New Body Guard .380 slide stop sticking

[SquireSCA]

Is this normal on a new gun? I cleaned and lubed it but it still seems to "drag' and doesn't move as freely as any other gun I have owned(hundreds)...

The slide stop feels like there is friction and as a result, the empty mag pushes it up just enough that it only catches and locks the slide open 50% of the time.

When I press it up all the way and try to slingshot the slide forward by pulling it back and releasing it, the slide stop only disengages about 50% of the time... it usually lets go the second or third time I yank on it.

Haven't shot it yet, but is this a known thing that loosens up as you put rounds down range, or should I pull the fire control group out of the frame and play around with it?

 

[Jeppo]

I had an issue where the magazine apparently didn't sit properly in the mag well. This caused the slide stop not to contact the magazine follower properly when the mag was empty. You might want to lock the slide back, look down to the follower and see where the slide lock contacts it.

 

[SquireSCA]

It happens even when there is no mag inserted and I am merely working the slide stop by hand. If I push it up, it doesn't snap back. I can work it up and down with my hand but it seems to be sticking, there is friction in there.

Came this way out of the box.

 

[BigBoy99]

Try a drop or two of a gun oil on the sticking pin as it may be a tight fit and needs "help" moving.

 

[SquireSCA]

Try a drop or two of a gun oil on the sticking pin as it may be a tight fit and needs "help" moving.

Yeah, I have tried that and I took the slide off and just sat there working it back and forth for awhile as I watched TV. Probably need to keep doing that till it wears in.

My concern is less about the slide not locking back on an empty mag, and more of recoil or something moving the stop up under recoil and it locking the slide open when you don't want it to, because the return spring isn't strong enough to overcome the friction/binding that is in there.

I really hate to have to send the gun in for repair the day after I got it, so hopefully this is something simple... like the plastic molding is slightly out of spec by a thousands of an inch or two and the plastic is rubbing on the side of the metal slide stop and will wear in and loosen up over time...

 

[SquireSCA]

Got it fixed. Took the fire control out of the frame, and sure enough there was a little part of the metal frame that holds the trigger assembly, that was... almost "warped" and a part of it was rubbing on the inside face of the slide stop... So I took a punch and basically gave it some taps to get that part flat so that it was no longer rubbing.

Lubed it, put it all together and went to the range and sent 150 rounds downrange without a hiccup. The part snaps back now under spring tension alone.

I have to say, I have owned many pocket .380's over the years, but none of them were ever actually fun to shoot 3 full boxes of ammo in 20 minutes. Normally your hand hurts and you are calling it quits by the end of the first box... Taurus TCP, Ruger LCP and LCP 2, KT P3AT... All of them worked, none I would consider going to the range and dumping multiple boxes of ammo through.

This thing though? Bring it. Was nice to shoot.

The new Taurus Spectrum feels better in the hand, but it's a Taurus. I love my Taurus revolvers, PT92 and PT111 G2, all are fantastic guns and 100% reliable, but other semi-autos from them can be hit or miss... although under the new management things are vastly improved.

But the Spectrum is still a Taurus and a first of a new line, so I will let others be the guinea pigs on that one. If it proves reliable like the G2 has, I can see myself getting one.

I had an LCP2, and while the trigger was the best of any of the pocket .380's by a mile, it wasn't fun to shoot and the ergo's just aren't there. Once they sized it up for the Security 9, the ergos were spot on and I love mine.

But I sold the LCP2 and it was the BG380 or Spectrum and now that this minor issue is sorted, I am really glad I went with the Smith. I have a Desantis pocket holster but wouldn't mind a belt holster, paddle or belt slide style... Recommendations?