Strange problem with my gun today

[909 in 916]

I went out to the range today and put about 10-12 mags through my S&W 909 and noticed that on all but one, the slide never stayed open after the last shot. I'm borrowing the gun from my dad and the first time I took it shooting it stayed open after each final shot. When I first got the gun it hadn't been shot it quite a while and wasn't the cleanest, this was the first time shooting it since I cleaned it about 3 weeks ago.

Is there anything I can look for while cleaning it tonight to figure out what the problem is?

Thanks in advance.

[TacFan]

May have to do with the ammo you are using. Is it reloads or factory. Some guns are picky about ammo. Also, was it properly cleaned before you went to the range ?

[hitman13]

first time i shot my XD45 i was using reloads at ironsights in oceanside, it didnt lock back about 15 times, then i went and got a box of WWB and it worked tits!

[JeffM]

Could also be your grip. On some pistols I have a tendency to put my thumbs on the slide stop lever and depress it enough that it doesn't reliably catch.

[Jeffrock]

What kind of ammo were you using? Did you only use one magazine?

[ccwguy]

How 'used' are the mags?

[909 in 916]

May have to do with the ammo you are using. Is it reloads or factory. Some guns are picky about ammo. Also, was it properly cleaned before you went to the range ?

The first time I went out, I used two boxes of god knows what and two boxes of Magtech.....no problems.

This time I used a box of WWB value pack, and also had some CCI Blazer (about 2 mags worth) and a mag worth of Cor-Bon JHP. I wish I could recall what round it was that I shot last when it did lock in place but I don't remember.

The gun was thoroughly cleaned after my first time at the range about 3 weeks ago and it's been stored in my gun case ever since. I shot it right out of the case today.

Could also be your grip. On some pistols I have a tendency to put my thumbs on the slide stop lever and depress it enough that it doesn't reliably catch.

My grip didn't change from the first time out with it to today. Also, i'm left handed and there's no slide stop lever on the right side of the gun. Any other ideas?

What kind of ammo were you using? Did you only use one magazine?

WWB/CCI Blazer brass/Cor-Bon JHP

I used two mags

How 'used' are the mags?

Not very. My dad only put a few hundred rounds through the gun. I've probably put more through it since I've had it than he has over the years since he's owned it. He's owned it for at least 5-6 years, I've had it for 3 weeks.

----------

I gave it a good cleaning this evening and used RP as the lube instead of Hoppe's #9 Dri-lube and noticed right away that the slide moves much more freely......maybe that was the problem???? Maybe the Dri-lube wasn't allowing everything to move as freely as they should. I'll be at the range again this weekend so I'll report back when I get home.

[ar15barrels]

Oil it.

[909 in 916]

Oil it.

I did. I'll be testing it out next weekend at the range.

[retired]

909 in 916, after reading all of the comments and your replies, I believe I know what the problem and the solution is. It is not the ammo, the cleaning, the mags or how you are holding the gun; it is the gun.

There is obviously something wrong with the firearm, but I have a solution. You need to send the gun to me (I'm in S. Ca.) and I will provide my own ammo. I promise you, I will not return the gun until I get this problem solved for you.

Additionally, you can rest easy knowing you won't have to pay for any of the ammo as I will absorb the cost of that. So, would you like me to pm you my addy.

[909 in 916]

909 in 916, after reading all of the comments and your replies, I believe I know what the problem and the solution is. It is not the ammo, the cleaning, the mags or how you are holding the gun; it is the gun.

There is obviously something wrong with the firearm, but I have a solution. You need to send the gun to me (I'm in S. Ca.) and I will provide my own ammo. I promise you, I will not return the gun until I get this problem solved for you.

Additionally, you can rest easy knowing you won't have to pay for any of the ammo as I will absorb the cost of that. So, would you like me to pm you my addy.

LOL, funny guy. I'm guessing you're a fan of the 909?

[RAD-CDPII]

I had the same problem with my Colt 1991A1, all of a sudden it stopped locking back. could not even do it manually. It turned out to be a small broken part on the slide lock, the tiny piece that has to fit in the small semicircle when you put it back together. I only found out what the problem was because the part fell into the Mag and I found it while cleaning. I had to order a new part from Colt. It is something that is not readilly apparent on a quick visual. You might want to check that first. after all, it is a "Slide Lock."

[retired]

909 in 916, actually no, I have never heard of it and don't even know what it looks like. I went to the S&W site and they don't list it. They show the 908 and the 910, but no 909.

I am a fan of guns, so any gun will do.

Seriously, if you have done all of this, maybe there is something wrong with it and it should be checked out by a competent gunsmith before you get hurt.

I wish you luck getting it figured out.

[909 in 916]

909 in 916, actually no, I have never heard of it and don't even know what it looks like. I went to the S&W site and they don't list it. They show the 908 and the 910, but no 909.

I am a fan of guns, so any gun will do.

Seriously, if you have done all of this, maybe there is something wrong with it and it should be checked out by a competent gunsmith before you get hurt.

I wish you luck getting it figured out.

Yeah, the 909 was only made between 95-97, I've been having a hard time finding grips for the damn thing except for the slip on kind. I'm sure there's a grip out there that'll work but it's not listed as being for the 909 so i'm kind of stuck.

I'm gonna test out the gun this weekend and if it does the same thing then I'll take it from there.

[ar15barrels]

Yeah, the 909 was only made between 95-97, I've been having a hard time finding grips for the damn thing except for the slip on kind.

I had always figured that you moved from "the 909" (inland empire) to "the 916", hence your username.