I just got back from the range where I had put the 457 and 4566TSW through a workout and both did an admirable job with an assortment of reloads with Power Pistol and Universal Clays and a box of Ranger T and Ranger T+. No failures of any sort with feeding, ejection or extraction.

However, the 457 had a problem twice releasing the slide while all the way back to lock and a full magazine, less one. I pulled the slide back to let it go quickly to load a round and nothing happened. The slide release wasn't dropping down so the slide could go forward on two different occasions. With the slide closed inserting a magazine and then pulling the slide back showed no problem. It was just with the slide locked back after the last round and another magazine inserted and slide pulled and released was when the slide release wouldn't function as it should.

I got home and tried to mimic the problem and couldn't. I loaded two, then four rounds in the same magazine and with the slide locked back, released and the slide release dropped down with an audible click and would chamber the top round. Any ideas as to what may have been the problem and how to diagnose what's needed? If memory serves correctly, I think this happened about a month ago but I brushed it off.

Some questions ...

With the empty pistol field stripped (and the slide stop lever assembly remaining removed from the frame), can you move the front angled part of the sideplate up & down with gentle pressure from your thumb & index finger? If so, the grips will have to be removed and a closer look taken at the sideplate's legs around the sear pin. If the side plate shifts downward enough to allow the lever's plunger to be caught on top of the sideplate's small angled extension, it's a problem.

Insert the slide stop lever in the field-stripped frame and position it in the normal down position (with the plunger resting against the sideplate's angled extension). Hold the frame up to a light and look at the space between the frame and the inside of the slide stop lever. Is there an even space between the frame and lever from the front to the rear of the lever body? The space should roughly be similar to that of a folded (lengthwise) business card of standard stock inserted between the frame and lever.

Remove the lever and push on the plunger. Does it smoothly & easily move in & out of the lever body? Any noticeable burrs?

Reassemble the pistol (leaving it empty) and lock back the slide using the slide stop lever. Does the plunger move over the top of the sideplate? Can it be trapped above the small angled plate? Can the sideplate be gently pushed down enough so the lever's plunger can be trapped above the plate?

Unless your right thumb is unintentionally preventing the lever from being released and dropped when you retract the slide and release it, then it sounds like there might be an issue involving either the slide stop lever itself, or the side plate. The sideplate is the less expensive part, but replacing it requires knowledge of disassembling the frame to the extent needed to replace it.

Naturally, it would be better to actually hold and examine the gun, and there's no way to know what's happening with it based just upon your posting, but those are some thoughts that occurred to me.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Nope-can't move it at all move that a hair up and down.

There is a space just as you mentioned. Also, the plunger moves in and out well with no hangups and spring still strong.

The plunger rests where it should-about 1/32 to 1/16th inch down from the angled plate and the side plate can't be pushed down.My right thumb is short and can't reach the lever as I tried to do that and it wouldn't go far enough. I tried several times to repeat what happened and have failed so far to do so.

I initially thought maybe I wasn't pulling the slide back far enough but after to failed attempts to repeat what happened at the range, I can only surmise that wasn't it either. I did notice while at the range and this happened that if I removed the magazine, pulled back on the slide and released, it would go into battery. Then, I'd reinsert the magazine and pull back all the way on the slide and it would chamber the round. The problem only occurred when the slide was locked back and a fresh magazine inserted-not if the slide was already forward...if that helps.

Look on the inside lower edge of the slide stop lever's tab (which sticks into the frame). While it's not uncommon to see some brass discoloration, too much could indicate an overly long tab which is hanging up on the bullet noses.

Also, there are a couple of JHP bullet designs which are known to have fat ogives and sometimes catch on lever tabs.

Using dummy rounds to try and duplicate the condition could also show whether the lever's tab is even near a bullet nose when the problem occurs.

Another thing to look for is on the pin of the slide stop lever, the part that goes into the frame. I've seen an occasional lever where the machining cuts in the cutout (in the middle of the pin) were very rough and would hang up a little on the plunger of the guide rod assembly. Look for obvious burrs (on both the lever's pin and the head of the plunger in the guide rod). Something might be catching between the rod plunger and the lever's machined cut, causing the lever's pin to hang up and not rotate under rod's plunger. I've had to lightly radius and remove an occasional burr in the cut in the lever's pin. I've also found a couple of guide rod plungers which were badly burred. (You may have a plastic one in that 457. If so look for some wadded up plastic flashing.) I've even been sent an incompletely machined steel guide rod plunger as a replacement part one time. It happens. Nasty edge which caught on the slide stop lever pin.

Also, look at the lever's pin to see if it's straight. Then, look at it from the end and see if the pin is round, or maybe out-of-round at some spot. It's rare to find a pin that was made out-of-round, but I did come across such a pin one time.

Look at the base of the lever's pin to see if there's any burrs where the pin butts up against the frame.

As an armorer I find it easier to simply drop a replacement slide stop lever in a gun which might be exhibiting the kind of issues you're talking about, rather than try to correct a problem beyond removing a small burr. If the new lever assembly fixes the problem, then I toss the old assembly and go on to something else.

I have had to replace a handful of lever assemblies on some new production 4566/4513TSW's in recent years.

The assemblies come in either black finish or plain stainless when ordering them.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Tell you what. Rather than fool around and try to second guess what may, or may not, be happening with your slide stop lever ...

If you're comfortable using my email to give me a mailing address, I'll simply send you a replacement slide stop lever (as a courtesy, no charge). Maybe it'll resolve your issue, and maybe it won't. Do you want black finish or plain stainless?

Is the head of your guide rod plunger chewed up or burred?

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

The guide rod pin is a bit rough...maybe just a tad chewed but not much. The slide stop tab indeed has some brass on it but not much...hard to tell if it's too much and protruding too far. I've tried two different bullets and it doesn't seem to be dragging the ogive but, it's a bit hard to see.

Email sent your way and many thanks.

De nada.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Do you have the black plastic or plain steel plunger?

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

On the 457 it's the plastic jobby.