Toggle sidebar

Berretta 92fs slide not locking: gun guys please advise

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
Remove the Ads for LIFE - 50% Off!
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
sandyut

sandyut

Smoking Guru
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
★ Lifetime Premier ★
Feb 18, 2015
6,050
5,058
Colorado
Gun guys: My Beretta 92FS slide doesnt always stay open when the clip is emptied. One of my buddies says it could be because i was shooting "cheap rounds". I bought a box of 500 Remington range shells on the cheap a while back. could it be that? seems unlikely to me.

Or is it just the magazine spring is toast? Its all original, cleaned after every session, magazines are original and often left fully loaded for a while. I found some online forums saying the spring does get weak over time and stretching can help but replacement is better. Looking for confirmation on this without taking to a gunsmith.

Many thanks
 
The magazine follower is what engages the slide lock when empty. Most likely the spring is weak in the magazine or compressed slightly. Typically when this happens you start having jams and failure to feed on the last few rounds.

Cheapest way to find out is to borrow a magazine from a friend and try it, if not buy a new magazine and try before you go to a Smith.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nomoreusmc, chilerelleno, JLinza and 2 others
SmokinEdge SmokinEdge is correct. Also, you might try a box of full power cartridges. If the problem goes away, you are good to go. Weak ammo can cause problems but the slide not locking back occasionally while 'plinking' in not that big of a deal. Have fun burning through that cheap ammo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SmokinEdge and sandyut
ok, I took a spring out and gave it a long stretch out and the slide locks. Probably not the best for using much more. Since these are so old, I'm just gonna buy new mags and make sure the follower and spring are fresh.

In the past I bought them from Berretta. Any leads on a good online shop?
 
  • Like
Reactions: DieselTech and chilerelleno
Use gun.deals to find the best online prices for most anything firearm related.
Beretta 92FS magazine __ rds.... Search.

BerettaUSA has had some good sales recently.
Picked up mags a few months back, and a 92 compensator last week.
Now I just need the 5" threaded barrel, in Inox finish to complete it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: millerbuilds, sandyut and DieselTech
sandyut said:
ok, I took a spring out and gave it a long stretch out and the slide locks. Probably not the best for using much more. Since these are so old, I'm just gonna buy new mags and make sure the follower and spring are fresh.

In the past I bought them from Berretta. Any leads on a good online shop?
Click to expand...
Midway USA for about anything gun related. Probably can buy new springs if that is all you need. MidwayUSA has guns, gun parts, you name it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sandyut
I don't own a pistol but have a number of semi-auto rifles.
All use the follower (bottom plate) in the box magazine to engage the bolt open on last fire.
Even my oldest boxes (40 years) still work just fine because they are never stored with cartridges.
Granted a rifle never sees the range fire amount as a pistol.

If I owned a pistol a PP mag would get replaced or reworked on a regular basis.

Midway USA has been my go too for a lot of shooting related items. Veteran owned I believe.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sandyut, SmokinEdge and DieselTech
I second the mag follower. I would also try to use heavier grain bullets. 115 is standard, but 124 and 140 tend to throw the slide back more violently if the 115 is acting weak for whatever reason. When in doubt after that, replace ejector spring and recoil spring. Sometimes random springs affect the action.
 
When I was an AF CATM instructor we were issued the M9(92fs) before they were generally issued to the SP/SS guys and we had some problems with them initially and the magazines were one of them.They were faulty from the beginning with weak follower springs and this of course caused the slide not to engage on occasion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sandyut
SmokinEdge said:
Two places I like are Dillon Precision and MidwayUsa. Here are some links.

https://www.dillonprecision.com/checkout/cart/

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1371194236?pid=194236
Click to expand...
Perfect!
DieselTech said:
Midway USA for about anything gun related. Probably can buy new springs if that is all you need. MidwayUSA has guns, gun parts, you name it.
Click to expand...
thank you!
Fueling Around said:
I don't own a pistol but have a number of semi-auto rifles.
All use the follower (bottom plate) in the box magazine to engage the bolt open on last fire.
Even my oldest boxes (40 years) still work just fine because they are never stored with cartridges.
Granted a rifle never sees the range fire amount as a pistol.

If I owned a pistol a PP mag would get replaced or reworked on a regular basis.

Midway USA has been my go too for a lot of shooting related items. Veteran owned I believe.
Click to expand...
thank you
chilerelleno said:
Use gun.deals to find the best online prices for most anything firearm related.
Beretta 92FS magazine __ rds.... Search.

BerettaUSA has had some good sales recently.
Picked up mags a few months back, and a 92 compensator last week.
Now I just need the 5" threaded barrel, in Inox finish to complete it.
Click to expand...
I found the spring and follower kits at Beretta, along with new mags for my subcompact htey stopped making.
cliffcarter said:
Check on GunBroker.com, search for Beretta mags.
Lots of people selling new mags for many different makes and models.
Quick search here-

Click to expand...
I will check them out too.

Many thanks for the sites and input! the 92FS mags were pretty dry too...shot some CPV in them see if that helps too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DieselTech
sandyut said:
ok, I took a spring out and gave it a long stretch out and the slide locks. Probably not the best for using much more. Since these are so old, I'm just gonna buy new mags and make sure the follower and spring are fresh.

In the past I bought them from Berretta. Any leads on a good online shop?
Click to expand...

Beretta Magazines (92 & 96) - Wilson Combat

Wilson Combat has been the innovator in custom pistols, long guns, and accessories since 1977. Home of the Wilson Combat 1911, EDC X9, WCP320, and more!
wilsoncombat.com wilsoncombat.com
 
  • Like
Reactions: sandyut, DieselTech and chopsaw
I'm not a Berretta guy, but not long ago I used to shoot 1000 rds a week of 45ACP, action pistol shooting. The guys that mentored me turned me on to the Wilson Combat mags, they performed much better than the factory Colt and Kimber mags. I won't buy any other brand after seeing what they did for me and the guys I shot against. I have 8 and 10 rd mags that have been fully loaded for over 5 yrs that still function perfectly.

Wilson stands behind their products as well, I had one bad mag out of 20 mags. I called them, and they sent me a new mag along with a new spring and follower to fix the messed up one, they were on my door step in 2 days.

They are worth checking out, I.M.O.P!!!

Good luck.
Dan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chopsaw
forktender said:
I'm not a Berretta guy, but not long ago I used to shoot 1000 rds a week of 45ACP, action pistol shooting. The guys that mentored me turned me on to the Wilson Combat mags, they performed much better than the factory Colt and Kimber mags. I won't buy any other brand after seeing what they did for me and the guys I shot against. I have 8 and 10 rd mags that have been fully loaded for over 5 yrs that still function perfectly.

Wilson stands behind their products as well, I had one bad mag out of 20 mags. I called them, and they sent me a new mag along with a new spring and follower to fix the messed up one, they were on my door step in 2 days.

They are worth checking out, I.M.O.P!!!

Good luck.
Dan.
Click to expand...
Good recommendation and endorsement! many thanks Dan!
 
  • Like
Reactions: forktender
You must log in or register to reply here.
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Top Bottom
Back
Clicky