Possible damaged striker on SR9c

[FergusonTO35]

Hey guys. I removed the striker form my SR9c last night to determine why I had some light strikes. I found shavings inside the channel, however these weren't brass, they were steel. I noticed the tip of the striker which contacts the primer has a decidedly pointy appearance. In fact its rather sharp and fired primers don't have a neat round dent in them. They have more of a cratered jab in them. I wonder if the tip of the striker started to wear rapidly, leaving shavings in the channel. It appears to be properly centered with the hole in the breech.

 

[Rei40c]

Hey guys. I removed the striker form my SR9c last night to determine why I had some light strikes. I found shavings inside the channel, however these weren't brass, they were steel. I noticed the tip of the striker which contacts the primer has a decidedly pointy appearance. In fact its rather sharp and fired primers don't have a neat round dent in them. They have more of a cratered jab in them. I wonder if the tip of the striker started to wear rapidly, leaving shavings in the channel. It appears to be properly centered with the hole in the breech.

I'm pretty sure the steel silverish shavings are from ejector break in. I had them as well. They appeared as little flakes of stainless steel.

As far as the tip of the striker it sounds at least as if it is normal.

Also on the fired primers what you should be seeing is and impact in the center with a drag mark extending from the strike. Mine does the exact same thing and all SR's do as well. As it was explained to me its because as the spent casing cycles out of the ejection port the striker does not fully retract. That is the source of that scrape mark on your spent primer. Oddly this is intentional and by design. This seems very strange to me but they made it that way for a reason. What the reason was I could not begin to tell you.

So you don't have a broken gun. I've wondered myself about the extra wear I'd imagine takes place on the tip of the firing pin. But it seems not to phase it and I've heard of no problems with dulling or broken firing pins. I suspect its because whatever grade of steel the firing pin is made the primer can't harm it.

 

[Rei40c]

Horrible pic from but maybe you can see the crater marks. Its not that the strikers getting bad strikes. It strikes it perfectly center, the drag "scar" comes after the rounds down range and the casing's being kicked out the door from the slightly exposed pin.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks. Those are what the primers looked like when I first got the gun. Now, they look like they have a very tiny pierce mark with a bit of cratering around it and no drag mark. This can't be normal.

 

[Rei40c]

Oh I see now, yes that does sound weird. Maybe you did lose something at the tip of the firing pin. I read in another thread about your light strike issues as well. What would be perfect is if Ruger would send you an entirely new striker assembly, I mean everything, spring, cup, striker ect that you could just drop in yourself without sending it back to the factory.

One problem I did have with ordering a part from them was they sent me the full size part twice, despite me telling them numerous times I needed the part for the SR40C, I got the full size SR40 part, not the part for the compact version. So it took three times as long to get the correct part.

Sorry to hear of the problems, if that happened to me even a few times I'd have zero faith in the gun.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I called Ruger and they did agree to send me a new striker assembly, and asked that I return the old one in a prepaid envelope. Hopefully its just a single bad part and nothing more. I really like this gun!!

 

[FergusonTO35]

Ok, the new striker showed up yesterday. I carefully examined it and the old one under a light and it looks like its supposed to be kind of pointy from the factory. No observable difference between the two. I guess the shavings in the channel were the problem after all. Well, I guess I'll test fire this weekend and if the problem is solved I'll call Ruger and offer to pay for the new striker. I'd like to have a spare one anyway. Its quite a relief to know that there is probably nothing wrong with the gun or the striker, I just need to keep the striker channel clean.

 

[Rei40c]

Hope that's the case! And I'm with ya on extra parts, I have a spare recoil spring at the ready for when its needed. I'd love to have a back up striker assembly. Kinda like taking your gun back in time, at least with those parts anyway. Good luck!

 

[edgalang]

Ok, the new striker showed up yesterday. I carefully examined it and the old one under a light and it looks like its supposed to be kind of pointy from the factory. No observable difference between the two. I guess the shavings in the channel were the problem after all. Well, I guess I'll test fire this weekend and if the problem is solved I'll call Ruger and offer to pay for the new striker. I'd like to have a spare one anyway. Its quite a relief to know that there is probably nothing wrong with the gun or the striker, I just need to keep the striker channel clean.

I have a spare striker assembly too as well as a spare recoil spring, ejector, trigger reset, safety plunger and internal springs.

