This gun has had this same issue since I was 21 yrs old I am now 33. I have the spring changed on the trigger to smooth it out which by the way did help. I have changed the recoil spring I ordered that from Galloway precision I took the slide apart and cleaned that out real well. And no matter what I have done i cant get it to work right. I can fire three or four rounds and then I get the dreaded light primer strike. I put those rounds back in the magazine and they do fire. I even bought the black "allied force slide assembly" off of gun broker hoping to give it new life but nope still same issue. And it doesn't matter which ammo I use either still the same issue. Is it time for me to just hang it up???
You did not say what you're using. If you're using hand loads, watch for both hard and high primers. CCIs are very hard and can cause ignition difficulties in striker-fired handguns. I have an M&P .45 that absolutely refuses to fire a shell with a slightly high primer, causing me to pay far more attention to my hand loads.
Anyway, the adage goes that you should not judge the reliability of a handgun with hand loads. If that's what you're using, get some factory loads and start over again.
Ive used handloads, Remington, federal, fiochi no matter what I use still same issue. I own m&p 40c and full size .45 never have a problem going BANG with either one of them no matter what I feed them but I am aware some guns are finicky with ammunition but this does it with FMJ and JHP.
Have you cleaned the striker channel/assembly? Checked for any roughness or burrs in the striker channel/assembly? That would be where I would start, since you've changed out so many parts.
Have you cleaned the striker channel/assembly? Checked for any roughness or burrs in the striker channel/assembly? That would be where I would start, since you've changed out so many parts.
yes that was first thing I did when the allied force assembly came in the mail I took the slide assembly completely apart because I had seen the youtube video on the brass fragments inside the striker channel so I flooded it with some cleaner and then blew it out with some compressed air. I also did the same thing with the original stainless steel slide I have for it. Also have tried new mags also still same issue.. only thing I haven't changed is the firing pin and the firing pin spring. Dont see any burs or obstructions in the channel
[QUOTE=Arik;138477214][quote=unclebob;138477210]
This gun is 12 years old
OP says it been happening for 12 years, members are saying the same thing now about new ones now, Smith needs to correct it ways and be a little more into qc.
I have a 30 year old gen 1 and it works flawless with any ammo.
I had the same issue with my SW frame. This one is my toy gun, used only for killing zombies at the range. I couldn't remember if I had APEX or Galloway striker springs. So, I called 1-800 S&W customer service, and ask for a new striker, striker spring, cover & moon clips. They shipped me a whole new striker assembly, no charge. Last weekend, I put at least 200 rounds through without a hick-up. Some slow, precise, others quick, rapid-fire, they all went bang!
OP says it been happening for 12 years, members are saying the same thing now about new ones now, Smith needs to correct it ways and be a little more into qc.
I have a 30 year old gen 1 and it works flawless with any ammo.
Yup thats correct 12year's this has been happening. And when I was 21 I never really gave it any attention to try and figure it out but now that im older and kinda being a little more enthusiastic about guns it has started to bug me that I cant figure out what's wrong with it. But maybe Arik is right maybe its just time to move on I just hate when I cant figure something out that I know somewhere out there this can be fixed im not the only one this has happen to with this model but if I can't rely on this gun like the rest of them then what's the point in keeping it. I guess at what point do you decide like Arik said to just move on? Better off just seeing if I can get some store credit for it to go towards an M&P 9mm maybe????
I had the same issue with my SW frame. This one is my toy gun, used only for killing zombies at the range. I couldn't remember if I had APEX or Galloway striker springs. So, I called 1-800 S&W customer service, and ask for a new striker, striker spring, cover & moon clips. They shipped me a whole new striker assembly, no charge. Last weekend, I put at least 200 rounds through without a hick-up. Some slow, precise, others quick, rapid-fire, they all went bang!
Now that I didn't think of and the insanity continues lol
I had the same issue with my SW frame. This one is my toy gun, used only for killing zombies at the range. I couldn't remember if I had APEX or Galloway striker springs. So, I called 1-800 S&W customer service, and ask for a new striker, striker spring, cover & moon clips. They shipped me a whole new striker assembly, no charge. Last weekend, I put at least 200 rounds through without a hick-up. Some slow, precise, others quick, rapid-fire, they all went bang!
I also cured a "continued complaint of failure to fire" by putting in a new OEM striker assembly.........Hmmmmm
And it has been returned to S&W for warranty service how many times?
I bought it used from a Lgs 12years ago for $300. Never has ever been returned to S&W because I thought it being used it didn't come with a warranty from them. Seeing how I also altered the trigger spring to reduce the pull from what I've read that voids any warranty that the firearm might have had.
I am not a gunsmith, but I have extensive experience with the Sigma series, and own several that are shot a lot by different people.
Please accept my opinion as just one persons advice.
IMHO, you quite possibly bought a defective used gun with something wrong in the sear mechanism. However, instead of returning it stock to S&W, you started modifying it, and have done nothing related to fixing the problem. Therefore, all the "shotgun maintenance" is likely irrelevant to the problem. If anything, it increased the chance of mismatched parts.
Not sure what you are calling the "trigger spring", but according to S&W that is the small coil spring that only serves to return the trigger forward. You can take it out and the gun will still fire, but you have to push the trigger back forward manually.
It is the sear springs that must be modified/removed to appreciably reduce the trigger pull.
The striker spring should never be lightened on a Sigma if you want to avoid light strikes. It is possible NEITHER of your slides have a good striker assembly in it.
