Mistake while cleaning locked slide

[DanP]

Started to clean today.
Pulled slidestop pin.
Grabbed barrel grooves to pull slide forward and off.
Slipped. Slide moved backward, locked in place, barrel slightly out.
As turned it to look at it, barrel/slide "jumped".
Still locked in place.
Now barrel is even with front of slide.
Slide is 3/8" forward of back of frame.
Looking in slidestop hole upper half shows
a fore-aft steel piece cut smaller on bottom.
I'm stumped. Did I make a paper weight ?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Dan

[Spitfireguy]

Hi Dan,

    ISTR having a similar experience the very first time I cleaned my R51 (including the worry that I may have to send the gun in to Remington before even firing a shot).
    If you've duplicated what I did back in 2018 (I haven't been able to duplicate the jam since), then I believe the bolt assembly inside the gun has managed to wedge itself in a funky attitude (pardon my 'high tech' explanation) and is held in place there by pressure from the recoil spring.
    As you look into the ejection port, you will notice the squarish part which is the chamber block, and the cylindrical piece in front of that which is the retaining cylinder for the recoil spring. Use an old credit card, or a plastic putty knife (plastic shouldn't mar the finish of the gun) to push the shiny cylinder forward against the spring pressure, ideally you want the barrel (and chamber block, they're one piece) to come forward a smidgen as well (or the slide to move back a bit); this should relieve the pressure on the bolt assembly. While compressing the spring so - give the gun a shake or two until the assembly frees itself from the offending attitude, and hopefully the jam will be cleared.  This worked for me back in 2018, I hope it solves your problem as well. Good Luck!

                                                  Cheers!
                                                      John

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[DanP]

Thanks John,
Yes, I had tried that but didn't do it "well enough forward". So failed.
Took it to a local gunsmith. A young guy who's the resident at "famous place".
He took care of it instantly.
Long ago as a "problem solving" engineer I learned one of the best ways
to solve a problem is to find an expert in solving "that problem". 
I've been retired 25 years. Still a great idea. {:^)

[Zenshot]

Yes. Using a bigger hammer is not always the right approach with gunsmithing.