Good morning,
My son just picked up an MP 2.0 compact 9mm. The slide will lock back by just pulling it all the way to the rear without touching the slide lock/release. This happens on an empty mag or no mag (hasn't gotten any ammo or snap caps yet). Is this normal? The manual states that you need to lift up the slide lock lever while the slide is pulled to the rear in order to lock the slide back.
Thanks in advance for any info,
Ben
It’s not normal. Thank you for reading the manual.
The slide lock has its own spring to keep it down out of the way of the slide operating above it. If this spring is not there or is malfunctioning, the slide stop could potentially lock back after firing each cartridge, even though there are more cartridges in the magazine.
When a loaded magazine empties the last round, the magazine follower, which is under spring pressure to push it up, will contact the slide stop and push it up to engage the slide. The upward pressure of the slide spring overcomes the downward pressure of the slide stop spring.
If an unloaded magazine is put into the gun with a closed slide, manually retracting the slide will cause the lock to rise up and engage the slide because the magazine follower pushes the slide lock up.
If there is no magazine in the gun and you pull the slide to the rear, the slide shop should stay down. You can overcome the slide lock spring downward pressure by pushing it up manually, but it should not do this without manipulation.
However, sometimes an individual’s grip on the gun has a finger placed under the slide stop (thumb) that keeps upward pressure on it. This can inadvertently activate it.
With slide locked back by the slide stop, hold the gun close to upside down. Retract the slide to release the slide stop. If the slide stop is working correctly, it should disengage. Holding the gun upside down prevents gravity from pulling an unsprung lock down.
With the slide forward, push up on the slide lock. It will move only a little, but you should be able to feel light spring pressure trying to push it back down. Manually run the slide without a mag paying close attention to not touching the slide stop. It should not engage the slide.
