Glock slide release ain't quite right

[Falstaff]

I have a lightly used G-17 I recently bought with a slight problem. At the range Saturday I was concentrating on trying to change my grip a bit to comply with an instructors critique that I was gripping too tight. So, what happens is the slide starts locking back after each shot. At first i thought there was something wrong with the pistol, then I remembered the caller on the Tom gresham show who was having a similar problem with a Kahr pistol. The guy had even sent it back to Kahr, they sent it back saying there was nothing wrong with the pistol. The guy took it out to the range and the problem persisted. The guest on the gresham show said that it was probobly his support hand pushing the slide lock up under recoil. He said its a very common mistake/bad habit. Anyway, after thinking about that and adjusting my grip and concentrating on not letting my thumbs slap upwards, the problem went away. When I got home, as I was putting the Glock 17 away, I did notice something strange, the slide release feels a little "sloppy" for lack of a better term. I grab two other glocks I own (a 26 and 27) and I confirm that on those two pistols the slide release is not as loose and that when pushed up (towardsthe top of the gun) with the slide locked fully forward, the slide release tab has spring tension and pushes down. My g17's slide release tab however just kinda flops up and down, no spring tension pushing the slide downwards.. The original owner I know had changed some trigger parts, he included an 8lb trigger part that he said he hadnt installed so I'm guessing maybe he was messing with the internals. My question is, should the slide tab be loose on a g 17? and if not, what parts are most likely to be at fault in this case (where the slide has a tendency to lock back, even though there are rounds in the magazine)

[Corbin Dallas]

Have you recently taken it apart to clean it?

If so, did you make sure to put the slide release spring UNDER the top locking block pin?

Two things could have happened:

1) Spring broke (it happens)
2) Spring is above top locking block pin

[Falstaff]

I havent disassembled it other than pulling the slide off, like I said I just recently bought this pistol (PPT) and it functioned fine the first time I fired it, the second time was last saturday. Anyway, your post gives me just what I need, I didnt know really what to look for and I'm not a Glock armorer (yet) so your suggestions give me a head start. I betcha it's number 2, it just feels like theres no spring tension because perhaps the last guy didnt put it back together right... This pistol appears brand new and still had the Glock grease on the slide rails, so I'm really leaning towards an assembly error as opposed to an wear issue.

[hybridatsun350]

Corbin's two suggestions are the most likely culprits. Check the position of the spring.

[Gryff]

Glocks are disgustingly easy to disassemble. Take it apart and check the slide release spring wire to make sure it isn't bent down too much, and check to make sure that everything is where it should be.



Glock disassembly instructions:

http://www.parts.cc/glock/disassembly/

[G-forceJunkie]

Sounds to me like the spring is not right or broke. Or the original owner, not understanding how the lever is held in with the pin, hammered it out and wallowed out the hole. Where are you located? If in northern Los Angeles area, I have new ones and am a Glock armoror and could look at it.

Mike

[Falstaff]

Yep you guys nailed it, I took the slide off, popped the trigger pin out and then carefully put it back in place, replaced the pin and now its spring loaded again, somehow the spring was bound up and not providing tension. The pin was very tight too... After watching a video on you tube of a guy installing an extended slide release lever I knew Corbin was right, mine was just flopping around in there. Working sweet now, pheewww I'll still order a new spring and ext slide release just to be sure.

[Greg-Dawg]

Congrats! You're an official Glock Armorer.

[Falstaff]

What? you didnt post a pic of your gen 4 glock in a glock thread? you slippin'