silly question about auto handguns

[Doc Martin]

i just bought my first pistol , a SA xd 9. I took it shooting and....forgive my ignorance, but after you empty the magazine, isnt the slide supposed to stay open ? half the time i shoot it stays shut even after the mag is empty

[monkeylice]

It should stay open. What ammunition are you using?

[Doc Martin]

It should stay open. What ammunition are you using?

a few different brands. umc, federal, and i cant remember the last one.

i just read something about thumb resting on release

[llamatrnr]

Am I going to have to be the guy who says "It's semi-auto??!!!

[.45JHP]

Am I going to have to be the guy who says "It's semi-auto??!!!

I came in to say that exact thing haha.

OP sounds like your grip might be suspect. You might be riding on the slide release.

[GSequoia]

New pistol or used?

If new I'd go for the grip position. If used I'd still go for that, if not though I'd consider weak magazine springs.

[GW]

Or maybe a bad magazine follower...

[fighterpilot562]

so is it semi ?

[m98]

Operator error/Noob. Ur thumbs riding the slide lever.

[russ69]

I have 2 XD9s. Both have run 100% with all the factory loads and my handloads.

[beanz2]

Some factory reloads (BVAC ammo comes to mind) fails to lock the slide open on my wife's XDm 50% of the time. And, no, her fingers are not resting on the slide lock. She has trouble reaching the lock already on malfunction clearance exercises.

[pontiacpratt]

Am I going to have to be the guy who says "It's semi-auto??!!!

Auto loading pistol comes to mind.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/Search/Category/200/2/Guns/Pistols/Colt-Automatic-Pistols.htm

[paul0660]

Some factory reloads (BVAC ammo comes to mind) fails to lock the slide open on my wife's XDm 50% of the time. And, no, her fingers are not resting on the slide lock. She has trouble reaching the lock already on malfunction clearance exercises.

But otherwise it ejects and cycles ok?

I hope the problem is mag spring or follower, because in a self defense situation you aren't going to be thinking about your grip.

[ojisan]

Some of those reloads might not be consistently pushing the slide all the way back far enough to get the stop to engage.
Remember that most reloads are made for the lowest price possible.
That usually means the lowest powder charge possible to make minimum specs.

Always use new factory-fresh quality ammo for function checks.
If it works fine with the good stuff, you know not to waste time trying to make a gun that is not broken work perfect with crappy ammo.

The whole reason I started reloading my own ammo was factory new ammo was too expensive to shoot all the time and the commercial reloads were just so inconsistent that they often took the fun out of shooting.

[HK Chef]

I had this same problem with my wife's p22 and found out it was my federal ammo. Since switching ammo o issues. NOt sure why but worth a try