Slide not locking back on .22. Problem?

[rlewpolar]

I have a Browning Buckmark which sometimes does not lock back on the last round. I know the cause, it's my big meaty hand touching the slide lock.

My question is, on that last round where the slide has not locked back, I pull the trigger and hear the click. On my centerfire pistols like my Sigs, I don't give it a second thought.

Oh my .22 though, it gives me pause. Am I essentially dry firing the pistol that last time I pull that trigger? Dry firing is a problem with Buckmarks, the firing pin hits the breech face.

I'm not quite sure exactly what the mechanics of the firing pin are when the slide has not locked back. Is it a problem here? Thanks, feel like I should know this by now but have never been quite clear exactly what happens when the slide does not lock back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kemasa]

It depends on the firearm. Some .22s can damage the firing pin. Not sure about that model. You could load a snapcap so that it isn't a problem.

[808@515]

Yes. You would essentially be dry firing your Buckmark. As indicated,doing so repeatedly can cause damage to the firing pin and breach face.

[JDub]

Happens all the time on my Buckmark. Mine is close to 30 years old and has many, many 1000s of rounds fired and I haven’t seen any problems.

[sealocan]

Gun tip #359562....

Although this doesn't exactly solve your particular issue it's good to know that if you don't have access to .22 caliber snap caps (which some guns stores don't carry but are probably easily found online) you can use the correct size plastic wall anchor in a pinch.

(You know those little plastic cone-shaped things that you put into the drywall before you screw in the screw so that they open up and expand and hold solid in the drywall.)

They are usually colored blue, red, or yellow. The yellow size Used to be the correct diameter for 22 caliber. And it gave a nice thick rim of plastic for the firing pin to fall on.

It may not be the perfect store bought solution it's better than damaging a firearm that is not designed to be dry fired.

[808@515]

Are you guys suggesting that the OP uses a snap cap as his 10th round in the magazine? Unless I’m reading the OP wrong I’m not seeing how it would help in this situation.

[kemasa]

It would load the snapcap as the last round, so no dry firing, which means no possible damage.

[808@515]

It would load the snapcap as the last round, so no dry firing, which means no possible damage.

[rlewpolar]

I'm going to try this, putting in a snap cap in, thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[808@515]

I'm going to try this, putting in a snap cap in, thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[divingin]

Yes. You would essentially be dry firing your Buckmark. As indicated,doing so repeatedly can cause damage to the firing pin and breach face.

Depends on how the pistol is designed.

Most modern .22's have a travel-limited firing pin. These can be dry-fired as much as desired, until the limit stop wears (which will likely be much longer than anyone's willing to dry-fire a pistol.) Pretty simple to tell: break the pistol down to where you can manually actuate the firing pin, and see how far it protrudes from the breech face at full extension. If there is a hood cut into the breech, you have a reference point: the pin should not extend beyond the hood. If the breech is flat, the pin should not extend beyond .040" to avoid hitting the chamber mouth (SAAMI minimum spec is .043" for .22 rim thickness.)

[P5Ret]

The simplest solution is counting the rounds when your shooting. Or is that something no one does anymore?

[808@515]

Depends on how the pistol is designed.

Most modern .22's have a travel-limited firing pin. These can be dry-fired as much as desired, until the limit stop wears (which will likely be much longer than anyone's willing to dry-fire a pistol.) Pretty simple to tell: break the pistol down to where you can manually actuate the firing pin, and see how far it protrudes from the breech face at full extension. If there is a hood cut into the breech, you have a reference point: the pin should not extend beyond the hood. If the breech is flat, the pin should not extend beyond .040" to avoid hitting the chamber mouth (SAAMI minimum spec is .043" for .22 rim thickness.)

[mjmagee67]

Nothing like consulting the manual for the info....

[boopiejones]

Assuming the problem is really being caused by your hand touching the slide lock, I would file down the lock so your hand no longer touches it. It’s a $6 part, so i would buy a new slide lock, modify that one and then use cold blue to refinish it. keep the original slide lock so you can bring it back to the stock configuration if you do choose.