SW9VE light strike? Ammo?

[PittShooter]

Have an SW9VE, about 3 years old, approx 700 trouble free rounds through it with various ammo. A few weeks ago at the range it had a FTF. I ejected the round and saw that the primer had a strike dimple but did not go off. So I tried with the next round and the trigger didn't engage.

Emptied the gun, removed the slide. Everything looked normal, put it back together and it shot twice then same thing happened. This time when I would pull the trigger, the slide would move a little bit backwards but wouldn't fire or cycle. I packed it up.

At home I had a heck of a time getting the slide off but eventually did. Completely disassembled the slide and found a decent bit of gunk around the striker. I figured this was it. Cleaned everything real good, light lube, reassemble. Racked and dry fired about 30 times and it was operating as normal.

Back at the range, it shot fine for 4 or 5 rounds then same thing happened. Took the slide off and noticed the hook arm (ejector? - not the extractor) that rides in a groove under the striker was kind of stuck a little bit. Freed it up with my finder and it snapped back into place - has a spring that rides in the groove and keeps tension on this hook. Reassemble and it shot again a few times and same deal.

This was all with PMC Bronze ammo. I noticed that all of the FTF's had strikes on the primer.

So, reassemble again and this time used Remington UMC JHP. Shot 3 mags without any problems at all.

So, anyone have any suggestions, sounds like a batch of hard primers or something with the PMC, but I'm not sure if there might be a mechanical issue. LIke I said this gun has ate everything I've fed it from Fiocchi to Winchester in the past with not a single issue. Now I don't know if I trust it.....

 

[Jim H]

Could be just hard primers, but it could also be 'gunk' inside the striker assembly. Disassembly is not supposed to be DIY, but others can talk you through how it's done.

 

[PittShooter]

Thanks Jim.

I am going to strip it again tonight. I've watched a few vids on YouTube and I've taken the slide completely apart a few times. I'm going to check the striker assembly again for fouling, then hit the range this week with a few boxes of Fiocchi, WWB, and the Remington UMC and see if I have issues. If no issues with that ammo I'll probably chalk it up to the PMC primers. If i do have problems then it's going back to S&W.

 

["JJ"]

Just curious, did you try any of the questionable rounds a second time? If it is just "hard primers", maybe a second strike would set it off. I am leaning toward this as the problem since you have never had this problem before & when you change ammo it doesn't happen. Just my opinion! Let us know what you figure out!

 

[PittShooter]

Thanks JJ - yep I sure did re-try some of those with light strikes. Unfortunately no discernable trend, a few would fire, some repeated the problem.

The part that really freaked me out was the second time it happened, when I pulled the trigger the whole slide moved back, maybe 1/16 or 1/18 of an inch and then "thunk" the trigger would go off and the slide would re-set to normal location (this was unloaded of course). Only after I took it apart would it stop doing that.

I'm going to see if my friend can go to the range with me and bring his XD9 and see if he has any issues with that batch of PMC. I only have about 20 rounds of it left. I'll post up my range report.

thanks guys

 

[airman]

Pittshooter - and all,

I cleaned and oiled my brand-new 9VE last night and attempted to fire 100 rds of Monarch 115 grain FMJ this morning. Results; 6 Fail-to-load,3 fail-to fire and 5 fail-to eject. By recycling all cartridges, it managed to get all to fire. One cartridge had to be struck the third time.

The gun got better toward the end and finally fired 15 - a whole clip. I hope it's just break-in blues. Next time I'll try Remington ammo.

Query: is this normal for a new gun?

 

[marlin.357]

Slide shouldn't move when you pull the trigger, the slide spring is stronger than the striker spring.

With the slide out of battery the striker is blocked by the little plunger on the bottom of the slide, pulling the trigger pushes it up, but if that plunger doesn't fully release the striker, or if there is dirt or debris in there I can see that you may experience the problem you have.

Try fully disassembling the slide and thoroughly cleaning he striker channel and the plunger recess. Don't use any lube when you reassemble, or use a light (very light) application of a dry lube or silicone.

 

[PittShooter]

Pittshooter - and all,

I cleaned and oiled my brand-new 9VE last night and attempted to fire 100 rds of Monarch 115 grain FMJ this morning. Results; 6 Fail-to-load,3 fail-to fire and 5 fail-to eject. By recycling all cartridges, it managed to get all to fire. One cartridge had to be struck the third time.

The gun got better toward the end and finally fired 15 - a whole clip. I hope it's just break-in blues. Next time I'll try Remington ammo.

Query: is this normal for a new gun?

I would say no, that is not really normal. As I said before I'd never had any problems with FTE or FTF ever before, the gun was rock solid out of the box for me. I'd suggest you take a look at what Marlin suggests regarding the plunger. Mine was gunky around the hole the plunger sits in. And yes, try some different ammo.

