Beretta M9 Slide Lock Pops Up Early?

[BN]

I've been shooting my LTT Elite and sometimes the slide will lock open with rounds still in the magazine. I think it's because my thumbs forward grip, my left thumb presses down on the forward top of the slide lock.
31707

Has anyone else had this problem? It looks like the top of the slide lock could be rounded off and that might fix it. LangdonTactical

For those of you who might say to change my grip; Sorry I'm 73 years old. Old dogs and new tricks. :) There are several pistols I can't shoot such as SIGs. I started shooting many years ago on 1911's with my thumbs holding down the safety hard and haven't been able to change.

[scjbash]

I ended up filing over 1/3 the main part of the lever off because it was pretty uncomfortable to shoot with it stabbing in to my hand. Mine isn't rounded now and it's much better. I need to send it somewhere to be refinished. If you're catching the 90 degree edge of the forward part of the lever you could try rounding it off yourself and see if it helps. I think I bought the lever I filed from Brownells.

I think there's also some comments in the main LTT 92 thread about not getting slide lock because it sticks out so far. I would love to see the factory produce a low profile replacement that's half the width of the standard lever. That would make it about the same as the M&P slide lock which has always seemed about perfect to me.

[Cory]

I'm not a trainer, but I have taught M9 marksmanship to a few folks. This happened a few times. It's absolutely your grip left side thumb. It you keep shooting it, not using so much pressure with that thumb will resolve the issue.

If you're pretty set in your grip (After 70 I pretty sure that's allowed) you could try modifying the gun. It's pretty likely that just shooting more you'll find yourself naturally not tripping the magazine release as well. My thumbs forward grip doesn't cause early lock back, and it's fairly similar to yours (my thumb is forward a bit more). Shooting more you might find that your grip changes just enough without conscious effort

Honestly, I might look to models besides the 92 if you can't find a solution. The Px4 full size carry might be a good alternative if you find this is something you cant resolve.

-Cory

[DAB]

you know what is causing the problem, so stop doing it.

[Sal Picante]

I index on the takedown lever's "nub". If your thumb is short, this may be an issue, though the level is beveled towards the front... Might check that your spring is tensioned enough too?

[CraigS]

I don't understand this at all. Say that slide release lever is 1 inch long. The pin that it pivots on is maybe an 1/8th inch back from the front edge so I see no way your thumb could be rotating it. Also, looking at it from the top, it is tapered to near nothing at the front so how would you be pushing it. Realizing I have shot a 1911 for maybe a total of 30 rounds, I have to ask anyway. The 1911 safety is under your right hand thumb, so what is all this effort w/ your left hand thumb? I just re read my post and it may come across as a little smart a$$. I don't mean it that way at all. I have been sitting here w/ the M9A3 that is in my desk drawer, unloaded and playing with it, trying to figure this out, and I just don't understand.

[BN]

I don't understand this at all.

The pivot point is around 1/2 inch from the front of the slide stop and there is a big flat on the top of it. My thumb presses down on this flat sometimes. I'm thinking about rounding off that big flat so my thumb doesn't catch it.
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[Hambo]

you know what is causing the problem, so stop doing it.

He needs longer thumbs. I ride the takedown lever like Les.

[BN]

He needs longer thumbs.

I have a Dremel, but I don't think I can make my thumbs longer. :)

[revchuck38]

I have a Dremel, but I don't think I can make my thumbs longer. :)

Well, at least not with the Dremel. :)

I had similar issues occasionally with my Walther P99C. It appeared that the knuckle at the base of my left thumb would slightly nudge the slide stop up. It's been a while since it's happened.

[LOKNLOD]

I had all sorts of problems with this when I did my first “aggressive” shooting with the LTT 92 at Gabe’s class last month.

[CraigS]

Bill, I looked again and you are correct, the pivot is a lot further back from the forward end of the slide lock than I had thought. Don't know what the heck I was looking at yesterday. I think your idea of adding a taper to that part of the lever should do the trick. I see that a portion of the thickness is covered by the side of the slide so you really don't need to take much off to make it so your thumb can't push against it.

[BN]

Ten minutes with a Dremel and a little bit of Cold Blue. We'll see how that works. ;)

31729

[scjbash]

How well did the Cold Blue match the factory finish?

[BN]

How well did the Cold Blue match the factory finish?

Good enough that you would have to look closely to see it. It's all different angles there and the light hits it differently.

I haven't shot it yet, but I think my problem is fixed. :)

[scjbash]

Thanks. I'll use it on mine. I typically don't give a shit what my guns look like but I still have a misguided and pointless dream of keeping the LTT looking decent.

[BN]

Mine would look better if I polished it more and put a couple more coats of cold blue. You can only tell if the light is just right.

[BN]

Well, it popped up once yesterday on a 60 round IDPA style match. :(

9mm 1911's and CZ's needed the slide stop altered in order to run 147 grain bullets. I wonder if that is the problem? Is a heavier spring available? I'll probably grind some more.

[jetfire]

I index on the takedown lever's "nub". If your thumb is short, this may be an issue, though the level is beveled towards the front... Might check that your spring is tensioned enough too?

I had to actually grab my M9 to figure out where I put my support hand thumb, but I apparently do the same thing as you and put it on the takedown lever.

The internet told me that will cause my gun to spontaneously fly apart.

[Sal Picante]

I had to actually grab my M9 to figure out where I put my support hand thumb, but I apparently do the same thing as you and put it on the takedown lever.

The internet told me that will cause my gun to spontaneously fly apart.

Only if you're little AND Chinese, bro.

Also, you can't just use half your nickname to influence the results... You have to use the full "Jetfire", not "Jet".

[jetfire]

Only if you're little AND Chinese, bro.

Also, you can't just use half your nickname to influence the results... You have to use the full "Jetfire", not "Jet".

Dude Jetfire would be the coolest nickname ever

[Sal Picante]

Dude Jetfire would be the coolest nickname ever

Done.

[Sal Picante]

And done. :cool:

Most excellent!

[BN]

I love thread drift. :)

[BN]

OK, back to the original thread. ;)

I took a lot more off the slide lock lever today. The cold blue sort of looks OK. A perfectionist would get the part refinished, but would it match the rest of the pistol?? I'll be shooting this pistol in the near future to see how it does.

Looking further at my grip, I do rest my left thumb on the take down lever, but the ball of my thumb rests on the slide lock with just enough pressure to cause the failures.

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[LangdonTactical]

OK, back to the original thread. ;)

I took a lot more off the slide lock lever today. The cold blue sort of looks OK. A perfectionist would get the part refinished, but would it match the rest of the pistol?? I'll be shooting this pistol in the near future to see how it does.

Looking further at my grip, I do rest my left thumb on the take down lever, but the ball of my thumb rests on the slide lock with just enough pressure to cause the failures.

31855 31856

I will be interested to see how this works out for you. I have seen just a few people do this over the years, rare for sure, but it happens.

[BN]

Update.

The other day I shot 20 Bill Drills in a row. On the 14th the slide lock popped up and locked the slide back on the second shot. The only time it happened. I'm going to take a little more off and see what happens. Fun gun. :) Toward the last I was learning to prep the trigger as I pushed out. That's going to take some time off my draw. ;)