i have a beretta 92. it keeps jamming after almost every shot. i have tried a couple different brands of ammo. and 3 different magazines. when it jams i have to pull the slide back just a little, then the round will pop up into place. occasionally it will fire all 10 shots, but for the most part it is one round at a time. most of the time it won't hold the slide open after the last shot either. here are a couple pics. any ideas what is wrong with it?

Questions:

Are these all factory mags? 10rd. or 15rd.? How old are they?

Have you taken the mags apart and cleaned them at any time?

The gun is clean and properly lubed?

It will do this only when it is fired, or also when hand-cycled?

Have you tried inserting an empty mag into the mag well with slide forward and seeing if the slide will lock back? If so, what happens?

It appears that the mag is not releasing the cartridge when it should be on the "feed" stroke. This may be caused by the mag spring being re-inserted backwards upon reassembly, (although the Beretta will usually work fine in this config except for the last round or two)  or by the spring being worn...although I have seen Beretta factory springs last for years fully loaded and no problems. When you pull the slide back a little, the case rim then clears the feed lip and is fed into the chamber. If the springs are inserted correctly, take one and stretch it out some then try it again. If this works, get new mag springs for all your mags...if not, try a new mag from a friend, etc.

If you are using aftermarket mags, ditch them and get the real thing.

If all else fails, send it to Beretta USA for repair.

2 factory, one aftermarket mags. all 10 rounders. they are all about 4 years old.

mags taken apart and cleaned when this first started happening.

gun cleaned after every trip to the range.

it only does this when fired, but when i hand cycle it the slide doesn't always slam forward, it goes forward slowly, like it is all gummy inside. i've tried more lube, and also less lube, either case doesn't help.

i have fired it with an empty mag in and only one round in the chamber. sometimes it locks back, sometimes it doesn't.

i tried stretching the mag spring once, didn't seem to help much.

i was thinking about sending it back to beretta, but wanted to see if soemone else may have a good idea to try before i sent it back.

Try some Wolff +10% power mag springs....I bet that cures your problem..

I have put about 5,000 rounds through several 92F's and honestly I have never encountered that FTF....

I would bet that the springs are weak and need to be replaced...

Most odd.  My Beretta would feed rocks thru it if I could stuff them in the mags.  Sounds like you've done all the easy stuff.  This may require a trip back to Beretta.  At least call them and see if you can talk with one of the techs.  I'd say something must be broken but have no idea what it could be.

My Beretta has probably topped the 6000 round mark with out one malfunction of any kind.  Zero.  

Let us know what you find out.  Quite curious.

I had a similar problem with a Taurus and some Wolff extra power springs seems to have fixed it.

I would also replace the recoil spring. If the slide is cycling too fast because of a too weak spring it won't feed regardless of the mag spring. Recoil spring is only $10 or so.

Check the slide's internal rails for burrs as well. Also have another shooter try the gun & inspect it also.

Good luck.

It has to be the magazines.

Spend the money to get a new 10 round factory magazine and give it a shot.  If the slide wont lock back, its magazine related.

Also, I'm at 10k rounds without a failure of any kind.  Even after I dropped the poor thing in mud while I was finishing a case of hirtenburger :-)

I know I know, I wont do it again.

Please bear with me here...I assure you i am not trying to insult your intelligence...just running through the things I have seen with thousands...literally...of semi-auto handguns.

The action you describe where the slide is going forward slowly like it is gummy inside is absolutely NOT normal for the Beretta...it has one of the smoothest slide actions of any unmodified pistol out there. This is definitely suspect. What type of lube are you using? What are you cleaning with?

Try taking the gun down and cleaning all traces of lube off of the slide and frame rails with a degreaser, then use fresh CLP which has been shaken well before use to correctly distribute the lube into the suspension. Empty, with no mag, the slide should move very freely back and forth now. If it seems sticky only when feeding a round, clean the barrel...specifically the chamber area...really good. If you have shot lead bullets, use a wire brush with a small amount of #000 steel wool wrapped around it to be certain ALL residue is gone. (Eventually, failure to clean the chamber well can set up a condition of false head space, where the case stops before it is fully inserted on the feed stroke, sometimes not allowing the action to lock...this is not what you describe and/or show as happening, however)

You might also try cleaning behind the extractor as well as possible with solvent, a brush and canned air. If the extractor is not moving freeley it can cause issues when the case is trying to rotate up and into the hook/claw. Ditto for the breech face area.

Definitely try a new or near new factory mag. If it still seems sticky with this mag when hand cycling, you have a parts issue somewhere...perhaps the mag catch is slightly too high, allowing the top of the mag to contact the slide, or something else. Should this be the case, run...don't walk...and send it to the factory.

My guess is that your mag springs are weak and that new ones will solve your immediate problem, however. Use the +10% Wolff springs and spend the $10 or so for a new recoil spring too as both BobCole and Dog1 suggested...can't hurt.

As a last resort send it to me...I can use another 92!  

Good luck.

What type of lube are you using? What are you cleaning with?

i use Rem-oil and Hoppes #9 to clean it usually. although i will now use CLP since i have it for my AR now.

If you have shot lead bullets, use a wire brush with a small amount of #000 steel wool wrapped around it to be certain ALL residue is gone.

i used to shoot lead out of it almost exclusively. don't reload much anymore so i now shoot FMJs.


i am going to try a different mag as soon as i can. if that does help then i will replace all my springs. if not then it is on its way back to beretta.

I'd think mag springs first.  Check the barrel locking lugs.  I heard those can wear out on Berettas.  I'm sure if the lockup isn't correct, it could feel sloppy.  

Mag springs are cheap.  Get a few, test.  If it's the same problem, I'd suspect the locking block.  Inspect carefully.

i bought a 92 stainless about 10 yrs. ago and had the same problem with one of the factory mags.i took it apart and spayed some g96 gun treatment in it and scrubbed it with a toothbrush,then dried it completely.it hasn't jammed since.
these guns are as reliable as a hammer.

Ensure that your mag springs are in the correct way.  I see a lot of malfunctions from incorrectly assembled mags.  
You most likely need a new recoil spring if you can feel the slide going ker-chunk.  Beretta springs on our 96D's lose about 3 coils in length after shooting one qual.  I replace mine about every 500-1000 rounds as needed.

I had a Taurus PTR92AF that had a similar problem with Triple K mags. I put new Wolff+10 springs and followers in them and had to re-adjust the feed lips.the front of the lips(toward bullet)was spread too far and waspresenting the bullet in a nose up position and causing slow feeding or FTF problems as you are having. I Closed the forward part of the lips just a little and spread th rear of the lips a smigion. This allowed a higher ,flater presentation to the barrel and feed ramp.
  From the photo you posted this looks as thogh it is your problem also . Hope this gets you going.

I had a Taurus PTR92AF that had a similar problem with Triple K mags. I put new Wolff+10 springs and followers in them and had to re-adjust the feed lips.the front of the lips(toward bullet)was spread too far and waspresenting the bullet in a nose up position and causing slow feeding or FTF problems as you are having. I Closed the forward part of the lips just a little and spread th rear of the lips a smigion. This allowed a higher ,flater presentation to the barrel and feed ramp.
  From the photo you posted this looks as thogh it is your problem also . Hope this gets you going.