[DirtyVicar]

Shot 2 boxes of Fiocci 9mm at the range today without any problems. When I got home, I decided to put on the large backstrap, which went ok (I've swapped backstraps before). I then cleaned as usual. When I reinstalled the slide, it didn't seem quite right... When I tried to reinsert a loaded magazine afterwards, it wouldn't go in all the way. So I took the slide off, reinstalled, same problem.

Then I emptied the magazine, and was able to install it all the way.

So I put 9 rounds in the magazine, and could insert the magazine fully.

I racked the slide to chamber a round, but the slide doesn't return all the way forward (I think the correct term is to battery?) A very slight tap on the back of the slide will move it all the way forward.

Racking with no magazine inserted seems to work ok.

What the heck did I do to my favorite pistol?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

 

[Ni3Frontier]

DirtyVicar,
What was this 'not quite right' feeling you got when you reassembled your P99?

How many rounds total do you have through your P99? I have not experienced this problem but it could be a worn recoil spring. Or was the recoil spring installed backwards?

I'm not sure how new your experiences with handguns is so forgive me if this is something you already knew; with a fully loaded 10 round mag you will need to give it a good thwack to get it in to the weapon with the slide closed. Think about how difficult it is to get the 10th round into the magazine. The top round will press against the bottom of the slide when it is inserted. To seat the magazine, the spring must be compressed further which can be quite difficult. You stated that with 9 rounds in the magazine it went in without trouble.

-Yoshi

 

[BreakerMorant]

I think Yoshi is probably right regarding loading the pistol with a full magazine. Once the spring is used a little more and compresses with less effort, the difficulty should go away.

-Regarding the slide not returning to battery, it may be because you followed the slide with your hand. These kinds of guns need to have the compressed spring sling them back into battery. If you followed the slide back or eased it close, it may not return to battery on its own.

 

[DirtyVicar]

The 'not right' feeling - usually when I re-assemble, the slide seems to slide back on straight. This time when I re-assembled, the back of the slide seemed to 'lift' a very small amount, as if it were riding up a ramp or something. Hard to explain, but I have the feeling that something is obstructing the path of the slide. It's a very small amount, but noticeable to me.

Not sure how many rounds through the pistol, probably between 750 and 1k. The recoil spring appears to be installed correctly.

I am not terribly experienced, so I take no offense to your questions. I am familiar with the amount of pressure normally required to insert the magazine, loaded or empty. This was approaching the level that I was forcing it. I am definitely not afraid to slam it home, as I am being taught to do things under stress situations. When I put the mag in, I'm not babying it. When I rack the slide, it's definitely being racked.

Thank you for taking the time to try to help me with this. I hope I've given you more to go on!

 

[Ni3Frontier]

DirtyVicar,
I can't really think of anything that would cause this problem other than foreign material somewhere in the workings. Try cleaning and greasing the grooves in the slide and the lugs on the frame. Make sure the lugs on the barrel and the attachment point on the frame are clean and normal in appearance.
When you have this problem does your P99 have a gap between the slide and frame when it is assembled? In all honesty there really is only one way to put the P99 back together. I doubt you'd be able to put it back together without having the lugs on the frame seat into the grooves into the slide. Try disassembling and reassembling your weapon a few times to see if the problem happens most of the time or just occasionally.

-Hope this helps!
-Yoshi

 

[P88]

This problem is hard to diagnose without actually holding the pistol in hand. Is there any way you can post pictures?

 

[DirtyVicar]

I found the problem. I just needed to walk away from it for a little bit... The takedown catch was not fully re-engaging when I put the slide back on. It went almost all the way back up, but not quite. So I put a drop of oil on it, wiped the excess and worked it up and down a few times.

Now everything seems to be working as expected!  

Thanks to all those who tried to help me in my desperation! This sort of thing is what makes the forum great!

 

[FastSS]

friend of mine had a takedown catch problem on his glock... #### thing sent slide barrel recoil spring and all downrange after he fired his first round

left him holding nothing but 8 rounds in the mag and the frame