Slide locking back

**ray h** · August 16th, 2024, 04:10 PM

I bought a S&W Equalizer a few weeks ago. Got it as a nightstand pistol that my wife can easily manipulate. Anyway, I have fired probably 250 rounds through it, mostly FMJ but also a couple boxes of defensive ammo, all without a hick-up. Today the wife shot about 50 rounds just to get comfortable with it. In 50 rounds she had three FTF. Actually less of a FTF and more of a situation where the slide locked back when it shouldn't have. So I watched her shoot, her grip doesn't seem to be anywhere near the slide lock. I thought maybe she was limp wristing so I tried to duplicate it but no matter how limp I held it, it still functioned fine for me (almost dropped the thing). I don't think she's hitting the mag release. It happened with different mags, once with one round left in the mag and twice with multiple rounds left.
What am I missing? Pretty sure it's related to something my wife is doing because I haven't had it happen any time I shoot it. My wife thinks it's the way she loaded her magazines, it was the first time she used a Lula mag loader.

**JenniferG** · August 16th, 2024, 04:57 PM

Hitting slide release upon recoil. Change grip hold.

**ray h** · August 16th, 2024, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by JenniferG

Hitting slide release upon recoil. Change grip hold.

That was my first thought. I watched her shoot and she is no where near the slide release, that said, it didn't happen while I was standing there on her left side watching.

**JenniferG** · August 17th, 2024, 12:49 AM

Take a video with your phone and watch it when you get home to see exactly what is causing the slide lock back.

**ar15jules** · August 18th, 2024, 07:18 PM

I am also guessing that she is hitting a mechanism to lock the slide upon recoil.

**jack76590** · August 23rd, 2024, 04:49 AM

While it could be a weak spring not holding the slide release down, I doubt it. If this were the case it would probably do it when you fired pistol, but different grips can result in different slide bounce that could be the cause, but again I doubt it.

I agree with others she is probably bumping slide release with her thumb under recoil. Change in grip may solve situation, at least for a while, if this is the problem. But I question whether it would solve it permanently and if bouncing thumb is problem then under stress, as in home break in, she could well resort to previous grip and lock slide open. If you find it is her grip, I suggest you consider one of two solutions. 1. Get another gun or 2. remove as much material as you can on the slide release lever so there is less or nothing for her thumb to engage, while leaving enough of slide release lever intact so the slide can lock back on last round. She would have to lower slide by pulling back and releasing and lock slide back with empty mag. But these different techniques would not affect her ability to use gun in defensive situation and be mainly an inconvenience.

**tlnzz1** · August 23rd, 2024, 08:14 AM

Get her a revolver. Problem fixed.

**jack76590** · August 23rd, 2024, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by tlnzz1

Get her a revolver. Problem fixed.

Maybe, but capacity would be lower. If she has weak hands double action firing may be difficult or impossible. And pound for pound a semi auto generally has less felt recoil and I am assuming she is recoil sensitive. As an aside I was surprised with the additional recoil in my ruger sp101 revolver chambered in 9mm compared to a similar weight shield and Glock 26. I attributed this to higher bore axis of revolver and damping effect of slide movement. Just a few thoughts and I agree a revolver may well be a good choice here.

**Bang** · August 28th, 2024, 11:35 AM

Just a wag: Difference in recoil absorption. She with lighter body construction vs your heavier frame combined with a too-light retention spring on the slide release.