I suggest:
1. If you want to take one more try at it yourself, return the pistol to bone stock, including all OEM springs, and a new stock striker assembly. Test with good American factory ammo such as Federal or Win Super-X (not white box).
2. If it still is unsatisfactory, contact S&W and ask if they will please fix you pistol. At worst, they may want to see it before answering. Contact Us - Smith & Wesson
I am not a gunsmith, but I have extensive experience with the Sigma series, and own several that are shot a lot by different people.
Please accept my opinion as just one persons advice.
IMHO, you quite possibly bought a defective used gun with something wrong in the sear mechanism. However, instead of returning it stock to S&W, you started modifying it, and have done nothing related to fixing the problem. Therefore, all the "shotgun maintenance" is likely irrelevant to the problem. If anything, it increased the chance of mismatched parts.
Not sure what you are calling the "trigger spring", but according to S&W that is the small coil spring that only serves to return the trigger forward. You can take it out and the gun will still fire, but you have to push the trigger back forward manually.
It is the sear springs that must be modified/removed to appreciably reduce the trigger pull.
The striker spring should never be lightened on a Sigma if you want to avoid light strikes. It is possible NEITHER of your slides have a good striker assembly in it.
I suggest:
1. If you want to take one more try at it yourself, return the pistol to bone stock, including all OEM springs, and a new stock striker assembly. Test with good American factory ammo such as Federal or Win Super-X (not white box).
2. If it still is unsatisfactory, contact S&W and ask if they will please fix you pistol. At worst, they may want to see it before answering. Contact Us - Smith & Wesson
Good luck!
Watch "Sigma Trigger Job Engineered Spring Fix Mod Sear …" on YouTube
Sigma Trigger Job Engineered Spring Fix Mod Sear …: http://youtu.be/6pEguWz813w
This is what I meant by trigger spring. Also I have never ever changed the firing pin spring or anything in the slide assembly besides the recoil spring. Someone mentioned earlier contacting S&W about an OEM striker assembly in post.number #10. Maybe I try that or maybe I just bought someone's lemon
Put it back stock, and then break down and call S&W for help. Tell them what it does. They will probably send a return label so you can send it back for repair. Get it fixed and then go shoot it, SW9's are neat pistols(when the trigger gets broken in!).
If it's that old and shot that many rounds, you may have either a worn out recoil spring or a gummed up extractor cavity or both. Try riding the slide with a dummy round all the way into battery. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but you should be able to ride the slide to within 1/4" of closed, let it go and the spring should be strong enough to put the cartridge fully into battery.
My M&P would not do that and I found that the extractor cavity was full of soot that had balled up and looked like stick powder. That made the extractor not want to open up to let the cartridge rim get between it and the breech face. If the slide closes 99%, you will get light off-center primer strikes and misfires.
I'll vote for a new striker, too. Cheap if you have to pay for it, but S&W will often send them out for free (I've been told).
And sending it back to S&W is a good second idea. They may just fix it under warranty without regard to second-ownership -- without even asking. They've seen every problem in the book, and have all the parts in the world! Even if they were to charge you, it will be less than anyone else, and it will be a good job done well.
Then you can keep it and enjoy it, or sell it with a clear conscience (I refuse to sell a gun that isn't working well to an unsuspecting customer -- full disclosure if it is having any problems I cannot fix or get fixed).
Well I tell you what they sold it to me like that 12 years ago because its always had that issue so you know what I sold it back to the same place with credit towards my new glock 29 gen 4 so problem solved im over it... whoever had it before me had the same issues and pretty sure it got passed onto me so sorry but wasn't gonna jump thru hoops for a 12yr old gun oh well
Did you change the striker spring along with the trigger return spring since it is the LIGHTER STRIKER SPRING that causes the light hits.
If so, replace the stock striker spring and start looking for an alternative handgun. The spring kits don't really change the main issues with the trigger and firing mechanisms.
I've owned and promtly sold two SD9 VE's and a third one was sent to S&W for warranty work as I can't sell it the way it is now.
But, I am going to give up on it and not look back. There are too many better guns for what you pay to "fix" the inherent issues with this gun.
My advice is, "Don't spend a dime on a gun you can't stand in stock form."
If you'd like my personal recommendations for alternates, I have a list of about four to six of them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shoot_To_Kill82
This gun has had this same issue since I was 21 yrs old I am now 33. I have the spring changed on the trigger to smooth it out which by the way did help. I have changed the recoil spring I ordered that from Galloway precision I took the slide apart and cleaned that out real well. And no matter what I have done i cant get it to work right. I can fire three or four rounds and then I get the dreaded light primer strike. I put those rounds back in the magazine and they do fire. I even bought the black "allied force slide assembly" off of gun broker hoping to give it new life but nope still same issue. And it doesn't matter which ammo I use either still the same issue. Is it time for me to just hang it up???
Last edited by PeterPocket; 04-26-2015 at 10:04 PM.
It was also my first handgun and the only reason I kept it for so long was for sentimental value but sfter having it for 12yrs with reliability issues I just wasn't willing to put up with it or put money into it. So I traded it for store credit for a glock 29 ... best choice I ever made 10mm is one helluva GUN!!!!!!
__________________
M&P45,40c,15, Glock29,32
Last edited by Firearm_Fanatic 82; 05-18-2015 at 08:35 PM.
I think im going to give up on sw9ve
Linear Mode
