Good evening, SF.

After a long and patient wait, my P365 finally arrived. I picked it up at the LGS today, finding a build date of 4 January 2019. I'm instantly impressed, probably because I've been waiting for so long.

And just as instantly, I have a question. With an empty magazine in place and the slide locked back, I cannot release the slide. I have to drop the magazine to get the slide to close.

Is this unusual? The P239, P320, and Shield I can get my hands on don't act like this.

I haven't cleaned it, lubed it, or shot it yet... just tinkered with it straight out of the box. This behavior is seen with either magazine.

Am I missing something, doing something wrong, or just plain being thick-headed? What in the world??

It might be the design?

Kahr pistols are exactly like that, the slide is virtually impossible to release with an empty magazine loaded and the user manual notes that this was by design.

I assume you are trying to use the slide catch lever on the new magazine with the strong new spring? Don't, IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
It might be the design?

Perhaps so... that's what I'm hoping to learn.
I'm cruising the manual now; no mention of it yet.

quote:

Originally posted by GaryBF:
I assume you are trying to use the slide catch lever on the new magazine with the strong new spring? Don't, IMO.

Yes, it's all new.

I just checked mine and it releases just fine empty mag 12 rd, takes a little bit of effort.

releases much easier with no mag btw.

I was able to get it to let loose a couple of times while at the gun shop, but can't get it to happen at all now that I'm home.

- - -

That said... dinking around with the pistol and some snap caps (way difficult to load into the magazine -- what a spring!), I have to say that I really like the trigger. I'm really looking forward to better weather and some range time.

The P365 magazine springs are stiff at first. You won't encounter nearly as much resistance when the magazine is loaded, of course, and obviously if you remove the magazine, no problem. Likewise, if you retract the slight slightly and then depress the release, you won't have so much difficulty.

Let the magazine sit loaded for a while. Also plan on pulling the slide aft to release it for now, when chambering, rather than using the thumb release.

It's normal.

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
Likewise, if you retract the slight slightly and then depress the release, you won't have so much difficulty.

This is what I thought, but it just isn't working for me with an empty magazine in place.

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
It's normal.

Thank you for the reassurance.

I do have over 8000 rounds thru mine so it's probably a little easier.

Being a small 9mm, the recoil spring is likely to be on the heavy side. And the recoil spring pressure is what creates friction between the slide catch lever and the slide. But then add the magazine spring pressure, as the follower is pushing up on the lever. So yeah, I'd expect it to be tight.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:


This is what I thought, but it just isn't working for me with an empty magazine in place.

New magazine; leave it loaded for a time, and shoot it. You'll find it easier before long.

Why would you want to release the slide with an empty magazine inserted? It seems you
re trying to get it to do something that it's not designed to do. If you want to put it up with an empty mag, remove the mag, or at least drop it slightly, release the slide, then reinsert. Or pull the slide back while depressing the slide release.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
Why would you want to release the slide with an empty magazine inserted?

I can't say I have a particular reason for it; it's just something I'm used to being able to do with other pistols and it caught my attention because I can't do it with this one.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
It seems you are trying to get it to do something that it's not designed to do. If you want to put it up with an empty mag, remove the mag, or at least drop it slightly, release the slide, then reinsert. Or pull the slide back while depressing the slide release.

Maybe that's it -- maybe it's not designed to work that way, as in PASig's description of Kahr pistols. Pulling the slide back while pressing the slide release doesn't get the job done. Again, that has caught my attention simply in that it's different from what I'm used to.

All of my SIGs are sort of like your description. If there are any rounds in the magazine, the slide catch is easy to depress.

If there is no magazine in the pistol, the slide catch is easy to depress.

However, if there is an empty magazine in the pistol, the follower is pushing the slide catch up while I am trying to push the slide catch down, so it is not easy to depress the slide catch.

quote:

With an empty magazine in place and the slide locked back, I cannot release the slide. I have to drop the magazine to get the slide to close.

There is no real world reason why you would need to do that.

Yes... yes, I did say that.

And I also said that "it's something I'm used to being able to do with other pistols and it caught my attention because I can't do it with this one." And by "other pistols" I meant "other Sig pistols I own."

What I did not say was anything about a "real world reason why you would need to do that."

In case your getting ready to ask, it's also OK if the slide does not go into battery when you slowly ride it closed instead of letting it close at full speed.

quote:

Originally posted by RichN:
In case your getting ready to ask, it's also OK if the slide does not go into battery when you slowly ride it closed instead of letting it close at full speed.

Yes, I believe I've heard that around here before....

Quickie update: last Friday brought me some range time. 250 rounds, no issues.

I'm happy so far, and looking to another 250-round session.