Still haven't made it back to the range this week, been some nasty weather here lately but hope to get there this weekend and will report. I did clean the gun thoroughly, but i'm going to do it again tonight just to triple check.

 

[PittShooter]

Sorry it's been so long since I updated this thread. I finally had a chance to run a few hundred rounds through the Sigma and determined that the problem was indeed the PMC ammo and not the Sigma itself.

I shot 200 rounds of Fiocchi and 200 rounds of Remington JHP and didn't have one FTF, FTE or any problem whatsoever. This was after a very thorough cleaning of the gun after the last time I went to the range and the PMC again gave me fits. I tried the PMC again after that and it still wouldn't fire consistently.

Switching to the other ammo brands cured all ills, and the Sigma is out of my doghouse and back on duty!

 

[Jim H]

Hey, thanks for coming back, and with good news, too!

I love a story with a happy ending.

 

[Jknox87]

Could be just hard primers, but it could also be 'gunk' inside the striker assembly. Disassembly is not supposed to be DIY, but others can talk you through how it's done.

So what you're saying is, you shouldn;t ever have to completely disassemble the entire slide?

 

[Jim H]

So what you're saying is, you shouldn;t ever have to completely disassemble the entire slide?

Well, the more 'politically correct' version is "There are no instructions on how to disassemble the striker assembly given in the Owner's Manual."

 

[John@JCDLESales]

Slide shouldn't move when you pull the trigger, the slide spring is stronger than the striker spring.

With the slide out of battery the striker is blocked by the little plunger on the bottom of the slide, pulling the trigger pushes it up, but if that plunger doesn't fully release the striker, or if there is dirt or debris in there I can see that you may experience the problem you have.

Try fully disassembling the slide and thoroughly cleaning he striker channel and the plunger recess. Don't use any lube when you reassemble, or use a light (very light) application of a dry lube or silicone.

.357 I'm betting your are correct and concur in pointing out cleaning out of FP Channel and also the FP Safety Plunger Channel. As some here might remember in another thread I pointed out losing an additional # Lb. of trigger resistance by replacing the Stock FP Safety Plunger Spring with a RP Spring. While replacing the Plunger Spring I did find a good bit of manufacturing debris residing in the Safety Plunger Channel.

 

[qcmetman]

I just purshaced a used 9ve. Went to the range this weekend and had that very same thing happen to me. Light hammer strikes. All I had for ammo was pmc bronze. Bought this stuff years ago. Had my Star BM with me and it cycled this ammo just fine. Makes me think there's more to it. Hope that's the problem. I'll give it a good cleaning. I hope it's as good as everyone says they are. I love the fit and the price I couldn't pass it up.

 

[PittShooter]

Thanks for the feedback qcmetman!

It's helpful to perhaps get a list of ammo that is not particularily Sigma friendly. Oddly enough mine has eaten everything but PMC Bronze without issue.

I think you'll love the Sigma as you break her in.

 

[qcmetman]

Just got back from the range. Winchester white box value pack, Remingtion JHP all feed just fine. PMC Bronze same problem.
Did a total tear down of the slide and found crud in the firing pin assembly. How do you know which pin you have. They offer different ones? Wondering if someone changed the spring in this pistol? Just a thought. Fun gun.

 

[PittShooter]

Hmm. I don't know how you would tell if springs have been changed unless you had the OEM ones to compare. You could probably figure out if you are missing any by watching the teardown videos on YouTube. I won't pretend to be the expert here, there are some members here who probably know the spring dimensions off the top of their head.

Was also unaware they offered different firing pins. Do you have any idea of the age of your particular Sigma - I think if it is a SW9VE it's not that old, maybe 5 or 6 years at the most (someone chime in please)?

I too found my pin and plunger areas caked with residue after about 500 rounds. I'm thinking perhaps too much lube around the firing pin from the factory. I don't have enough rounds through it to compare since my last teardown and cleaning and extremely light lube of those areas.

In this case to me, sounds like your Sigma is just fine, its that PMC ammo that is the problem.

 

[Quanah]

I believe if I bought a used VE and had anything resembling a light strike, the first things I would do are clean the FP channel and replace the striker spring with a fresh OEM part.

 

[qcmetman]

At this point I'm going to leave well enough alone. The good cleaning and not feeding it PMC seems to have worked. Just thinking out loud about the other possibilities. Nice to have this forum for feed back. Thanks

 

[John@JCDLESales]

At this point I'm going to leave well enough alone. The good cleaning and not feeding it PMC seems to have worked. Just thinking out loud about the other possibilities. Nice to have this forum for feed back. Thanks

Glad the cleaning got rid of your problem as it is usually one of the two
problems shown below that will result in Light Primer Hits in Striker Fired Semi Auto Pistols.