Issue with P-64 Failing to Go Into Battery

[eugene213]

Hello All,

Well, this is my first post.... and I think I already know the answer.

So, after a several year break from military surplus firearms purchases, I bought a P-64 from J&G.

I've cleaned several guns that were stored in cosmoline (Mosins, Yugo Mausers, Yugo SKS, etc). I'm a big fan of the "ziplock of CLP" method of grease removal....

I got my P-64 home, and did quick field strip and rough cleaning and then let all the parts sit in a ziplock of CLP for a night or two. Cleaned again, wiped down, and reassembled.

I came up with a few boxes of the Hornady Critical Defense ammo, and decided to run a mag through to check the chambering/cycling (just working the slide... not shooting). The ammo chambers fine... about 90% of the time.

Every so often, the slide fails to return forward all the way, with the extractor resting against the rim of the cartridge, rather than over it (as it should).

At first, I thought it might be related to me, and that I was easing the slide forward and not letting the springs work. I tried really slamming the slide back and letting it travel forward on its own... and while I ran into the problem less often... it still happened.

I'm going to go out and shoot tomorrow, so this might not even be an issue in 24 hours. That said, has anyone else experienced anything like this?

[juniustaylor]

I do believe one feller had a problem like this, it was relatively recent (within the last month or so). I think his was the recoil spring. It was weak and said the recoil was pretty sharp with it. You may see if it works its way out, if not, look into a Wolff replacement or even acquire a stock Polish spring. Good luck and welcome!

[eugene213]

Well, I'm sure you were all losing sleep over this...

Went out shooting today... 150 rounds (50 of it the Hornady Critical Defense ammo)... not a single failure.

Whatever the issue was, some CLP and shooting appears to be an acceptable answer.

Anyone else using the Hornady Critical Defense ammo for carry? I'm a little tempted to use this as my off-duty piece... I'd like to put some more of this ammo through the gun first though.

Any other suggestions for carry ammo? I already like this gun a lot better than my .380 keltec. There's something nice about steel...

[Curly1]

To test function I use snap caps.

Even then they may not feed or eject correctly and the final test is live fire at the range.

Have a Femaru that would not eject snap caps for anything but works fine with live ammo.

I would never use live ammo to test function if not at a range too many bad things could happen.
But that's me.