USP slide release stubborn

[steelcore]

I've owned my USP for about 7 hours, and about an hour ago I noticed the slide is nearly impossible to release with the lever with a magazine inserted. It just happened after cycling a few times.

There were no problems prior to purchase. Today I brought it home and practiced cycling the slide, dry firing, and field stripping. It had absolutely no problems after realigning the slide about 20 times. All of a sudden I have to use two thumbs to release the slide with an empty magazine inserted. It's okay without a magazine, maybe slightly stiffer. What the hell could have happened?

The dealer DID have the weapon on display with the slide locked to the rear. I can only guess that it's been sitting in that condition for a year and a half, as the spent casing is from June 2009. Could this have induced a problem?

[sevensix2x51]

the simple solution is to not use your slide release unless you are chambering a cartridge. youre fighting the magazine when you do that, and a lot of people think it is not healthy for the gun to have the slide dropped on an empty chamber.

[steelcore]

I haven't been sending it home too hard, but with a magazine the lever needs to be used. I was showing my girlfriend the basic operations. At first I thought she was just weak, but ends up the lever feels like it's glued to the slide.

I'm not going to start chambering live rounds in my apartment, but how would I know it will operate properly when I need it to? Will the slide release easier with a round in the magazine?

Pertinent information: this is my first semi auto pistol, so I don't have a lot of familiarity with mechanical operation, so my questions may seem pretty dumb

[Don the savage]

the simple solution is to not use your slide release unless you are chambering a cartridge. youre fighting the magazine when you do that, and a lot of people think it is not healthy for the gun to have the slide dropped on an empty chamber.

This ^
its a common issue with auto loaders which are empty. Some mags will let you release the slide some won't. The stiffer the spring on the mag the more difficult to release without a cartridge. Get some snap caps for function drills. I have a USP in 40 and it is one of my favorite guns. enjoy.

[steelcore]

Ahhh... so it CAN be more difficult with an empty magazine. Thank you, gentlemen!

[vincnet11]

I've owned my USP for about 7 hours, and about an hour ago I noticed the slide is nearly impossible to release with the lever with a magazine inserted. It just happened after cycling a few times.

There were no problems prior to purchase. Today I brought it home and practiced cycling the slide, dry firing, and field stripping. It had absolutely no problems after realigning the slide about 20 times. All of a sudden I have to use two thumbs to release the slide with an empty magazine inserted. It's okay without a magazine, maybe slightly stiffer. What the hell could have happened?

The dealer DID have the weapon on display with the slide locked to the rear. I can only guess that it's been sitting in that condition for a year and a half, as the spent casing is from June 2009. Could this have induced a problem?

The slide release is harder to push on an empty magazine. Try loading a snap cap then it'll be easier to push as if it was loaded or just remove the magazine. Thats simply the mechanism of an auto loader. BTW its the Same with my Glock.

[sevensix2x51]

I haven't been sending it home too hard, but with a magazine the lever needs to be used. I was showing my girlfriend the basic operations. At first I thought she was just weak, but ends up the lever feels like it's glued to the slide.

I'm not going to start chambering live rounds in my apartment, but how would I know it will operate properly when I need it to? Will the slide release easier with a round in the magazine?

Pertinent information: this is my first semi auto pistol, so I don't have a lot of familiarity with mechanical operation, so my questions may seem pretty dumb

the magazine pushes the lever up, so if you want to show mama how to work the pistol, it is best to do it with no magazine. snap caps will let you safely practice in the house, and avoid falling victim to the internet legend of a damaged firing pin by dry-firing. a-zoom makes some particularly nice snap caps, and i have yet to visit a gun store that doesnt stock them.

the simple answer again to the question about being sure it will function when you need it, is to assume it wont until you have proven it at the range, with live fire. i run several hundred to a thousand rounds through a pistol before it makes it to the fabled "nightstand gun" position. it should never fail during that time, or else it does not protect my family. but, at least a couple boxes through it at the range are mandatory before you decide to stake your life on it.

no problem with being new, we were all new at one time or another, and most of us learn something new everyday, even after multiple years of experience. thats what keeps it interesting.

[9mmepiphany]

Pertinent information: this is my first semi auto pistol, so I don't have a lot of familiarity with mechanical operation, so my questions may seem pretty dumb

Not dumb, just not knowledgeable

First the slide release was not designed to release the slide when an empty magazine is inserted. It was designed to release the slide when a loaded mag has been inserted. The difference is that the loaded round pushes down the magazine follower.

When you have an empty magazine inserted, you are pushing against the upward pressure of the follower....which was designed to lift a column of cartridges up fast enough to beat a closing slide.

If you want to get familiar with the different controls on your gun, you should release the slide without a mag inserted, by either depressing the slide release or grasping the slide and retracting it..

If you want an empty magazine in an empty gun, the best thing to do is lower the slide first, without a mag inserted, and then insert the empty mag

[steelcore]

I know, trigger control will prevent AD. It's just my preference not to rack a round unless I'm going to fire it, or the firing pin is out.

Thanks for all the contributions.

[HkFan416]

You shouldn't be doing thay anyways, releasing the slide without a round isn't good for the gun. If you want to practice use snap caps.

[drunktank]

I won't repeat the same good advice over and over, but does the problem happen with both mags? The only weird part is that it started happening recently. The mag spring should have softened.

Also, be sure to lightly lube the slide release internally (on the cylindrical portion)

[steelcore]

It happened with both mags empty. Tried chambering some live ones today (muzzle pointed toward the base of a tree) and the slide slid home like butter, using the release lever. Shortly after you guys mentioning the tension from the mag spring I started looking around and noticed the extra "finger" on the left side of the follower that pushes up on the slide when it's empty. With a round in the magazine, the "finger" doesn't come close to contacting.

drunktank - By "recently" I meant during the same day, as I picked it up yesterday. Perhaps it was just too slippery from all the factory grease that I was able to release the slide with little effort at first. I kept manually cycling the slide and Q-tipping the excessive grease out so it wouldn't start collecting carbon the first time I shoot it.

[NSR500]

Now that you realize your gun is not broken you should practice coming over the top to cycle the slide. It is one of the core movements in clearing an issue with the gun.

[Turbinator]

I know, trigger control will prevent AD. It's just my preference not to rack a round unless I'm going to fire it, or the firing pin is out.

Thanks for all the contributions.

Good man - you're doing it correctly.

Turby

[steelcore]

Good video. The concepts are the same as clearing my previous service rifles, which I have had LOTS of experience clearing jams and misfeeds. I rack the slide in the same manner, if that was your point of focus for that video.

Hopefully no one is thinking that I use the slide release like it's a slot machine. The reason I noticed difficulty is because the release must be depressed with an empty mag inserted, but I still don't let it smack home.