In regards to the primer marks. Why dont you use a snap cap to prove to yourself. You'll see the indents on all of them will be round and center. Without it actually being ejected violently, you won't see the dimple/drag mark.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I'll make some primed cases and see what the indentation looks like without the gun being fired.

 

[freedomcosts]

I was concerned about the drag-marks on my brass from the 9c- against their wishes I sent one to Ruger, and they said it's normal- the firing pin can't get back fast enough not to leave the mark. At least that's what I was told- it's normal.
I was having a light strike here and there is what brought it up, and when I sent it in I included the fired shell.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I fired the gun before work today. All rounds went bang 100%. The fired shells looked like those in the photo above, which is how they always have looked. The firing pin dimple from the SR9c is still not as forceful looking as that of my P95. I do have some extra power striker springs from Galloway and extra roll pins. Would one of these springs make a more P95ish strike to the primer? How hard are they to install? Is this a parts flying/profanity spewing endeavor? Or am I just worrying about nothing? :roll:

 

[FergusonTO35]

I installed the Galloway striker spring last night. Really its a pretty easy job, there isn't enough tension in the spring to cause it to go aloft when the pin is driven out. I found its alot easier to install the new spring when you start the roll pin in the striker body before installing the new pin. Then, install the spring, cup and shaft, lining up the hole in the shaft with the hole in the striker body. Use a pair of pliers like a small vise to press the pin through the body then tap it flush with your punch. Pretty easy!

After installing the Galloway spring I found the trigger now has a more linear, less mushy feel in the takeup. Finding the spot where the striker is about to be released is easier. This new spring should help with accuracy and reliability, making a good gun even better!! 8)

 

[FergusonTO35]

Well crap, the light strikes have returned. I fired 25 rounds of Remington ammo on Saturday. I had two light strikes which fired the second time. The other rounds showed shallow looking indentations. I took the striker out and there was nothing in the channel other than a little bit of powder fouling. Any suggestions before I call Ruger?

 

[Clovishound]

Any suggestions before I call Ruger?

Put the striker back to stock and try it again.

In case you don't know, if you send it back to Ruger with aftermarket parts, they will replace back to original, and charge you for it.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Will do, thanks.

 

[freedomcosts]

Agree totally, put it back to stock and send it to Ruger. Of course, when you get it back, if you re-install the new stuff......the parts are designed to work together, after all.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Its going back to Ruger today. Tried it out last weekend and now it light strikes 1 in 3 rounds. I hope Ruger fixes it right because I really, really like this gun!! :x

 

[freedomcosts]

I think you'll be glad you did. Hopefully they aren't backed up too far.

 

[Rei40c]

Well as you said clearly something is going on there and its good its going to be looked at in AZ and resolved one and for all hopefully. I know no one wants to send their gun away.

Your sig- "Single Six, P95, 10/22, GP-100, Service Six, SR9c" at least you won't be without completely. I dread the day (if) my SR has to go on vacation for any reason. I have no backup at all and its my everyday carry.

 

[vacextar]

What were you using to lube the firing pin/striker channel? Something light I hope?

 

[FergusonTO35]

I only use a smidge of Rem Oil, which is pretty light. The intial light strikes were caused by metal shavings in the channel but now it must be something else. Before I sent it out I examined the striker channel and there was just a little powder fouling in the front.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Your sig- "Single Six, P95, 10/22, GP-100, Service Six, SR9c" at least you won't be without completely. I dread the day (if) my SR has to go on vacation for any reason. I have no backup at all and its my everyday carry.

In addition to that, there is an S&W 10-5, Kel-Tec P32, Charter Arms Undercover, and Beretta 21A in addition to many long guns. So, I guess I have enough toys to keep me occupied for awhile.

 

[FergusonTO35]

UPS tried to deliver it to me last Friday but I wasn't home. I rescheduled to pick it up at the UPS hub in Lexington today. Fingers crossed!!

 

[FergusonTO35]

I picked it up this morning. According to the sheet packed with the gun they replaced the striker assembly and fired 40 trouble free rounds of Black Hills ammo. Black Hills must derive 99.99% of their sales from Ruger. Just eyeballing it, the tip of the new striker seems to protrude further than the old one did. Range report coming up!

 

[FergusonTO35]

Test fired on Friday, 50 flawless rounds. I think there is a minor difference in the original striker and the one that replaced it. Just eyeballing it the tip does look a bit longer, also the firing pin indentations are a bit deeper looking. They still look like a pointy jab rather than a round indentation like most guns produce. Oh, well, as long as it fires that what matters!!