&$#^@% Striker Spring!!

[jmstallard]

Wanting to understand striker-fired weapons better, I decided to disassemble the slide. Everything went fine, and I was careful to capture the springs when I removed the slide back. However...while I was depressing the striker spring to put on the slide back, that no good, back-stabbin, dirty little punk got away from me and flew to parts unknown. I never heard it hit anything, so it's GOTTA be nearby, but I've been looking for 10 minutes an no dice. Oh how I hate when I do that!!!
:31:


Oh well..it'll still work without a spring, right? :D

[jmstallard]

AHA!!!! FOUND IT!!!! I'm gonna put a leash on that thing!

I think the moral of this story is as follows:
If you're going to use a punch (or any tool) to hold the striker spring down low enough for the slide back to get over, first use your finger to push the spring guide into the striker channel, then replace your finger with the punch. Once the guide is in the channel, it can't go anywhere but up and down. Outside that channel, it's WAY too easy for the spring guide to wiggle to the side and go for a ride.

I'm sure most of you guys have already learned that lesson, but if I can keep one person from having to crawl around on his hands and knees, feeling like an idiot, I'm happy.

[cgo99]

Wanting to understand striker-fired weapons better, I decided to disassemble the slide. Everything went fine, and I was careful to capture the springs when I removed the slide back. However...while I was depressing the striker spring to put on the slide back, that no good, back-stabbin, dirty little punk got away from me and flew to parts unknown. I never heard it hit anything, so it's GOTTA be nearby, but I've been looking for 10 minutes an no dice. Oh how I hate when I do that!!!
:31:


Oh well..it'll still work without a spring, right? :D
I feel your pain :2rolleyes:, I have been known to do stuff like that.
Hope you find it and sure it will work without the spring :40: or not.

[cgo99]

AHA!!!! FOUND IT!!!! I'm gonna put a leash on that thing!
Wow, that was fast didn't even gave time to respond. I'm glad you found it. I'm still looking for the base plate of one of my magazines that I replaced about a month ago. No that I needed since I got the new one but it will be nice to know where in hell landed:target:.

[ripley16]

The solution is to capture the spring and guide rod with a "doohicky". I made mine from a simple coathanger.
This leaves your hands free to install the back plate without worrying about the spring.
It works in disassembly and reassembly.
And yes, I came up with this after having a striker spring disappear into the twilight zone.


http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i186/ripley16/Kahrtool002.jpghttp://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i186/ripley16/Kahrtool001.jpg

[johnh]

I think we have all done that at some point. I was building an AR lower one time and rocketed one of the detent pins across the room. Searched forever and did not find it. Fortunately a local gunsmith had a shop close and was nice enough to give me one. Now I do those steps of building lowers with the entire thing in a big box.

:D

John

[jmstallard]

I dig the coat hanger trick! I think I'm gonna rig one of those up.

I knew about the box approach, but I didn't have anything handy. If I could have done it by touch alone, that would have been different, but I'm not familiar enough with the Kahr design yet.

[wyntrout]

Hey, in a pinch you might try the spring from a sturdy ball point pen.

I thought that I might never have to take that slide apart, but I had a lot of failures to fire with the PM45 at the range yesterday. Most of the primers seemed to have good primer strikes. One took bullet FOUR tries to fire. Usually, I could rec0ck the striker and it would fire the second try. I was using Winchester White Box 100-pack for the first time. I was glad to finally finish shooting that box(I still have one box left:() I easily had more than 10% failures to fire. I then shot a box of Wolf and had only 2 FTF with dented primers.
Is it the ammo, I wonder? I'll take the slide apart using the guide, to make sure everything looks good in there. maybe I can put my DLT to good(?) use.

I learned one thing to pass along. If you shoot the PM45, and maybe others, without the magazine in place, EXPECT THE HOT CASE TO FALL INTO YOUR HAND.... DON'T CATCH IT! Very HOT!!:eek: This applies if your support hand is anywhere near the magazine well, because this became the "ejection port" when retrying FTF's. I caught the first one accidentally and held it for a few milliseconds... doesn't take long!. After that, when one hit my hand, I dropped it before getting burned.

I dropped a fired .380 shell down the barrel and fired the striker, throwing the casing about a foot into the air. It's important to insert the fired case base down... I did it correctly, but you never know what others will do.:D

I haven't done a range report, yet, on the P380 with the new springs or the FTF's with the PM45 from yesterday. I could have had more fun. It became kind of a chore to shoot up the WW100 FMJ. The Wolf was a lot more fun than usual, relative to the WW100.
Wynn:D

[Bawanna]

+1 on the doohicky, it works like a champ, isn't difficult to make and just saves a ton of grief. I remember in both Colt and Beretta armorer classes we spent more time looking for springs and detents than we did learning stuff. Some of the dissasembly on the Beretta we learned to do in large freezer bags, obviously an offshoot of Johnh's box containment method. Being in a chair at the end of the day I'd find springs and pins in my lap and on the seat, had stuff fall in my shoes, look all over and it's on you all the time. Beretta even had a guideline, look for 2 minutes, if you don't find it go to his tool box and get a new one. I think alot of guys stocked up on parts! Dang I just love a good spring..............................

