[P99OD]

All,
I spent some time on the range this weekend. When I got home I cleaned my gun, and proceeded to load it with my carry ammo. Now my normal loading sequence goes as follows. Load the mag to capacity, insert the mag, release the slide, decock the striker (I have an AS) dump the mag, load a new round in the mag insert the mag into the magwel and slam it home with the palm of my hand. That gives me full capacity on the gun. Now, when I was reloading the gun, I slammed the mag home with the palm of my hand with the slide open. Not necessary but I am used to doing it with the slide closed and one in the chamber, so I hit it with the same force I would use. Well the slide slammed shut the instant the mag was seated in the gun.

I tried it a couple of times figuring I maybe hit the mag release or something... Nope, EVERY time I firmly seated the mag with the palm of my hand the slide would release. If I used my fingertips to seat the mag without hitting it, or if I hit it lightly the slide would stay locked back. Any decent force and it would close itself...

I think this was the first time I can remember that I seated the mag firmly like this with the slide open, so now I turn to you, my fellow P99 junkies to see if one of you would mind testing this out on your gun for me.

With the slide locked back, insert a fully loaded mag into the magwel, and firmly drive it home as if you were inserting a fully loaded mag into the gun with the slide in full battery...

Thanks in advance,
Adam

 

[toeball]

Yes, it's normal. With a loaded mag it's more pronounced because of the larger mass sliding home. You can insert the mag gently to lock it in place and give the bottom of the mag a firm tap and the slide will drop too. When I chamber my first round I pull the slide back and let go. Supposedly using the slide release or riding the slide can affct first shot point of impact.

 

[P99OD]

Well,
That's good to know...

Thanks a bunch
Adam

 

[madecov]

many handguns will do this.
My Steyr pistols do this and I actually count on it . makes a reload faster.

 

[MLB]

While it is common, it is not the normal operation of the handgun. If it were, it would be documented in the manual. The slide should only close when the slide release is depressed. It shouldn't be a random thing.

The P99 had some early issues with the slide lock spring. You can find more info by doing a search.

 

[banddr2]

MLB is correct, I had an early 40 that did the same thing. It was one that S&w made the slide and barrel. You sould maybe replace the mag springs and maybe the followers, the P99 was not intended to automatically load whan driving the mag home. My one year old P99 QA does not do this.

 

[BlakeTyner]

I'll chime in to say that my QA doesn't do it either.

 

[walrus]

My ac 9mm does it if I shove the mag in very hard.

 

[Jake Starr]

I have 3 P99's...2 full size and a compact. Ranging from '89-'04 models. They all do this...but only when I am shooting competition and I slam the mag home during a mag change...then the slide goes into battery. I was told this was normal and H&K's do the same...but don't qoute me on that one....

 

[Lydia1966]

My 03 has less than 500 rounds thru her and she does it when i slam it home.

 

[Kryoclasm]

I took my '05 AS to the range, I dumped a full mag down range then reloaded, SLAM! ... slide closed. Kind of freaked me out, but all was well.

the '05 model AS has gone back to the the orignal "end loop" spring that Walther designed for the first P99's not the mid-production modifed spring.

 

[Fenrir Wulff]

I just tried this out with 2 of my P99's. They will close the slide when you load a full mag, but only if you really slam it home. It definitely took more force than is normally required to seat the magazine correctly.

 

[GLD1980]

I own a P99 40 QA and its an 05 model with 1900rds through it and it does it as well!

 

[InfernoMDM]

I have rarely picked up any german made/high quality weapons that dont do that out of the box. Three H&K's (two 9mms and a 45), Most waltehrs I have touched, and two Sigs. Even a few glocks do the same.

I was told by a few old hands in pistols its a sign of quality, take that for what ever thoughts you have.