Ok, so it wasn't exactly hammer bite, but it looked and felt like it. Had my brand new SD9 to the range along with an Astra A100 and Star 28DA. Shot the SD first and then the other two. A box or so of 115 gr fmj.

I started to notice an irritation that got worse in the absolute dead center spot I used to get hammer bite from my HP before I bobbed the hammer.

Couldn't figure it out as the two Spanish pistols have a substantial beavertail and who ever heard of hammer bite from a striker fired pistol.

When I got home I took a real close look at all three guns and found no rough spots on the Astra or Star.

But on the SD, there's a (sharp) seam that runs up the back of the slide and sure enough, it was a nasty enough seam to cut me after repeated shot.

All I can figure is that when the slide cycles back it rubs against the top web portion between thumb and forefinger and rubbed it quite raw.

Anyone else ever have this problem?

I figure I'm going to take a bit of very fine sandpaper and sand that seam down, smooth it out and maybe put some sort of coating on the top (not sure about this last step). Or, just wear shooting glove every time I use it.

Other than "hammer bite" I had a good first time out with the gun. Takes some transition between the Spanish guns and the SD, but it's manageable. Trigger needs a bit of help, but I have an Apex spring kit and trigger I'm going to get installed after another hundred or so rounds. I already replaced the recoil stuff and put in the extended takedown lever.

I like the gun a bunch, but as far as plastic pistols go, the Shield and SW990L have it beat. But I gotta shoot it more to make a better evaluation.

Hey Red,

Don't do anything to the slide.

There is absolutely no way anything on the slide is rubbing your skin. Not unless you are holding the gun so wrong that you would almost not be able to work it.

If anyplace is rubbing you like you say, it is the inside of the curved part of the grip - the beavertail. There is a seam there that is your culprit most likely.

Take the sandpaper to that and you will be fine.

Doc

OUCH....my error describing the problem. You are absolutely correct, the problem isn't the slide, it's the beavertail....and here are the pics I should have posted in the first place.

Got a date with the gun and some sandpaper and the offending seam.

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"Hammer bite" from a semi-auto striker fired pistol. wow.

Yeah sandpaper should do it. The 40 has a bit of a kick and a sharp edge on the grip/beavertail can start to right smart alright.

Doc

Forget the sandpaper, just get a grip.

If you are getting the wound you picture from firing the gun, I would guess you need to use a tighter grip when you fire the gun. No way that could be caused if the web of your thumb is against the gun when you fire it.

I have a grip.

Because of the size of my hands, almost all of my handguns have additional grips.

They do not go up the beavertail.

I hold my guns plenty tight enough.

However, if I had a sharp seam in the location that Red has, I would get some bite too. The 40 kicks some.

Doc

My post was poorly written. I said "get a grip" but didn't recognize that it would be interpreted as saying to buy something, a grip in particular.

My intent was to say "Hold/grip your gun tighter so that it wouldn't move and cause those abrasions in the web of your thumb".

Every SD I've seen, mine especially, has a mold parting line on the bottom of the beaver tail. I haven't put "thousands of rounds" through mine, but have used it enough to know I don't get any abrasion from firing it.

My SD40VE doesn't a rough seam along the beavertail, but I had to sand the seam down on the inside if the trigger guard. It was rubbing the side of my trigger finger raw during recoil. Now it's smooth and doesn't bother me.

L8R,
Matt

__________________
SD40-VE owner and proud of it!

Are you saying the trigger guard is moving all the way to your trigger finger during recoil? If that's what you are saying, you really need to tighten up, or somehow adjust, the way you hold your gun.

With that much movement you are lucky to still have the gun in your hands after you fire it.

I know what he means.

If he has large hands like me, that can rub that area. It has nothing to do with tightness of grip. Just size of finger

I replaced the hinge trigger with the blade trigger and finger does not rub. But a sharp seam there will put a hurt on you if you have baseball mitt hands.

Doc

Thanks for the clarification. Must be really thick fingers, rubbing even before pulling the trigger.