Bought a New P-10c but Slide Release is Stiff as Hell

[rudals1281]

Is it normal for the slide release to be so stiff? Do I need to just put rounds thru it? I don't see the correlation between them but that's what people are suggesting. I have NOT been able to release the slide despite my best effort. Maybe I'll try with a hammer.

[Duke Nukem]

It seems to be normal for new P-10C's to have a stiff slide release!  You might want to do the slingshot release (two hand) for now.  Mine has gotten much better with normal use, and I've only got 400 rounds through it.

  My mag release button was very stiff also, but it's totally fine now.  People also have talked about how some of the guns have gritty feeling trigger pulls out of the box, but that smooths out with use. 

[dwhitehorne]

Yes it’s normal for the P10C.  Shoot it and it will loosen up or you can lube it up and work it a few hundred times while watching a tv show. By the way Glock refers to it as a slide stop only and not a slide release because they want you to sling shot the slide. I’m guessing CZ also expects most to sling shot the slide also. I prefer using the lever to release the slide. Both of mine are easy now. It took a few hundred rounds though. With my second pistol I ended up immediately taking my 4 mags and 200 rounds and loaded one round per mag. I practiced my drawing firing one round per mag for all 200 rounds to work the slide release and mag release at the same time. And yes my thumb was numb when I was done. David

[aflevine]

Try the opposing forces reload technique. https://czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=105685.msg819571#msg819571

[Indy_Tim]

I think the issue with brand new CZ P10s are the finish on the slide and the finish on the slide stop both need worn in just a hair to run smoothly against each other.  The rear face of the back part of the slide stop and the front bottom face of the breach both have a finish that needs broken in just a bit.  A bit of Flitz or Mother’s on a Qtip will help it along.  Shooting it does too in that every shot smooths the breach face finish just a touch.

Before long, it will be fine and you’ll be able to release the slide with light pressure.

[boomenshutzen]

The opposing forces technique works well for me too. P-10 is definitely stiffer than most, but it's not unmanageable. It will smooth out and take less force with minimal break in.

Also, and I'm only being a little tongue-in-cheek here...

http://www.ironmind.com/product-info/grip-strength-training-tools/captains-of-crush-grippers/



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[Boriqua]

For me it is the Mag Catch .. whew ... I have pretty strong hands because but I pushed, pulled, stepped on that mag release and it was a bear.

I figure it will just wear in after a few more runs but at first I thought I just must be pushing it wrong and its different than the Dozens of other mag catches I have used!! 

[Indy_Tim]

I picked up a P10S the other day and the slide release really is stiff.  Stiff enough that it took 2 thumbs to release it.  So, I put a felt wheel against the bottom of the breech face and polished the bottom 1/8 inch (2 seconds with a nearly dry wheel). It’s still stiff but I can release with one thumb now.  Sooner or later I’ll order a CGW trigger and when I pull it apart to do the install, I’ll polish the rear of the trigger bar while it’s exposed if the gun has not smoothed out by then.

I’m guessing that the P10S shorter slide has a higher spring rate which is making these even harder than they were on the P10Cs when first released.

[mickey66]

Yes it’s normal for the P10C.  Shoot it and it will loosen up or you can lube it up and work it a few hundred times while watching a tv show. By the way Glock refers to it as a slide stop only and not a slide release because they want you to sling shot the slide. I’m guessing CZ also expects most to sling shot the slide also. I prefer using the lever to release the slide. Both of mine are easy now. It took a few hundred rounds though. With my second pistol I ended up immediately taking my 4 mags and 200 rounds and loaded one round per mag. I practiced my drawing firing one round per mag for all 200 rounds to work the slide release and mag release at the same time. And yes my thumb was numb when I was done. David

I agree 100% with this post! Also, after about 200-300 rds fired the auto forward slide release will start working! This means when you slam a full mag into CZ P10 C the slide will automatically go forward thus loading a round.

[timetofly]

I use a technique on my P-10X pistols which involves using my trigger finger on one side of the slide stop and my thumb on the other.  I apply pressure evenly downwards and the slide stop actuates much easier.   

[Walt Sherrill]

Leaving the slide locked back for a week or two might cause enough spring degradation that the slide release will be easier to use, too.

I had a similar problem with a SIG P226 X-Five in .40, some years back, and eventually traded the gun away after SIG couldn't give me a recoil spring that was light enough or offer a work around.

Note: that P226 model doesn't use the same recoil spring as the standard P226 so I couldn't use one of Wolff's many lighter P226 recoil springs.

I've learned a little about coil springs since then, and suspect that locking the slide back would eventually have solved the problem for me.  On other forums, folks running suppressors for which no lighter springs are available, lock the slides back for a week or two, and that usually solves the problem.

[0119]

Is it normal for the slide release to be so stiff?

I think it's stiff for folks because they are not hitting the release properly.  With the slide locked back, looking at the release you can see that the upper right corner is slanted the tiniest bit higher that the rest of the release. Folks hit the center to release it. Since the connection internally is held in the center of the breachface, you should use all the torque you can get. Hit the release at the upper right corner where it appears higher than the rest of the release button. Easy peasy to activate from there even brand new out of the box.

[Indy_Tim]

I ran another 95 rounds through my P10S and by the time I was done, I could thumb the slide release very easily.