SR9c Recoil Spring & Guide

I noticed after the last cleaning that the round polymer "button" on the end of the recoil spring guide protudes a little beyond the end of slide. I can push it back in place but as soon as the slide is racked it's out again. I'm only guessing, but it protrudes about 1/16 inch. Is this normal and not a worry? Or is it time for a vist to AZ?

Maybe I should add, it shoot great, flawlessly.

I know the SR9 platform has a different slide spring arrangement from the SR9c, but my button also extends slightly past the front face of the slide. I can push it in flush, but it comes back to 'normal' position when I rack the slide. Frankly, I think the button should be where it is.

As an experiment, I locked the slide back so that my rod is exposed (that didn't come out right), and I can move it in and out ever so slightly. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

john16443 said:

I know the SR9 platform has a different slide spring arrangement from the SR9c, but my button also extends slightly past the front face of the slide. I can push it in flush, but it comes back to 'normal' position when I rack the slide. Frankly, I think the button should be where it is.

As an experiment, I locked the slide back so that my rod is exposed (that didn't come out right), and I can move it in and out ever so slightly. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

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John, thank you for the reply. That's exactly how my SR9c guide rod does. Guess it just looks odd but does it's job.

Mine is also as you described. I figure they designed it slightly longer than the stroke of the slide to avoid any stress on the plastic.

It could also be a measure to keep it from going out of battery if it's pushed up against something. I looked at a springfield xd at a gun show once, and the recoil spring guide rod stuck out from the front as well. I asked the guy about it, and he said it's so that if you have to jam it up against a person, it won't go out of battery, and will still work. Kind of morbid, but you never know.

distortion said:

It could also be a measure to keep it from going out of battery if it's pushed up against something. I looked at a springfield xd at a gun show once, and the recoil spring guide rod stuck out from the front as well. I asked the guy about it, and he said it's so that if you have to jam it up against a person, it won't go out of battery, and will still work. Kind of morbid, but you never know.

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A bit morbid yes, but I don't know about that, maybe if against solid bone it would work as designed. Us humans aren't normally brick walls and have lots of mushy parts, especially in our torsos where one would commonly think of having a gun 'jammed' to be made to comply. Personally, I can't believe a rep (especially representing one of the big companies) actually said that to anyone that wasn't in a dark alley somewhere.

Simple answer that I can think of for the tip of the Guide Rod's protruding some through the end of the slide? Extra tolerance to pre-compress the spring(s) to keep the Guide Rod assembly in place. Remember it's a 2 piece design for the SR9c and that some slack could be found. The Guide Rods aren't precise time pieces, just something simple and mass produced that just works. I'd also have to say as someone who works in design of assemblies with other branded bearings and other odds and ends, that it's easier to design the Guide Rod around a Spring as opposed to design the Spring around a certain Rod spec and length. I'm sure Ruger can order custom springs, but if they can use something readily available for a lesser price, they probably will, especially today.

Josh

I'm not sure if he was a rep for the company, but the rod did seem like it was manufactured for that express purpose, it was sort of an extra extension of it, with a dimpled plate on the front. He might have been a manufacturer of the custom rods, and had put one in an example gun that was then up for sale, my memory's a little fuzzy on it, it was about a year ago. I just remembered him telling us that, because it was a weird thing to say to two civilians looking at buying firearms.