Spring question HELP

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redfestiva
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Spring question HELP

Post by redfestiva »

My P-64 had already had a spring replacement when I bought it. The DA pull is nice when dry fired but at the range it will not discharge a round at all. Also sometimes the magazine falls out when firing. Also about 50% of the item the slide will not lock in the rear position after last round is fired. Having read the fix it threads it sounds like the hammer spring is too weak. Will installing a new Wolf spring fix my problems? If so , do I need a #18 spring? I see different people use different springs. Note: I prefer no malfunctions over easy DA pull. I might meantion that the single action function is fine. The fix it thread makes the spring swap sound simple enough but if any of you have additional pointers I'd appreciate them. I'll wait to get answers before doing anything. Thanks!

Steve in Ohio
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Post by normsutton »

Steve

Yes on the 18# SPRING or maybe19 # depending on your gun

take grips off cock the hammer there should be a hole in the bar put a needle in it then pull trigger and push hammer forward at same time ,then you can push the retaining pin out without using a hammer , lock the bar down in a vice then take vice grips lock around the spring retainer mag catch ,push down then pull out needle then let up slowly . put back in ,in reverse order

takes less than 10 mens
Last edited by normsutton on January 16th, 2007, 1:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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redfestiva
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Post by redfestiva »

2 questions :

1. Where is the little washer going to be that I keep reading about? I don't want to have to do this twice if I dont have to.
2. Is it true that the heavier the spring the lighter the SA trigger pull? I read that some people thought the #18 or lower springs made the SA pull dangerous for conceal carry. I ordered a variety pack of springs with 17,18 & 19 springs.
bzinggg
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Post by bzinggg »

The lighter the spring, the lighter both the DA and SA trigger pull. Some complained that after a spring change to a lighter resistance, the SA pull was so light that the gun would fire twice upon squeezing off in DA. The residual motion incurred as a result of the first shot making it impossible to release the finger from the trigger soon enough to keep it from bouncing a second shot off in SA. The SA pull is reduced, sometimes to less than 2.5 lbs, which is certainly described as a "hair trigger", and the hammer can fall the moment the trigger is touched, surprizing the shooter, who may not be safely aimed or ready.

I'm in favor of leaving the springs origional, cleaning the pistol really well upon acquiring it, and breaking it in with multiple DA strokes the first couple of times at the range. The origional DA pull will be somewhat smoothed out by this, adequate for urgent self defense, and all the rest of the time I cock the hammer before firing with a properly tuned and safe single action pull.
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Post by normsutton »

Steve

put the washer back in the same place it came off

all the problems you spoke of was with the 16# spring in some of the guns

if you don't have the washer use the 19# spring


NORM
Last edited by normsutton on January 16th, 2007, 8:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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redfestiva
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Post by redfestiva »

NORMSUTTON,
Your tip on using the needle (I used paperclip) through the little hole and the help of a vise and visegrips was right on. Along with the "how to thread" I got the spring in with less trouble than I figured. The DA pull is noticeably harder than it was but still acceptable. I put a #18 spring in. I will test the pistol tommorrow to see if it will now fire a round in DA. Before it sometimes failed to lock back after the last round fired and it sometimes dropped the magazine after a round fired. If those problems still remain I will install the # 19 spring. I hope that will not be necessary.
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Post by vermonter »

Did you buy it from a dealer who got it from a distributor, or was it used from a previous owner? This is EXACTLY what pisses me off. Everyone plays tinkerer. It's one thing to buy a Wolff spring and replace it, I have done this many times, but to "play gunsmith" and modify a factory part and then sell the gun is wrong. If you clip springs or replace them with ones made for other guns (HK) you have no business EVER selling that gun without restoring it to factory original. Someone may depend on that weapon for protection. I am a former armorer and I only use a QUALIFIED gunsmith for mods.
redfestiva
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Post by redfestiva »

I bought the P - 64 from a gun shop. They said they thought that the hard DA pull would make it hard to sell so they changed out the spring to fix it. Well it did indeed make the DA pull great but they obviously did not test fire the gun for results because with the new installed spring the gun would not fire at all in DA.
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Post by rcn »

I tried to improve the trigger pull on my P-64. Bought the Wolff spring kit and tried the 17, 18 and 19# springs. The project took weeks...change spring then out to the range on the weekend to test fire...never was smart enough to bring them all at once! The long and short of it was that the psitol would not function with anything other than the stock spring. The pistol would fail to fire or the mag would drop out. And most frustrating was that it was very inconsistent. Finally decided to put it back to original and leave it that way. I now have about 1500 rounds through it and it functions perfectly. The triger pull has improved dramatically but its still pretty stout. None the less I'll opt for reliabilty anyday. Anybody want a slightly used spring kit?
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Post by vinnie »

I kept min original. But I was working from home so I kept it at my desk and dry fired it about 5,000 times the first week I owned it. The double action is not bad now.
(And I could lift a truck with my trigger finger.)
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Post by bzinggg »

;D
redfestiva
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Post by redfestiva »

After installing a #18 spring in my P -64 I test fired it today and the slide locked to the rear after the last round fired every time. The magazine never released and dropped. However it still will not discharge a round in DA . I have now installed the #19 spring and will test it in the morning. What I did not remember to do is look at the primer after a failed DA pull and see if it has a light impression or even no impression. Tommorrow I will check that out if it still fails to fire in DA. At least 2 of my 3 problems are gone.
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Post by normsutton »

redfestiva

What ammo being used , I have the 18 # spring installed in all 4 of my guns and haven't had one miss fire yet, the ammo I use in mine is the MFS+p then I reload it .
and did you put back the washer


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redfestiva
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Post by redfestiva »

I have been using Silver Bear ammo. The little washer was not there. I was extremely carefull so I know I did not loose it. Does the small washer go on first before sliding the new spring on, therefore being on top of the spring? If it turns out I need the washer could I use any washer that would fit or is there something special about it. I imagine so long as it is'nt small enough to slip down into the spring.
normsutton
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Post by normsutton »

redfestiva
The washer is about 2 coils thick and as wide as the spring
when you take the spring off its the last to take off and the first to put back on before the spring
the gun smith might have lost it you might want to ask him about it


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