Problem with 4506 Slide Stop

Trooper224

Trooper224

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2008
Messages
943
Reaction score
2,840
Location
Kansas
Well.................it's a project.

I Put 150 rounds of various loads through the 4506 today. The good news is it reliably fed everything and was VERY accurate. Unfortunately I encountered this malfunction on slide lock.

Advanced apologies for the focus on the cell phone.
167271374.zGMgDmkK.jpg

167271375.EOuAARIV.jpg


This occurred on the last round, every magazine, every time regardless of the load. The slide would move all the way to the rear of its travel, then move forward and fail to engage the slide stop and the slide would bind up in the position you see here. I shot it with different holds to make sure my thumbs weren't interfering with the slide stop. I've replaced the recoil and mag springs to no effect. The followers seem in good shape. The spring tension on the slide stop plunger seemed a little weak, so I've replaced that when I got home, but I haven't shot it again as of right now.

I bring it here in the hopes that one of our former 3rd Gen. armorers can enlighten me, as I've never dug into one of these before.

I've tried to include photos of the slide stop and various plungers that provide activation of the slide stop, as well as hold it in place. Does anything look overly worn or damaged? Could the slide stop plunger be too worn, or the side plate? Without knowing what these parts look like when new I can't tell.

167271377.MvbjHa5c.jpg

167271378.4DcPWXAF.jpg

167271379.g4HnK9Io.jpg

167271380.YAEJ5SLB.jpg

167271381.uo1B38Dn.jpg
 
Register to hide this ad
The slide locking to the rear is usually a function of the magazine/follower due to empty magazine
 
Comparing your pics to my 4566, here's what I see:

The left-side view of the slide shows your slide stop is too high and appears to be riding outside of the slide. The "locking" tab is above the bottom edge of the slide and should be below it unless engaged in the slide notch. My 4566 slide stop never protrudes above the bottom of the slide except when the tab is in the locked position. It physically cannot. It's almost as if the slide stop isn't fully inserted or is bent outward.

The bottom edge of your slide looks chewed up but it's hard to tell from the blurry photos.

Is the slide stop in its "down" position? Something is forcing it up. If the slide stop isn't bend, you may have the wrong one.

With the mag removed, the tab on my 4566 drops about 1/16 inch below the bottom of the slide but rides against the bottom with an empty nag inserted. It never goes above the slide.

I'd replace the slide stop.
 
Last edited:
Just looked at my 4506 and my 4046 and oddly enough the bent over end of the sideplate assembly on either of mine does not cover any part of the hole for the slide stop internal end. The part I am referring to is number 66 on the exploded diagram available on the Numrich website. If I am looking at your pictures correctly, it appears that the hole for your slide stop is partly blocked by this part and may require a replacement ($12).

It also appears from your blurry photos that the nub that catches the notch in the slide is worn away on the inside. That nub on both of my slide stops actually extends inward into the notch in the side of the frame. Yours looks like it is worn even with the edge of the slide, and if so any lateral play will cause the nub on the slide stop to miss the notch in the slide. But I'm not going to take odds on this because I can't see it clearly enough in the photo.

I'm sure someone with vastly more gunsmithing experience than I will chime in and verify if this is an issue.
 
Last edited:
Perhaps the spring loaded plunger in the guide rod is not exerting enough pressure on the detent notch in the slide stop pin? It the image of the end of the guide rod, the spring loaded pin doesn't seem to be protruding as far out as it should.

Check the spring under the plunger inside the guide rod for damage (or oxidation), the condition of the end of the plunger itself, and the condition of the detent slot in the slide stop pin.

And, is it possible for you to move the slide stop out of position at any other location on the slide other than when it is in the proper alignment for disassembly? Perhaps excess gauge between the slide and the frame rails (either up and down or side to side) is allowing the slide stop to move over out of position during cycling?
 
Last edited:
One of my 645's did the exact same thing. Replaced the slide stop and all was good with the World.
 
armorer951 said:
Perhaps the spring loaded plunger in the guide rod is not exerting enough pressure on the detent notch in the slide stop pin? It the image of the end of the guide rod, the spring loaded pin doesn't seem to be protruding as far out as it should.

Check the spring under the plunger inside the guide rod for damage (or oxidation), the condition of the end of the plunger itself, and the condition of the detent slot in the slide stop pin.

And, is it possible for you to move the slide stop out of position at any other location on the slide other than when it is in the proper alignment for disassembly? Perhaps excess gauge between the slide and the frame rails (either up and down or side to side) is allowing the slide stop to move over out of position during cycling?
Click to expand...

How do I diassemble the guide rod? It appears to be staked in place.

No, the slide stop remains in position except when aligned for disassembly.

The slide stop sets pretty far out from the frame. Upon closer inspection, there isn't a lot of engagement between the stop and the notch in the slide. I'm beginning to wonder if this slide stop belongs on another model, or if it was replaced at some point without being properly fitted. I can induce this same thing by locking the slide back and lightly tapping it a few times with the heel of my hand. This causes the stop to jump out of the notch and the slide jumps forward until it binds up.
 
Better photos of the slide stop. I hope these are sufficient, I can't do any better.
167271726.uTWzmBhv.DSCN2245.JPG

167271728.qUayhzHE.DSCN2250.JPG

167271729.nwG71bS8.DSCN2251.JPG



The slide stop seems to set pretty far out of the frame. Is this normal? It has me wondering if it's the wrong slide stop.

167271731.yF5Ifps8.DSCN2254.JPG
 
Last edited:
I just looked at the two old 4506 slide stops in my spare parts kit and neither of mine have any wear on the inside of the nub that catches the slide like yours has. I'm not saying they don't have as much wear as yours has - I'm saying neither has ANY wear on that spot.

