I'll throw this question out there with the knowledge that it may be impossible to answer.

One time in each my my last two visits to the range, I've experienced what may be a light strike. By this I mean I pulled the trigger and there was no bang. I drop the mag and eject the shell. I can see that the primer has been struck but it does not appear to have been struck as deeply as the others. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take a side by side picture. Both times I was shooting WWB VP FMJ's.

The only mod's to my gun (SD40VE) was an Apex spring kit, which included a lighter striker spring. Could this mod be responsible for the light strikes? Is it the ammo? Could this be a symptom of limp wristing?

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JR
SD40VE and Shield 9

Cheapest possibility: gunk in the striker channel - clean it.

Thanks. That's already part of my post range cleaning regimen.

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JR
SD40VE and Shield 9

I'd put the factory striker spring back in and see if the issue goes away.

Sorry, but when you take out perfectly good parts, and replace them with out of spec parts (spring too light to do the job), it is not surprising that malfunctions result.

The only way to determine if something else, besides your modifications, is causing the problem, is to restore the gun to stock condition with original parts, and then check to see if it works.

Hindsight being what it is, I'd have to agree. I made those changes when I first got the gun and was convinced I needed to do it to make the trigger lighter and smoother. Now in retrospect, I would have left it stock.

Fortunately I still have the stock parts.

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JR
SD40VE and Shield 9

I'm convinced that I should carefully evaluate any part changes on my SD9VE. It just gets better over time with stock parts. The trigger pull hasn't decreased much but it surely has become smoother. I'm an adequate, but not a great, pistol marksman so lack of a hair trigger is not an issue for me.

Just for the record, the most significant improvement, aside from use, was smoothing (and lubing) the trigger bar where it rubs along the frame.

I think I have a post here on this issue.

I had an SD9VE which worked perfectly in every way.

Installed the Apex spring kit and had occasional light strikes.

Reinstalled the stock striker spring which cured the light strike issue.

YMMV

Thanks. I was wondering if anyone had done this or if all springs had to be returned to factory.


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JR
SD40VE and Shield 9

+1. OEM striker spring back in mine also.

I had the same results as others on this thread. When I bought my 9 I put the Apex springs in and had light strikes. I immediately switched back to the original springs and have not had a single problem since. They have been in a bag and I don't plan on re-installing.

Bill

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I might add, that my SD also has all of the Apex parts in it, including the polymer trigger. It is smooth as glass and so reliable that its boring. Shoot it, clean it, repeat often.

Mine is stock and it was happening along with a "spongy" trigger. I sent it back to Smith and Wesson. It came back, along with other fixes, with a new striker.

mine has the apex kit and has been flawless through 2k rounds of mixed reloads and factory ammo. never misses a beat. ive even tried to get it to malfunction and couldnt do it.
mismatching ammo - loose grip - cheap ammo - reloads - hollow points - and a couple range pickups of unknown origin. no issues whatsoever.

I had light strikes. Was driving me crazy. Turned out to be bad primers Tula. Checked the rest and most had a green corrosion coming out between the anvil and the cup. Changed to cci primers and no more light strikes.

I've put the stock striker spring back in and just haven't been able to get back to the range to see if it helps.


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JR
SD40VE and Shield 9

As delivered or after some use?

You sure that wasn't sealer?
Some primers are sealed with lacquer.

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John

It started on a particularly frustrating range day. I was having Failure to Eject on about every other round regardless of ammunition or magazine. It then started with the light primer strikes/spongy trigger. I had put about 1600 rounds through it up to that point. There was a few failures to eject the first time out. However, it operated flawlessly after that--up until that day.

I cleaned and lubed it as per the instructions in the manual and did not do more or less. As i bought it new in box, I didn't want to risk the warranty by taking anything apart other than field stripping for routine cleaning.

Don't know if it's relevant, but my Sigma 9mm doesn't really like eastern European ammo - like S&B. It fires it with 99% reliability, but every time or two I go out with this type of ammo, I'll get a light strike. I've been using better American ammo - Winchester, Federal, etc. - for the last 500 rounds or so, and the gun works perfect. So problem solved, I guess. I'm told eastern Euro ammo has slightly harder primers, and that's the problem. Best wishes.

Not sealer. Green and fuzzy wiped off. But got a lot of no fire. Closer inspection showed these rounds had the corrosion coming up around in the primer pocket. Checked the rest of my stored primers and they all showed some of this green fuzzy stuff oozing up between the anvil. My cci were stored with them and they are fine.

All of the comments about Eastern European and other non-traditional ammo make me wonder if rifle primers have been used as an expedient. It would be tempting to an unscrupulous manufacturer and how would you know? Rifle and pistol look the same and who knows how to test them? I think it wise to keep stout striker and hammer springs in our firearms for reliability and safety. I once almost sold off an early Model 60 because of light strikes till I wised up, replaced with Wolff springs and smoothed the action. Smooth, heavy triggers are better than scratchy light ones. Too bad we don't have a plentiful supply of Winchester, Remington and Federal ammo any more.

Plenty down here.

Bill

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