Just came into possession of a 1965 Browning M1955 9mm/.380.

Cosmetically it's a high condition gun, still has the original box, doesn't look to have been carried much at all.





The problem occurs when trying to lock the slide back, the engagement of the safety catch is very tentative, more often than not it slips right out and the slide slams home. I have pushed it all the way into the notch and as I release the slide I can see the safety catch begin to slip out and work downwards. Sometimes I can get it to stop but the engagement is so little that it reminds me of a trigger sear.







It says in the rear slot just fine since there's no tension on it.




I see in the exploded diagram on Numerich that there is a safety catch spring (part 28), but I can't feel the catch being spring loaded, it just moves up and down freely. It does seem to have a small "click" when engaging the rear safety slot but nothing is forcing it up into the forward slide locking slot.



Appreciate any help, like to get this little gun operating correctly.

Sounds / looks like you have negative angle on the catch to slide contact surfaces. Needs to be recut to positive contact angle, just like working hammer to sear surfaces on a trigger job. If the spring mentioned is functioning as designed, any competent gunsmith with a needle file can fix it.

Mike,

Let's see if I have you correct. I want to make the angle on the safety more acute (sharper) by filing it down so the engagement is at the tip of the point?