Easy thumb shield addition?

[random_guy7531]

Hey all! So I've been having an sporadic issue in my transition to open. Namely, oftentimes (almost always on the first shot right after the draw or reload) the slide fails to go all the way forward into battery, and gets held up ~50% of the way forward (so the round is partway into the chamber, but not all the way off of the feed lips). The failure gets solved quickly (most of the time) with a quick forward smack on the racker. My suspicion is that my strong hand thumb is dragging on the slide enough to cause issues when the top round friction is at its highest (e.g. exactly in the scenarios where I am seeing problems).

 

I'd like to try to install a shield of some kind simply to test out this hypothesis, but I'd rather not spend the $100+ on a shielded safety only to find out that the issue is elsewhere. I've seen some thumb guards that EGW and others sell, but most of the thumb guards I've seen replace the detent plunger tube, so I am obviously disinclined to go that route. Is anyone aware of a drop in thumb shield that is relatively low cost that I can try? Conceivably, I could also just try modifying my grip, but I would prefer to not out do so, as it would require me to also relearn my grip when going back to CO (my home division).

 

Thanks!

[robb315]

Try downloading your mags and see if the problem continues. 

[theWacoKid]

2 hours ago, random_guy7531 said:

Hey all! So I've been having an sporadic issue in my transition to open. Namely, oftentimes (almost always on the first shot right after the draw or reload) the slide fails to go all the way forward into battery, and gets held up ~50% of the way forward (so the round is partway into the chamber, but not all the way off of the feed lips). The failure gets solved quickly (most of the time) with a quick forward smack on the racker. My suspicion is that my strong hand thumb is dragging on the slide enough to cause issues when the top round friction is at its highest (e.g. exactly in the scenarios where I am seeing problems).

 

I'd like to try to install a shield of some kind simply to test out this hypothesis, but I'd rather not spend the $100+ on a shielded safety only to find out that the issue is elsewhere. I've seen some thumb guards that EGW and others sell, but most of the thumb guards I've seen replace the detent plunger tube, so I am obviously disinclined to go that route. Is anyone aware of a drop in thumb shield that is relatively low cost that I can try? Conceivably, I could also just try modifying my grip, but I would prefer to not out do so, as it would require me to also relearn my grip when going back to CO (my home division).

 

Thanks!

 

Actually, the shielded safeties are the cheapest option.  The best option is the legit shield, but the cost of that is higher considering the work to properly install.

[36873687]

Get the shield safety’s 

[jcc7x7]

Before you spend money, take the racker off and see if your thumb is hitting the racker,  before you get a consistent grip.

Then if that's not it, as stated above down load your mags one or two rounds and see if that is the problem.

IF neither spend away.

Or

since we're talking open guns, spend away anyhow :LOL

[random_guy7531]

I suspected that there wasn't going to be an easy answer to this problem Ill definitely give download a try, but I'm not sure if I would 100% trust the results from that (e.g. downloading could also solve some other issue not related to my grip that may be causing this issue).

 

I'll be sending the gun in for some TLC in the off season anyways, so Ill likely just ask for a quote to fit a shielded safety while its there.

 

Thanks!

[zzt]

To find out if it is the thumb safety or not, simply move your thumb out away from the safety and rest it on your other hand.  Fire away.  If it still happens you know it isn't the TS.  So work on your grip, download the mag and try a lighter weight recoil spring.  You might also try changing lube.  I had one Open gun that required a relube after every two stages, or it acted like yours.  I switched to Weapon Shield CLP and that problem vanished.

[random_guy7531]

Apologies for the thread necro, but I figured it would be a good idea for me to follow up with my results post diagnosis - even if only so other folks have a resource to turn to.

 

It turned out that my issues weren't related to my grip or to mag tension/resistance. My problems ended up being ejector related - the previous case was not properly clearing the ejection port and occasionally prevented proper feeding. My open gun runs an aftec extractor, and a replacement of the tension springs was sufficient to alleviate the problem. While I didn't really get to run a real season with the open gun due to covid, I've gone through a pair of local matches and a trio of steel challenge matches with no hiccups post spring changes.