No fire on the double action?

[MeatGrinder42]

So I picked up my P64 a while ago, a 1969 manufacture, and have shot it multiple times off the SA. Then today I thought about it and decided to try it off the 'horribly stiff DA'. I don't know why I hadn't tried this before but anyway. I slid the magazine in, dropped the slide and flipped the safety for the decocker, flipped it back to fire and pulled the trigger. The hammer came back, and snapped forward but didn't ignite the primer. I pulled the trigger twice more to see if maybe it was a misfire and still yielded no shot.

After waiting a little while to make sure there wasn't going to be a hangfire I pulled the round out of the chamber and there was no indent from the firing pin on the primer. The pistol works off the SA but not off the DA, anyone know what's up? I thought it was just dirty and packed with that delicious cosmoline and cleaned and oiled it again. Tried it again and still no result on the DA, though the SA feels a lot smoother than it already was now.

I'm new to the P64 so I'm not sure if I'm missing something here that's right in front of me or what.

[lklawson]

Just for clarification...

After you tried to DA the round several times, did you then thumb-cock the hammer and hit it again in SA on the same round that had failed in DA?

Basically, I'm asking did you chamber the round, try DA, then without changing anything else except for thumb-cocking the hammer, SA?

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[MeatGrinder42]

Yes, I did thumb cock the hammer on the same round and it discharged.

[Weasel640]

Have you, or is it possible the previous owner had switched the hammer spring for a lighter hammer spring? I've heard that sometimes the 17 and 18lb hammer springs will fail on some P-64s. Just depends.

Also you might want to check the Hammer Strut, and Spring to make sure everything is installed correctly. Make sure that the Strut Washer is not missing.

[MeatGrinder42]

Thanks Weasel for giving me somewhere to start. I haven't installed any springs in the pistol since I got it and I'm the first technical owner of it since I ordered it from his catalog. I'll post my results tomorrow.

[lklawson]

OK, from the description it may be one of two things (that I can think of at the moment). One, that the DA trigger is allowing the hammer to drop before it is retracted sufficiently causing a light strike. This might be centered in the Sear interface. (http://p64resource.com/board/P64_Parts_List.pdf http://p64resource.com/board/P64_Assembly_Manual.pdf). However, you indicated that you're not seeing any primer marks at all, which doesn't sound much like a "light strike."

Two it might be that DA trigger is not sufficiently interfacing with the out-of-battery system, or possibly even forcing it into an out-of-battery condition (possibly forcing the Disconnector).

In your position I'd check the Disconnector (part #2), the Sear (part #5), and the linkages between them and the trigger.

I might also try a different brand of ammo.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk