BHP problems

[Arik]

A few months back I bought a 1994 Browning hi power. Nice gun, fits my hand like a glove and shoots accurate but occasionally the slide locks back on a mag with ammo still in it. What would make it do that? I have 3 mags. 1 is a McGear, 1 unknown I assume original Browning mag that came with the gun and 1 that looks like its from the Argi FM hi power. The gun seems to do it at random.

[Nephrology]

A few months back I bought a 1994 Browning hi power. Nice gun, fits my hand like a glove and shoots accurate but occasionally the slide locks back on a mag with ammo still in it. What would make it do that? I have 3 mags. 1 is a McGear, 1 unknown I assume original Browning mag that came with the gun and 1 that looks like its from the Argi FM hi power. The gun seems to do it at random.


First things first - are you sure it's not your grip?

[stmcelroy]

More than likely you are hitting the slide stop, do you shoot thumbs forward?

[Arik]

Im a lefty, thumbs on the opposite side. Im almost positive its not my grip. I was shooting a bunch of 9mmdifferent that day. A few polymer and a few steel guns and this one was the only gun I had this problem with. What kinda grip would cause that? I assume limp wristing would cause stove pipes and the slide no going far enough back to strip the next round. This was the slide locking back prematurely.

[stmcelroy]

That being the case it almost has to be magazine related. You need to either try and narrow down what magazine is causing the problem, or buy a known factory magazine and see if it continues.

[jmlshooter]

It's your magazine. I promise.

Same thing happened to me.

[Nephrology]

Im a lefty, thumbs on the opposite side. Im almost positive its not my grip. I was shooting a bunch of 9mmdifferent that day. A few polymer and a few steel guns and this one was the only gun I had this problem with. What kinda grip would cause that? I assume limp wristing would cause stove pipes and the slide no going far enough back to strip the next round. This was the slide locking back prematurely.

I was thinking maybe your thumbs were riding the slide stop. I used to do that all the time with my Glock 19 as I bought it from a guy who had an extended one. Replaced it with a stock slide stop and no longer have troubles.

[Randy Lee]

Hi Arik,

I can think of a couple of possibilities too look at. First is that the slide stop nose is protruding too far into the frame well and hitting the upcoming round.

Another possibility is that the spring plunger that resides in the recoil spring guide is damaged or weak and not keeping the slide stop down.

-Randy

[Arik]

Thanks guys. Im gonna try to hit the range on Sunday and play with the mags first. If that doesnt work we're gonna play with the springs and slide stop. I really hope its something simple that I just overlooked because I'd love to have this as my edc...BHPs just feel soooo right!

Maybe it just wasnt shot much by the previous owner and needs to be broken in a bit

[Univibe]

It won't be the magazine, if there are still rounds left in the mag.

[Wildcat]

I've had Mec Gar magazines for the High Power that would lock the action open with one round left in the magazine.

[jmlshooter]

I replaced every spring in the gun trying to diagnose the problem.

It's the magazine(s). Same exact malfunction. Rounds in the mag.

[jmlshooter]

Randy,

I replaced my recoil spring guide also. That wasn't it.

I threw out the original mags and the malfunctions along with them.

Now if I can identify something that will get rid of this scar in the web of my hand, I'll be all set.

[Alaskapopo]

It won't be the magazine, if there are still rounds left in the mag.

Not true some times a mag can cause the gun to lock open prematurely if the feed lips are spread and it allows the round to contact the slide stop.
Pat