The Unofficial P64 Resource Forum

Patient is a '73 Radom P-64. I replaced the hammer spring with a 18lb Wolf and the stock recoil spring was exchanged with a 20lb Wolf. New Wolf firing pin spring was used.

result is - DA pull is nice and smooth and SA pull is very light, maybe 2-3lbs, but ok.

However, felt recoil is painful, even with a Butler Creek grip wrap.

Any ideas on this problem? I like the handgun, it's very accurate at 21' and reliable but very hard on the hand.

You might want to add a few pounds to your recoil spring. If I remember I had the same problem a few years back.

i went with 22lb recoil spring and found the recoil to be almost nothing. went through 50 rounds and wished i had more with me.

gwbiker wrote:Patient is a '73 Radom P-64. I replaced the hammer spring with a 18lb Wolf and the stock recoil spring was exchanged with a 20lb Wolf. New Wolf firing pin spring was used.

result is - DA pull is nice and smooth and SA pull is very light, maybe 2-3lbs, but ok.

However, felt recoil is painful, even with a Butler Creek grip wrap.

Any ideas on this problem? I like the handgun, it's very accurate at 21' and reliable but very hard on the hand.

How is it compared to the recoil of the stock spring?

dickfunk wrote:

gwbiker wrote:Patient is a '73 Radom P-64. I replaced the hammer spring with a 18lb Wolf and the stock recoil spring was exchanged with a 20lb Wolf. New Wolf firing pin spring was used.

result is - DA pull is nice and smooth and SA pull is very light, maybe 2-3lbs, but ok.

However, felt recoil is painful, even with a Butler Creek grip wrap.

Any ideas on this problem? I like the handgun, it's very accurate at 21' and reliable but very hard on the hand.

How is it compared to the recoil of the stock spring?

About the same...brutal.

IMO, the P-64 needs a wrap around rubber grip, similar to what's available for the S&W "J" frame and the Star Firestar.

I think it's all perception - mine is stock in all areas and I have no issues with recoil. ???

dickfunk wrote:I think it's all perception - mine is stock in all areas and I have no issues with recoil. ???

Same here, as far as recoil. But the hammer spring kicks my butt.

dickfunk wrote:I think it's all perception - mine is stock in all areas and I have no issues with recoil. ???

Ditto. My P-64s and other milsurps are 100% stock. Only thing I've ever added is Hogue Handall Jr. grips.

Look back through the forum at the posts by guys who have screwed up their P-64s tinkering with them. The original designers of the gun knew what they were doing. I say keep it clean, fix something if it breaks, otherwise leave it alone.

Good advice hangfire. I have broken a lot of stuff in my 24 short years by "trying to make it better" only to have utterly ruined something. Sometimes I got lucky and was able to salvage it. Mistakes -- gotta love 'em. I learned, so I guess that's what counts.

I do admit that I changed the hammer spring and the recoil spring. I did not change the recoil spring for felt recoil, I changed it because I read about the 71 grain ammo which I know now never existed, it was a misprint. So, to do it over, I would have never bought that spring. As far as the hammer spring, I do like it.

about the springs: I too am wary of replacing anything stock- but I have been storing my 64 with the slide in the lock-back position to maybe take a bit of the tension out of the springs.
also I hate the safety switch as it is hard to move between the on or off positions due to the strong keeper spring- and it is is positioned where it will hurt your finger when pulling the slide back.
wayne

hangfire wrote:

dickfunk wrote:I think it's all perception - mine is stock in all areas and I have no issues with recoil. ???

Ditto. My P-64s and other milsurps are 100% stock. Only thing I've ever added is Hogue Handall Jr. grips.

Look back through the forum at the posts by guys who have screwed up their P-64s tinkering with them. The original designers of the gun knew what they were doing. I say keep it clean, fix something if it breaks, otherwise leave it alone.

I came here for advice on the P-64 not for criticism on my posting. Perhaps I'm wasting my time here.

I've used Military grade small arms since 1957 and I found deficiencies in most weapons, including the P-64.

Denis Marschal wood grips helped with felt recoil on mine, (wider and longer,front to back),helps disperse the felt recoil to more of your hand than the stock grips,IMO. Also did a 22 lb. recoil spring,and a 19lb. hammer spring,what a difference!! But its still not a weapon for the faint of heart,or weak of hand!!

I wear fingerless gloves (weightlifting gloves) if I am going to shoot a lot. It seems to help me.

I took a class awhile back and they said to be real careful about making changes to guns. Actually they said don't do them. The concern is mostly about making the trigger pull light, but it was said that any kind of change to the original gun can be used against you in court. Those juries are made of regular people off the street. The ones that have never held a gun can be tricked into believing nothing is something.

gwbiker wrote:

hangfire wrote:
Ditto. My P-64s and other milsurps are 100% stock. Only thing I've ever added is Hogue Handall Jr. grips.

Look back through the forum at the posts by guys who have screwed up their P-64s tinkering with them. The original designers of the gun knew what they were doing. I say keep it clean, fix something if it breaks, otherwise leave it alone.

I came here for advice on the P-64 not for criticism on my posting. Perhaps I'm wasting my time here.

I've used Military grade small arms since 1957 and I found deficiencies in most weapons, including the P-64.

I don't think anyone was being critical of your posting, without the spoken word with emotions and all, it is very easy to get the wrong perception of written replies. I've done it countless times, especially if I'm reading really fast and letting the first feel that comes to mind stick to someones post, I now go back and read things 4-5 times and just take away what was actually written and go from there.

I know what your talking about as far as the recoil goes. I've gone up to the 22# recoil spring, 20# hammer spring, and used a Hogue Jr. grip sleeve. With the 20# hammer, the D/A is still on the high side but I can at least pull through all the way and don't have to worry as much about the mag dropping prematurely. It may also lessen the recoil a tad since during the recoil it has to cock the hammer back, not much reduction, but every little bit helps. The S/A changed a little bit but about the same as the original, which was great on my 4 P-64's. I've since taken the sleeve off and left it off after finding rust under it from the hot humid pocket carry of the Michigan golf vacation. You may also try experimenting with your grip tightness, I found if I let the gun recoil a little more, it wasn't as bad as trying to keep the sights from moving as much, as far as the hand pain goes. That and you've got to expect recoil out of such a small package shooting the Mak round, as it is more powerful than the 380, and just a little less than the 9mm. Luger.

So, Welcome to the forum, and please let us know if any of the above suggestions help lessen the pain of the PIEROGI PISTOL!

When I go to the range almost everyone shoots something powerful. Most of my practice is with a 22. Yes, I can almost hear you guys now. I just don't think you need all that recoil all the time, not even most of the time. I use a 22 around 80 to 90 percent of the time I am out shooting. I am 100% sure I get a lot more practice than if I just used large caliber guns. You can save your hands and a lot of money by splitting your shooting time up between your carry gun and a 22.

Also, if you ever need to use your P64 for the real deal you are not going to notice the recoil or trigger pull.....