Two weeks ago, I installed a Vickers slide release on both of my Gen 4 G19s. The carry gun got 100rds of 124gr Blazer followed by 35rds of 124gr+P Speer Gold Dot (full load of ammo through my two carry mags). No issues were seen so I stuffed it back in its holster. My training gun got the same slide release, and has seen 450rds of various FMJ through it without issue.
Today when I went to the range, I drew my carry gun intending to fire the mag I had loaded. Nothing was changed since the last time I'd shot it -- same ammo that I'd put in the gun from the last visit. First round was followed by a premature lock-back. I cleared it and got going again. Fired again, same thing. At that point I cleared the gun and started trouble-shooting.
I tried a total of four different magazines and three brands of ammo (124gr CCI, 115gr WWB, 124gr+P GD). I had a total of seven premature lock-backs:
- The chambered round + first two rounds in the mag described above (3 total)
- G19 training mag #3, WWB, round 10 of 15
- G17 training mag #1, CCI, round 7 of 17
- G19 training mag #2, CCI, round 2 of 15
- G19 carry mag, GD, round 3 of 15
I made it through one full magazine of 15rds, using CCI and mag #3.
I did not have a punch with me so I couldn't take the gun down at the range, but I suspected an improperly-installed slide stop. I checked it when I got home, however, and it appears to be installed properly.
Problems I think it could be:
- Improperly installed release (re-installed, but it looked normal)
- Broken release (appears OK)
- Ammo issue
- Magazine issue
- Grip issue (hasn't shown up on my training gun as of yet)
Plan is to go back to the range tonight with some FMJs, Gold Dots, and some HSTs as well as a punch, an OEM slide stop, and an OEM extended slide stop to see if I can isolate the problem. Is there any other troubleshooting I should be doing?