Model 3913 not cycling

[50150me]

All of a sudden my 3913 9mm Lady Smith started not cycling. NOT every round but several in each magazine. The empty casing is not expended/ejected. The next round come up and is stuck in the magazine. I changed out mags with same result. Clueless.

 

[kbm6893]

All of a sudden my 3913 9mm Lady Smith started not cycling. NOT every round but several in each magazine. The empty casing is not expended/ejected. The next round come up and is stuck in the magazine. I changed out mags with same result. Clueless.

It’s not being extracted from the chamber? Sounds like a chipped extractor to me.

 

[armorer951]

Start with the easy stuff first........I would suggest a field strip and thorough cleaning and re-lubrication, and a new, Smith and Wesson OEM recoil spring.

Carter

 

[stansdds]

Yes, first thing to do is a proper cleaning and lubrication, replace the recoil spring with a factory spring, they are cheap, buy several. With standard pressure ammo, I'd replace the spring in the compact S&W 9mm pistols every 3000 to 3500 rounds.
Also, inspect the extractor hook for damage and, this is where a can of non-chlorinated brake cleaner comes in handy, flush out the extractor channel. A build up of residue in the extractor channel can cause extractor malfunctions.

 

[kbm6893]

A deep clean is never a bad idea. I only tore down a 3rd Gen frame (once), but it was more than a pain to put back together. So now I just remove the firing pin and safety, and flush the slide with non chlorinated brake cleaner. Blast the cleaner through the firing pin hole and watch some goop bleed out the extractor. Blow it out with compressed air and see even more.

The frame gets the same treatment. I once submerged a slide upside down in a sonic cleaner and it blew out a bunch of junk. Followed by by a case dryer to make sure all is dry.

But yeah, replace recoil springs, magazine springs, and firing pin springs. Always do that with used guns.

 

[50150me]

Thank all of you for the feedback. I changed the recoil spring out to OEM, cleaned it. Works like a champ now!!! I suspect that some of the problem was operator missteps. Some time ago I replace the OEM spring with a lighter spring so my wife could rack it easier, Then I started reloading hotter loads recently. Anyway Thanks a lot!!!!!!

 

[kbm6893]

Thank all of you for the feedback. I changed the recoil spring out to OEM, cleaned it. Works like a champ now!!! I suspect that some of the problem was operator missteps. Some time ago I replace the OEM spring with a lighter spring so my wife could rack it easier, Then I started reloading hotter loads recently. Anyway Thanks a lot!!!!!!

Glad to hear it. If I had known you had changed the recoil spring to a lighter weight I would have told you immediately to go back to OEM or at least the same spring weight. All my used guns get a new recoil, firing pin, and magazine springs from Wolff. The recoil spring comes with a firing pin spring. Always change those out. Have no idea what the gun went through before you got it.

 

[Rule3]

Thank all of you for the feedback. I changed the recoil spring out to OEM, cleaned it. Works like a champ now!!! I suspect that some of the problem was operator missteps. Some time ago I replace the OEM spring with a lighter spring so my wife could rack it easier, Then I started reloading hotter loads recently. Anyway Thanks a lot!!!!!!

Glad you got it going but your initial post would have helped if we knew you were using reloads and changed the spring