LC380 slide won't cycle with trigger forward

[Carmady]

I'll call Ruger Monday morning, but want to see if anyone here has insight to this. This is a pre-owned gun, and I've only dry fired it (always with a snap cap).

After pulling the trigger I'd release the trigger and use both hands to eject the snap cap. On the first pull of the slide the slide will come back 1/8" and stop, as in STOP. Release the slide, it goes back where it was, and on the second pull of the slide the slide goes back as expected and the snap cap gets ejected (if pulled fast enough). It's like it has to be primed or something internal needs to be moved out of the way. I've tried it with the mag in, and out. For the "mag out" part you have to fire it first, then remove the mag, and finally pull the slide.

After a while of doing that with the same results I thought that maybe the trigger being forward had something to do with it, and I tried it while keeping the trigger pulled back as it would be when firing real bullets. It worked, the slide went back and the snap cap ejected.

Also, the "stop" never happens with the hammer cocked. Pull the slide, it goes back. Mag in or out, no difference.

I've never experienced anything like this before, and I don't feel comfy about shooting it.

Any ideas on what's happening, or not happening?

 

[Carmady]

Any ideas on what's happening, or not happening?

Did you check to see if the Takedown Pin was creeping out a bit and blocking the slide from going back?

 

[GarandTd]

Did you just quote your own question and then respond to it with another question....to yourself?

I'm sorry, I have no insight into your dilemma.

 

[gwpercle]

Did you just quote your own question and then respond to it with another question....to yourself?

I'm sorry, I have no insight into your dilemma.

I'm glad you cleared that up....

 

[Carmady]

It looks like the hammer down and trigger forward theory had nothing to do with it, or maybe it was a coincidence.

Either way it now appears that the culprit is a "Take Down Plate." That's the little gate that moves up and down; up retains the Takedown Pin, and down allows the Takedown Pin to be removed.

When mine is up the Take Down Plate is not tight against the frame. That leaves some wiggle room for the Takedown Pin to worm its way over to the left enough to block the slide from going rearward. There was some metal rolled back on the slide where it contacted the pin.

Ruger's CS said they'll fix it.

In the pic (not my gun) it's easy to see how/where it happened. I got the gun used, so I don't know its history. I'd guess someone used a screwdriver to move the Take Down Plate down, and bent it outwards a tad in the process, which created the gap of doom.