New guy with 2 P64's and a question

jfj707 · Post by **jfj707** » February 24th, 2010, 9:41 am

Hey all! Just got in my first milsurp firearms yesterday. I got two P64's ('67 and '72) from AIM Surplus. They both look to be in pretty good condition, but the older one looks like it might have a potential issue.

As you can see from the picture, the feed ramp on the '67 looks like it is either a completely different shape altogether or that not nearly as much material was removed from it as was from the '72. Or both.

Either way, it doesn't even feed ball ammo very well. In fact, its about a 100% failure rate unless the slide is slammed forward. I know it is popular to polish the feed ramps, and I would like to, but I think the '67 needs more than polishing! Is this normal, and what are my options?

Thanks!

juniustaylor · Post by **juniustaylor** » February 24th, 2010, 10:43 am

There are two types of magazines for these. Maybe this was the reason why your '67 looks different. They did some changes in '72 with the trigger, hammer, and some other junk. Maybe one of the other folks can elaborate on this. The difference in the magazines is that the older magazines had longer feed lips (I do believe), which can actually affect the feeding in the newer guns "Post '72". So, a lot of folks would simply grind the feed lips to make them shorter and match another mag they had with the shorter lips.

Soooo.... Hypothecially, if I'm correct in all this, your '67 has more metal on the ramp gone.. the longer feed lips would keep the round lower longer so it would probably hit the ramp and allow it to feed. This is hypothetical and I hope I'm correct.

Bottom line, check your mags, see if they're the same or different feed lip length.

Post by **normsutton** » February 24th, 2010, 10:46 am

jfj707

can't see the chamber area

NORM

cichlid · Post by **cichlid** » February 24th, 2010, 10:52 am

Check this thread, I'm going to guess you have different magazines. I had a similar problem with my p-64 feeding and traced it down to a magazine problem. There are two different styles and a picture is posted in this thread. The longer runners or magazine lips work on the later model guns, the shorter runners or magazine lips work on the older ones. I have three, a 67, 68 and 75. The short runner works on all three. The long runner magazine only works on my 68, and 75.

Also, my 75's feed ramp looks just like the one on the left in your picture, which tells me it is normal. Check the pic in the thread and you'll see what I mean.

viewtopic.php?t=3095&start=0

jfj707 · Post by **jfj707** » February 24th, 2010, 11:17 am

Ah, ok, all 4 of the magazines provided have the long runners.

Actually, the '67 has a lot more metal in the ramp, and you can see a clear division between the ramp and the chamber, whereas on the '72, it is one long, smooth feed area.

So... I don't need to modify the ramp so much as the mags? That would be welcome news.

NORM, I can get another pic once I get new batteries... my stupid camera eats through AA's like crazy.

BTW, the '67 is on the RIGHT.

Update: Just took the mag. out to the shop and dremeled and sanded the runners on one mag. Feeds them perfectly now! Unfortunately the slide doesn't lock back now. Did I do something wrong or is that what the older mags did?

juniustaylor · Post by **juniustaylor** » February 24th, 2010, 11:57 am

Ejector/Slide Lock lever contacts a spot on the follower. So, unless you messed the follower up, it should lock the slide. Well, it should lock it back if the magazine is fully inserted and then pull the slide back. When you remove the magazine, pull the slide back until it clicks and release, it will go forward.

-EDIT-
Here's a picture.

jfj707 · Post by **jfj707** » February 25th, 2010, 11:20 pm

So in other words, should I just take a little bit of material off one side and see if that does it?

Do we know which side? I am not sure from looking at the picture.

By the way, I got it to lock every once in a while with the mag I dremeled. The other mags all lock it back like they should. Hey, at least it is feeding.

juniustaylor · Post by **juniustaylor** » February 26th, 2010, 12:00 am

It shouldn't matter how much you remove from the feed lips. The important part is a little ledge on the follower that contacts a little lip on the lever. Take the slide of, and insert a magazine. You will see where the follower contacts that little tip. I'll have to look into this more but for now I have to get ready to go into work, darn night shift.

juniustaylor · Post by **juniustaylor** » February 26th, 2010, 11:40 pm

I have time to talk about this more.

Anyway, you can see in these pictures where that little "tip" thing is on the slide stop lever and you can see in the second picture where it contacts the follower.

Make sure this little spring is in place

It sounds weird that your slide will lock back sometimes, but not consistently with that mag. You didn't modify that part of the follower where that tip contacts did you? Simply modifying the lips won't affect your slide locking back. Only things I could think of is if that tip were broke off, which it's not since it locks back with other mags. The second is if the mag spring was worn out and didn't have enough umph to allow the follower to lift the lever. Third is if you ground that ledge off that the tip contacts on the follower. Hope these pictures help some.

jfj707 · Post by **jfj707** » February 28th, 2010, 9:57 pm

Hey, thanks for those great pics. No, I did not modify anything but the lips. I went and shot a clip again and it locked like it should have... kinda weird. Anyway, I am loving these guns! Thanks a bunch for your detailed help.

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