I have a new model 986 7-shot 9mm. I tried using several different brands of moon clips with Blazer Brass ammo. I did have two light primer strike failures to fire. The primer was barely dimpled in each case of FTF. They occurred with stainless moon clips from Revolver Supply. I had no such issues with TK clips that came with the gun. I also used Speed Beez clips with no issue. The Revolver Supply clips did seem to fit the tightest into the extractor groove on the Blazer cases. I wonder if the geometry of the Blazer Brass extractor groove is trouble prone when used with tight fitting Revolver Supply moon clips.

The Revolver Supply clips appear to be a nicely cut and ground precision product...very flat and stiff with crisp edges.

Is there another ammo brand that is a better fit for moonclips than Blazer?

Any other suggestions?

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Andy

Be sure to check your strain screw.

I have the same moon clips and ammo functioning fine with my 986... but, with the 986 coming with the lighter performance center main spring installed (which looks very suspiciously like a Wolff reduced power spring, rib and all), I installed an APEX Tactical XP extended firing pin kit, with the reduced strength firing pin spring, as insurance against the light strikes... well worth the $15.95 price tag.

After putting a Wolff reduced power mainspring on my 625-8 and getting sporadic FTF's on various brands of ammo, I decided to try the APEX kit, and found that it was exactly the medicine needed. So, when I brought my 986, installing the APEX kit was the first order of business.. thus no FTF's from day one on it.

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

Afternoon Andy

My 986 is right on the edge to get 100% ignition in
over-the-counter ammo from bulk distributors.

My guess is that your problem is coming from a combination
of the primer seating in your blazer ammo, your hammer
slightly dragging, & possibly of too thick of gun oil on/in the
hammer area.

To get 100% ignition in my (from the factory) 986 I had to
shim the hammer to be centered & not rub on either side,
use very light oil on the hammer pivot, & install a new factory
hollow firing pin.

If you want quick (with not much work) better ignition then
take an old fired primer & gut it, then install that between the
strain screw & the main spring (this usually gets 100% ignition)

If you decide to hand load, then ASSURURING that the primers
are FULLY & evenly seated will go a long ways towards 100%
ignition (especially if you use Federal primers)

Put your misfired rounds back in the same moon clip & see if
they will fire on next try through the gun (my guess is that
they will) -- If they fire then this usually points to poorly seated
primers.

Also mike the thickness of your moon clips & use only ones that
are the same thickness of your originals.

I have my personal 986 at 100% ignition with all my hand loads
& 99+% of factory bulk junk rounds but it didn't come that way.

The strain screw (main spring tension adjustment) is snugged up tight just where it should be. It's a brand new gun so that is as it should be.

If I didn't mention it: when I look at a moon clip that has been fired and I had a problem, it is with only one round that has a light primer strike and the other 6 primers (It's a 7-shot) are deeply struck just as they should be. Since all the other primer strikes look OK, I am not suspicious of the Hammer power. It is as if the one round was not fully seated and the hammer used up its energy trying to drive the hanging round to full depth in the chamber.

I am suspecting that there may be a lack of uniformity with the extractor grooves in the Blazer Brass cases. Blazer brass has been my preferred range ammo in my 1911 Colt 9mm for years and I have never had any problems with it whatsoever. Maybe small groove variations are OK in a semi-auto but intolerable with moon clips that rely on a positive grip at the groove.

I'm just guessing here so don't take that as an indictment of Blazer in anyway. I have always relied on their products.

At this stage I am not ruling anything out as I try out figure out what's going on here.

I am going to try some Federal and Winchester rounds to see if the issue occurs with any of that ammo.

__________________
Andy

There is a lot of good input in what you said. I do remember using a light Wolff spring in my 686 and I just couldn't get reliable ignition until I went back to a full power spring. I might try an Apex firing pin kit to see if that helps.

I had to give up reloading this last year when I moved in to a retirement community apartment. I reloaded for fifty years and I really miss it. I also miss the firing pin in the hammer that my old model 10's and model 14's had. Those suckers always hit reliably.

__________________
Andy

Evening 97thSignalman

Don't let those deeper looking primer hits on FIRED rounds
fool you. Once the round fires it quickly jumps back against
the firing pin held out by the dropped hammer so even light
primer hits look somewhat deep & normal.

If you want a real primer hit test then take 7 old rounds, then
drill the fire holes in the primer pocket to a larger diameter (to
prevent primer walk-out upon firing)- make the holes well under
primer pocket diameter but larger than stock)-- you will know
if you have them large enough if you don't get primer back out
when firing an empty case.

Now put those primed BUT EMPTY cases in a moon clip &
s-l-o-w-l-y pull the trigger in double action 7 times. NOW look
at the primer indents (bet they are no where near as deep looking
as you see on the fired cases)

My personal 986 would give nice deep indents on fired cases but
very weak looking on primed empty cases.

If you don't reload then just try the primer under the strain screw
trick then fire off the remainder of your Blazer rounds--If you get
no more misfires then you know that you are right on the edge
of having enough hammer power.

Or just shoot single action, if you get 100% ignition then again
you are getting light primer hits in double action.

I have a 986, have been there with light primer hits on a brand
new factory stock gun.

Or you can send the gun back to Smith & they will fix it for you
for free--But all they will do is install a slightly longer strain
screw to increase main spring tension.

Evening again 97thSignalman

You can TRY the APEX firing pin (I have tried 3 different APEX
pins in my 986. They didn't help & were actually worse than
the factory hollow pin.

The Apex helped my S&W 625-8 (night & day difference over
the stock Ti pin) but just doesn't work good in my 986.

I have tried three Apex pins, tried two performance center factory
titanium firing pins (with new design tip), neither worked as good
as the slightly shorter hollow steel 986 pin did. I can't say for sure
but my (somewhat educated guess) would be the slightly shorter
factory hollow pin with the different rear shoulder travels farther
& faster before hitting the primer so works better.

There must have been a reason that S&W used JM's idea to use
that hollow firing pin on the 986.

In any case & bottom line here-- with a little work on your end you
can get great ignition on your 986 without raising the double action
trigger pull poundage (at least I could).

If you slick up the rebound slide (don't polish just a few light stone
strokes), go to a 13# or even a 12# rebound spring, shim the
hammer to center, slightly re-contour (I do mean very slightly) the
main spring, & assure that all primers are FULLY seated you can
actually get the double action trigger pull down to about 7.5 pounds.
Or around 7 pounds if you are willing to shoot Federal primers only.

My 986 has a fantastic double action trigger pull with good reliable
ignition (now) but it didn't come from the factory that way.