The normal lubrication shown to armorers, for normal environmental operating conditions (special and/or harsh operating conditions may require different procedures, such as less or more lube, or a different type, etc):
1-2 normal drops on each frame rail; 1 drop rubbed around the exterior of the barrel (mostly toward the muzzle); 1 drop on the front of the barrel hood; and 1 drop rubbed along the guide rod body. Nothing excessive. Over-lubrication is usually best avoided.
After armorer inspections, following a complete disassembly (which can include a thorough parts wipe down with a lightly CLP-moistened cloth, and then a dry cloth to remove excess residue), armorers can also add 1 drop (light) on each side of the hammer (where it rubs within the frame). Not enough to migrate and run off elsewhere inside the frame, though.
Oil-type lubes can run, migrate, wick & evaporate. Greases, depending on their thickness, usually have to be placed exactly where you want them to go. I've long used both oils/CLP's & greases (usually the lighter greases), and I've sometimes used a "slurry" mix of both (did I mention I'm a longtime 1911 shooter?
).
Mostly depends how often I'm going to be carrying the gun (outside in humidity & temperature changes), or the expected conditions where I'm going to be carrying & using it (dry weather, cold/wet weather, close to the salt water or rivers, blowing sandy conditions, etc).
I don't run my 3rd gen's as wet as I do my 1911's (except for the 4566/4506 guns, which have long rail surfaces), but wetter than my Glocks, SW99's and M&P's. Not as wet as I'd run a SIG (which are repeatedly referred to in their armorer class as WET guns, and that's where I picked up the "able to verify by sight & touch" idea of sufficient lube being present (it was a 2-part fill-in-the-blank answer on the written test).
My aluminum frame rails seem to lose oil-type lubes faster than my steel frames (or steel frame rail tabs on the plastic guns). Kind of like how the aluminum yokes on my M&P 340's seem to go dry faster than on the steel yokes in my other J's (and I've seen it happen fast on 340/360PD's, too, with their aluminum yokes).
Some folks like to apply oil/grease to the slide rails. I prefer to put it on the frame rails where I can make sure it's been fully applied and present (easier to see than in the front ends of the slide rails, especially when not in bright light).
When I manually run the slide on a CLEANED & reassembled EMPTY pistol several times, if I see whatever oil or grease I've applied ooze out the back of each side of the frame/slide rail junctions, I'm satisfied. (Wipe it off)
Try calling S&W and ordering a couple recoil springs for your CS9 (best to always have a spare if you shoot it often). Might as well get some mag springs, too.
Part # 263210000 $3.26 - RECOIL SPRING
Part # 201650000 $5.40 - MAGAZINE SPRING
So far, I've found replacing the mag springs in my CS guns seems to be fine if I stay along the normal 5yr/5K rounds recommendation ... meaning not as often as replacing the recoil springs ... but checking & observing functioning at each range session is still a good idea.
If the mag spring won't cause the slide stop lever to rise and lock the slide back during live fire - or when manually running the slide back and briskly releasing it
ON AN EMPTY GUN & MAG, after cleaning & reasssembly - probably time to replace it.
Dirty/lubed 3rd gen guns generally seem to run better than dirty/dry guns ... or even a clean/dry gun, for that matter, although a clean/dry 3rd gen may run fine for a couple or 3 rapid mag loads, until the gun heats up, or it gets dirty (dropped in sand/dirt/silt, etc, or otherwise contaminated on the friction areas).
If some normal lube doesn't resolve your problem, I'd look at the recoil spring.
Better yet, considering the age of the gun, I'd probably just replace the recoil & mag springs, clean & oil it, and run your range session again.
FWIW, I knew a guy who didn't replace his CS45 recoil & mag springs for what he said was at least 10 years. He said he only fired it twice a year during that time, but he kept it cleaned and lubed the same way we taught for issued 3rd gen's, and it always ran normally form him. After I found out how long it had gone with the original springs, I strongly recommended he order new springs. He did.
Of course, it probably took close to a year to get him to actually
install those springs after he'd received them, as he kept forgetting ... he said.
Just some thoughts to consider.
I obviously can't know what's happening with your CS9 without actually handling and examining it, of course.
Hope it works out for you. My CS9 is an excellent little subcompact pistol, and I find it very reliable and surprisingly accurate.
: 1-800-331-0852, ext. 4125
