Walther P1 question

[Supersapper]

Hi All,

I have a 1984 Walther P1. I'm looking for a smith that has familiarity with these firearms to answer a question.

With an empty magazine inserted, if you pull the slide back, it will lock to the rear.

If you put rounds in the magazine, insert, and fire those rounds, the magazine will rarely, if ever, lock to the rear.

When I disassembled the pistol, I noticed that the coiled spring on the left side that inserts into the slide catch and also connects to the sear, seems awefully stiff and may be overcoming the magazine follower/spring force that pushes up on the slide stop.

I'm not sure but it seems the only thing possible, as it does the same thing with all 6 magazines.

The spring is the original spring and when I bought the firearm there was an extremely low round count on it.

Does anyone have any ideas? I jst signed up for the P38 forum, so i will post there as soon as they allow me, but I figured I'd try here too.

Mark

['ol shooter]

I'd say either the mag(s) are dirty and/or your mag spring(s) needs replacement. It has enough strength to pop up when the slide is moving slowly but not fast enough at firing speed. Try a thorough mag cleaning first, I like to use One Shot cleaner and lube spray because it also contains a dry film lubricant.

[divingin]

My experience is that either the follower is not pushed up hard enough to actuate the slide stop, or the follower is getting misaligned and slipping past the actuator.

For the latter, there's not a lot you can do other than replace parts.

For the former, short term, you can probably stretch the mag spring out a bit. It probably won't last very long, but should tell you if that is actually the problem.

[SkyHawk]

Take the slide off and examine the action and force of the follower pushed by the mag spring, versus the slide lock spring. See if your theory about the mag spring being weaker holds up. Push the follower down and watch how it comes back up against the slide lock, speed/force etc.

It could also be that you are not getting a full stroke on the slide with the ammo you are using, or as noted above the follower is missing the slide lock.

[Supersapper]

I'd say either the mag(s) are dirty and/or your mag spring(s) needs replacement. It has enough strength to pop up when the slide is moving slowly but not fast enough at firing speed. Try a thorough mag cleaning first, I like to use One Shot cleaner and lube spray because it also contains a dry film lubricant.

I'll check this, but 3 of the mags are new. I'll reclean and see if this helps.

My experience is that either the follower is not pushed up hard enough to actuate the slide stop, or the follower is getting misaligned and slipping past the actuator.

For the latter, there's not a lot you can do other than replace parts.

For the former, short term, you can probably stretch the mag spring out a bit. It probably won't last very long, but should tell you if that is actually the problem.

I would buy this as a theory, if it weren't all 6 mags that do it.

Take the slide off and examine the action and force of the follower pushed by the mag spring, versus the slide lock spring. See if your theory about the mag spring being weaker holds up. Push the follower down and watch how it comes back up against the slide lock, speed/force etc.

It could also be that you are not getting a full stroke on the slide with the ammo you are using, or as noted above the follower is missing the slide lock.

I'll definitely check the first recommendation. If the mag spring is weaker, it's more the idea that the slide lock spring is just too strong. They are single stack 9mm magazines, and the springs are pretty stout, as I discovered when I tried getting them back together after the first time I cleaned them.