I don't think this is going to take much deduction on this issue - change the slide stop and the sideplate assembly and you should be good to go. When you are buying the new pieces, just be sure that they are for a 4506 and not a 4506-1, -2 or -3 just in case there were other minor changes that I am not smart enough to know about.
 
Jon651 said:
I just looked at the two old 4506 slide stops in my spare parts kit and neither of mine have any wear on the inside of the nub that catches the slide like yours has. I'm not saying they don't have as much wear as yours has - I'm saying neither has ANY wear on that spot.

I don't think this is going to take much deduction on this issue - change the slide stop and the sideplate assembly and you should be good to go. When you are buying the new pieces, just be sure that they are for a 4506 and not a 4506-1, -2 or -3 just in case there were other minor changes that I am not smart enough to know about.
Click to expand...

I'm picking up what you're putting down.

Anyone know where I can get a slide stop? No luck at Numrich, Brownells or Midway.
 
Jon651 said:
I just looked at the two old 4506 slide stops in my spare parts kit and neither of mine have any wear on the inside of the nub that catches the slide like yours has. I'm not saying they don't have as much wear as yours has - I'm saying neither has ANY wear on that spot.

I don't think this is going to take much deduction on this issue - change the slide stop and the sideplate assembly and you should be good to go. When you are buying the new pieces, just be sure that they are for a 4506 and not a 4506-1, -2 or -3 just in case there were other minor changes that I am not smart enough to know about.
Click to expand...

I'm picking up what you're putting down.

Anyone know where I can get a slide stop? No luck at Numrich, Brownells or Midway. Wouldn't want to sell a brother one of those spares would you? ;)
 
Hope you don't mind the use of the image, but I'm not sure I've ever seen this high spot or ridge on the back side of a slide stop before. Is there a corresponding shiny spot on the frame?

 
Last edited:
armorer951 said:
Hope you don't mind the use of the image, but I'm not sure I've ever seen this high spot or ridge on the back side of a slide stop before. Is there a corresponding shiny spot on the frame?

Click to expand...

Use away, I'll take whatever solves the problem.

The tap never touches the frame. The slide stop won't go in far enough for that to happen. That tab is what appears to engage the slide notch, since the stop sets out so far from the frame. If that's the case it appears to have worked for a while until the tab became too worn and here we are. This part appears identical to a slide stop posted by a member of another forum for a 4516. I wonder if there are differences and this is the wrong one for a 4506 no dash?
 
Trooper224 said:
This part appears identical to a slide stop posted by a member of another forum for a 4516. I wonder if there are differences and this is the wrong one for a 4506 no dash?
Click to expand...

Same part S&W #230740000
 
"Wouldn't want to sell a brother one of those spares would you?"

Well, I kind of figured that question was coming...

Tell you what, I have two sets of 4506 (no dash) slide stops and side plate assemblies for your pistol.

That being said, what should I charge you for one? Let's see...

Your handle is "Trooper224" so it may be safe to presume that you are a LE officer of some sort. Unfortunately, I am a retired Fire Captain - and you should know the 'intensity' of the rivalry between FD and PD. Never knew an LEO in all his or her life to pay for a cup of coffee at any fire station I've been at in over 29 years. Hmmm...

That being said, if you drop $10 into the coffee fund at your local fire station then I'll take $20 for the set - which is a deal at twice the price.

Send me a private email so we can exchange info we don't want posted in public (you should be able to do that through this forum by clicking on my name) and I'll get the parts out to you on Monday.
 
Jon651 said:
"Wouldn't want to sell a brother one of those spares would you?"

Well, I kind of figured that question was coming...

Tell you what, I have two sets of 4506 (no dash) slide stops and side plate assemblies for your pistol.

That being said, what should I charge you for one? Let's see...

Your handle is "Trooper224" so it may be safe to presume that you are a LE officer of some sort. Unfortunately, I am a retired Fire Captain - and you should know the 'intensity' of the rivalry between FD and PD. Never knew an LEO in all his or her life to pay for a cup of coffee at any fire station I've been at in over 29 years. Hmmm...

That being said, if you drop $10 into the coffee fund at your local fire station then I'll take $20 for the set - which is a deal at twice the price.

Send me a private email so we can exchange info we don't want posted in public (you should be able to do that through this forum by clicking on my name) and I'll get the parts out to you on Monday.
Click to expand...

You are correct, soon to be retired State Trooper. I now like you fire guys a little better. :) Hey, my son-in-law's one of you guys, so we're kind of related in a seven degrees of Kevin Bacon kind of way. Can't say how much I appreciate it.

Forget coffee, if it works I'll buy pizza all'round for the local fire station!
 
Last edited:
Trooper224 said:
You are correct, soon to be retired State Trooper. I now like you fire guys a little better. :) Hey, my son-in-law's one of you guys, so we're kind of related in a seven degrees of Kevin Bacon kind of way. Can't say how much I appreciate it.
Click to expand...

I'm always asked "Are you enjoying your retirement?"
And I always reply "Every minute of every day!"

And just think - if I would have missed just six more questions on the entrance exam then I could have been a trooper, too!

Share the wealth, I say. Happy to help!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

F
Regulation Police Cylinder Stop
Replies
2
Views
180
SSGRock
SSGRock
B
Problem Slide Stop
Replies
5
Views
300
Execpro
E
D
Bodyguard 2.0 slide issue
Replies
10
Views
810
oworthsr
O
T
Shield Plus 15 Round Magazines
Replies
3
Views
1K
txdox21
T
E
Bodyguard 2.0: 1st Impressions - Am I Out of Line
Replies
7
Views
465
LVSteve
LVSteve

Latest posts

Back
Top