Model 59 last round won't feed.

[John Brown]

Two factory 14 round mags for a Model 59, both do the same thing. The slide locks back without feeding the last round.

Ideas?

 

[snw19_357]

How long have you had the pistol? Always did it or just starting to now?

S&W followers in the mags?

My grip has caused the slide not to lock open? What are the chances yours could be causing it to lock open early?

 

[John Brown]

Just got it. It was NIB until I fired it.

Weak springs from sitting around so long?

Feed lips need some tweaking?

 

[RedBerens]

I'd start with the cheapest fix first - a new magazine. If the magazines you have were left unloaded, the springs shouldn't have gotten weakened. Something is coming into contact with the slide stop prematurely. Check your grip to make sure your thumb isn't accidentally hitting it.

 

[JudgeColt]

This is a common problem with Models 39 and 59. My fix is to turn the stud on the frame that the slide stop plunger rides on just enough to put a bit of an angle on the stud that tends to force the slide stop down. The stud is steel and is just flared on the back side to hold it on the frame. I put a small adjustable wrench tight on the flat side of the stud and just turn it enough to create a slight sloping ramp for the slide stop plunger to contact. Once I did that to any Model 39 or 59 having the problem described, the problem never reoccurred.

 

[John Brown]

This is a common problem with Models 39 and 59. My fix is to turn the stud on the frame that the slide stop plunger rides on just enough to put a bit of an angle on the stud that tends to force the slide stop down. The stud is steel and is just flared on the back side to hold it on the frame. I put a small adjustable wrench tight on the flat side of the stud and just turn it enough to create a slight sloping ramp for the slide stop plunger to contact. Once I did that to any Model 39 or 59 having the problem described, the problem never reoccurred.

Interesting.

But why wouldn't the slide lock back after every round if that is the fix?

 

[JudgeColt]

Why would the slide lock back after every round?

I understood your problem to be that the slide locks back BEFORE the magazine is empty, correct? That means the slide stop is being engaged before the magazine is empty. Without a little angle on the stud to direct the slide stop DOWN into the OFF position, something is causing it to bounce up and engage the slide while a round still remains in the magazine. The slight angle on the stud tends to apply pressure to keep the slide stop from bouncing up and engaging the slide.

If you incorrectly turn the stud so the ramp tends to direct the slide stop UP, then it would lock the slide on every round, but by turning it so the ramp tends to direct the slide stop down will prevent it from so easily rising up to catch the slide. The magazine spring on an empty magazine is strong enough to overcome the slight ramp and lock the slide back normally.

I have fixed quite a few Models 39 and 59 this way that exhibit this problem. It should work for you.

 

[ab4ka]

my new (to me) 59 does this now and then but not with every mag.

 

[John Brown]

I'll give it a try when I go shooting next week. Thanks

 

[whodat]

I experience this problem a while back with my 59 also. In my case, I replaced the followers on the magazines in question and the problem went away. YMMV (your mileage may vary).

 

[John Brown]

Why would the slide lock back after every round?

I understood your problem to be that the slide locks back BEFORE the magazine is empty, correct? That means the slide stop is being engaged before the magazine is empty. Without a little angle on the stud to direct the slide stop DOWN into the OFF position, something is causing it to bounce up and engage the slide while a round still remains in the magazine. The slight angle on the stud tends to apply pressure to keep the slide stop from bouncing up and engaging the slide.

If you incorrectly turn the stud so the ramp tends to direct the slide stop UP, then it would lock the slide on every round, but by turning it so the ramp tends to direct the slide stop down will prevent it from so easily rising up to catch the slide. The magazine spring on an empty magazine is strong enough to overcome the slight ramp and lock the slide back normally.

I have fixed quite a few Models 39 and 59 this way that exhibit this problem. It should work for you.

The flat side of the stud is straight up and down right now. So if I'm reading you right, I should make the top of the flat go towards 11 O'clock as opposed to 1 O'clock?

More like this \ instead of straight up and down?



This is where it's positioned right now, before I have tried anything.

 

[JudgeColt]

By Jove, I think he's got it! You are correct, Sir.

 

[John Brown]

How hard does it turn? I'm not going mess with it until I can take it shooting. I don't want to screw up the bluing, what should I use to turn it?

 

[JudgeColt]

I put a small adjustable wrench tight on the flat side of the stud and just turn it enough to create a slight sloping ramp for the slide stop plunger to contact.

As stated, just use a small adjustable wrench and turn it up tight on the stud flat. Then just turn the stud a bit in the desired direction. The stud does not turn hard at all. Keep the wrench out of contact with the frame to avoid scratching the frame. It is so easy to do that you should not have any trouble.

Done.