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AW93 lock back issue solved.

Froneck

Titanium
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Location
McClure, PA 17059
I have a Feinwerkbau AW93, from the day I got it (new) I had lock back issues. The slide quite often would not lock back after last round is fired. Not a major problem though I'm told many AW93 owners have that problem. It's of concern to me since when shooting competition it is noticeable that the slide must be pulled back and locked implying that the last round might not have been shot. In addition on some occasions it would lock back but that catch on the very edge and easily slip and slide closes.
I attempted to find the problem thinking the slide did not recoil the full distance so that little time was allowed for the catch to engage. All my attempts to fix the problem failed! Until I noticed that with an empty magazine in the gun and slide pulled back the catch would be raised by the tab on the magazine follower and fully engage. However I noticed that if the slide was pulled back to the end of the stroke the notch not being long enough would strike the catch and force it down. Looking at the slide the black finish on the slide is not worn off even in areas that contact other parts of the pistol, even the surface of the catch and the notch are still black BUT that area that strikes the catch when the slide is at the rear of the travel is well worn and brightly shinning steel. I took a swiss pattern file that had cutting surface only on the side needed and extended the length of the notch forward so that when the slide is completely back the frontal edge of the notch will not hit the catch. The problem did not return! I assume the problem was that fast speed of the slide striking the catch forcing the follower down quite a bit, enough to delay upward force on the catch causing repeated failure. I also blued the filed surface. After 100 last round firings the blueing is not worn nor has the lock back failed.
 
I would check it out anyway. If the notch is hitting the catch it's smacking the follower pin and may soon create problems with the magazine as well as causing lock back problems. One magazine worked about 60 to 75% of the time, the other the opposite, about 25 to 40%. When it did the slightest bump would close the slide, often when inserting the next magazine the click of the magazine catch closed the slide. I had a few cases when going down range and found the slide closed when I returned. Not much of a safety issue because the Empty Chamber Indicator was in but range officers don't like it closed. After a few times I reset the lock back before going down range. I purchased 2 more magazines and both of them failed to lock the slide back all the time, now they too work. I have the latest version of the AW93 other versions may not have the problem.
 
Good points. I have 1 mag out of 6, I think, that has given me feeding problems. I don't remember exactly what the issue is, but I stuffed an empty case in it to remind me which one it is. I can't see any difference between it and the others with a rd in it.

I've also had the slide drop a number of times while inserting a chamber flag, but I was thinking that was from brushing the catch with my hand. Maybe it's just not pushed up all the way.
 
Took a look at mine. Holding the slide stop up, it would just barely get pushed down when the slide was fully retracted. The notch in mine is ramped, straight and level for about .315 (8mm), and then ramps down to the bottom edge at about .630 from the notch.
 
Simply put an empty magazine in the pistol, when the slide is pulled back the catch will be forced up by the magazine spring. Makes it easier since the slide stop does not have to be held up. Another indication as I mentioned earlier is the black was completely removed from the front edge of the stop notch, in my gun it was very bright.
 








 
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