-avoiding-catastrophe-changing-p38-recoil-springs.html

https://www.waltherforums.com/forum/faq-p5/11423-p5-p4-p38-recoil-spring-specs.html

M

 

[1917-1911M]

A few pictures for this thread. In photo #2 you can see the small notch at the front of the springs where the base of the guide rod is caught and why MG Mike warns against letting the parts slam into this area. 1917

 

[Firemanjones]

Hello from Florida.

 

[spin40]

Welcome from coastal North Carolina.

 

[mars]

Welcome from Wisconsin. I am glad you were able to sort it out.