STI Edge slide not locking back

[Daveo52]

I have an STI edge and find that the slide only holds open when using a couple of my mags with the rest it won't.

What should I be looking for I can't see any difference with the mags or is it the followers or should I be looking at the gun?

Advice please

[2MoreChains]

Stock springs and followers? How old are they? Try giving the springs a little stretch and see if that helps. I replace my mag springs about once a year (which reminds me...)

[Sarge]

If you are using it in competition you really don't want it to lock back anyway

[Kratos]

What he said^^^. Check the springs maybe its not letting the follower ride high enough.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Kratos

[Trent1k1]

Some magazines have a tendency to lock back when there is still a round left in the mag. That is why competitors often modify their followers or slide stops to prevent the slide from ever locking back. It sounds weird to not have the slide lock back, but it does allow you to use all of your rounds and is quite normal for USPSA Limited Division shooters.

You obviously can run the gun dry this way and then "click", but you either plan to do a reload during the stage or plan to use up all your rounds.

I run Grams Springs and followers in my STI Edge with Stock tubes and Dawson SNL followers. Once the springs settle down a little bit I have 20 rounds reloadable in all my magazines.

Good Luck!

[2MoreChains]

When I shoot Limited I don't want my slide to lock back, but when I shoot L-10 I do.

[glassblower]

I shoot both an STI Edge in 9mm and 40 and chose to have both of them NOT lock back. You might want to choose one way or the other and then tune all of your mags for that behavior. Having a mix of behaviors in your mags is frustrating. Pay attention to how the mag follower engages the slide release as that affects slide lock. Brazos http://www.brazoscustom.com/magart/magart.htm and http://www.brazoscustom.com/magart/0505.htm has some good info for mag tuning. You can also invest in the mag tuning video and tools from Dawson Precision. Before trimming your follower to not lock back, make sure to tune your mags first.

One other item to consider is your OAL as it can have an impact on mag behavior. I use 1.2 for 40 and 1.165 for 9mm If you are using 9mm you should check into whether a mag spacer would help produce consistent behavior. One other trick I learned from Bobby Keagans for 9mm mags, is to load them up full with new springs and let them sit for a week. That will help position the follower properly for the last couple of rounds.