[jocko]

AHA!!!! FOUND IT!!!! I'm gonna put a leash on that thing!

I think the moral of this story is as follows:
If you're going to use a punch (or any tool) to hold the striker spring down low enough for the slide back to get over, first use your finger to push the spring guide into the striker channel, then replace your finger with the punch. Once the guide is in the channel, it can't go anywhere but up and down. Outside that channel, it's WAY too easy for the spring guide to wiggle to the side and go for a ride.

I'm sure most of you guys have already learned that lesson, but if I can keep one person from having to crawl around on his hands and knees, feeling like an idiot, I'm happy.


take it apart in a large zip lock clear bag and all flying parts will stay in the bag..

[jocko]

Wow, that was fast didn't even gave time to respond. I'm glad you found it. I'm still looking for the base plate of one of my magazines that I replaced about a month ago. No that I needed since I got the new one but it will be nice to know where in hell landed:target:.

push in on the magazine spring as far as your little fingers will allow you to push it up in the magazine body, then insert a nail in that last hole in the side of the magazine. It will lock 90% of that spring tension out of the way and those base plates will just slide right in place..

[wyntrout]

I bought a Wolf replacement spring kit, including 1 magazine spring, for my S&W 645 and now I think that I have a LIFETIME supply of tiny springs.... There's no way I would try to replace all of those things. I can't imagine where all of those things go, but they could come in handy for those disappearing springs you guys talk about. I mainly wanted a recoil spring and the magazine spring, but figured the others would make nice spares. You just can't have too many spare parts! The trouble usually, though, is you can't find the damn things and you know you have some... so, off to the store or order some more. Then one day when you least expect it, you'll happen on what you were looking for, while cleaning up storage, or looking for something else unrelated.
I bought and enjoy my new fan remote control... Lasko $5+ $5.20 shipping. I figure the other is laying someplace or fell into the trash basket and is in the landfill. I still have no idea where I put that first stun gun... good hiding place... wish my memory were that good.:D
Jeez, I ought to turn this computer off or move it or something. I can't get anything done around the house!:rolleyes:
Later.
Wynn:D

[WMD]

wyntrout said.....

"I easily had more than 10% failures to fire. I then shot a box of Wolf....."

Hey wyntrout,


Be careful!
I would not shoot wolf in any of my guns. The steel lacquered cases can cause problems and damage the gun. They do nbot fire form well creating a good gas seal. In addition, the lacquer will build up over time causing other issues.

Then.... there is the great quality control that wolf ammo has. Squib/hot load city!

Just my 2 cents.... :D

[Bawanna]

wyntrout said.....

"I easily had more than 10% failures to fire. I then shot a box of Wolf....."

Hey wyntrout,


Be careful!
I would not shoot wolf in any of my guns. The steel lacquered cases can cause problems and damage the gun. They do nbot fire form well creating a good gas seal. In addition, the lacquer will build up over time causing other issues.

Then.... there is the great quality control that wolf ammo has. Squib/hot load city!

Just my 2 cents.... :D

And easily worth 5 cents at that. If all I can find is wolf ammo I have nothing at all to shoot in any gun I own.

[jocko]

Hear more crap about wolffs ammo than any other brand, even if it is half true, then it is a problem round. I try to not mess ever with steel cased ammo PERIOD.

about 4 years ago, I had a chance to buy a 1000 rounds of 223 woldffs brass cased 55 grain for 9 cents per round, I just could not pass it up. I shoot it out of my Remington 522 and it works great and shoots extremely accurate, but again this is a bolt action, so it is different. but 9 cents was a bargain compared to any 223 ammo today...

[jlottmc]

Ehh I've never had a problem with steel cased ammo, I clean after shooting though. As for losing the little springy parts...if I'm with a gun I'm less familiar with, I'm guaranteed no less than two parts airborne, and a couple of hours searching. Usually followed by how the hell did that get there???

[wyntrout]

Jeez. I bought that stuff years ago for my S&W 645. I'm down to just two boxes and I still have a box of that WW100. Dang! I still haven't cleaned my guns and I'm sweating from all of the work that I'm doing... washing and drying clothes, did a little vacuuming. still watering 'til the wee hours of the morning. I cooked me some pasta and had a wee bit of wine... for its medicinal benefits. The timer's about to go off for the dryer...<sigh> Some retirement!
This computer and this forum keep drawing me back here! I need a nap, too.
Wynn:D