Gun don’t work, throw $$$ at it.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Immaculate factory nickel 1908 Colt Pocket Hammerless .380- jammed constantly.
Tried 5 different brands of ammo with different weight and profile bullets ($)
Wolf recoil spring ($$)
NOS extractor and spring ($$$)
Another factory vintage magazine ($$$$)
Still jammed.......buh bye. :(
how long have you been throwing $$$ at it?
 
Once upon a time when they were a fairly new thing I bought a handi-rifle. I would have been far better off just giving it to someone when I discovered the dinner plate sized groups it gave at 100 yards instead of putting the work and expense into it I did to no avail.
 
Once upon a time when they were a fairly new thing I bought a handi-rifle. I would have been far better off just giving it to someone when I discovered the dinner plate sized groups it gave at 100 yards instead of putting the work and expense into it I did to no avail.
Dinner size plate, ouch! what $$$ did you do to it?
 
Oh, a bunch. Lots of load experimenting with different weights and brands of bullets including bullet seating depth and various powders I used. two different sets of stocks I made for it, plus the expense of making the 50 mile round trip to the range for a great number of times. At least gas didn't cost as much as slo jo has it up to now and it wasn't a problem finding supplies like now. I finally decided determination wasn't going to work and traded it off getting almost as much as I paid for the thing but of course I ate the other costs. Funny thing is the rifle I traded it for immediately gave me 3/4" groups at 100 yards with some of the ammo that I had left from the H-R fiasco.
 
Oh, a bunch. Lots of load experimenting with different weights and brands of bullets including bullet seating depth and various powders I used. two different sets of stocks I made for it, plus the expense of making the 50 mile round trip to the range for a great number of times. At least gas didn't cost as much as slo jo has it up to now and it wasn't a problem finding supplies like now. I finally decided determination wasn't going to work and traded it off getting almost as much as I paid for the thing but of course I ate the other costs. Funny thing is the rifle I traded it for immediately gave me 3/4" groups at 100 yards with some of the ammo that I had left from the H-R fiasco.
well you got dies and components out the deal!
 
You can take it to a NRA summer gunsmithing repair class and learn how to fix it under the guidance of an experienced instructor. First is to identify what is not working. Then addressing the issue until it's remediated.
 
You can take it to a NRA summer gunsmithing repair class and learn how to fix it under the guidance of an experienced instructor. First is to identify what is not working. Then addressing the issue until it's remediated.
I have narrowed down the issue to Magazine, bullet, and possibly the feed ramp is off. Good thing it’s a ramp barrel. If all else fail, gunsmith me a new barrel with the correct ramp (I think)

STi said they tested the gun with White Box and it shoot fine with Gen 2 mags.

So, the solution will be more $$$
 
it’s like a Tree that you watch grow and it when through a Tornado, you just want so bad to bring it back to life

Well, I just paid ~$120 to get an Astra Constable in .380 that I have owned for nearly 50 years repaired as (unbeknownst to me!) the extractor and 3 other parts behind it had been lost. It is the first centerfire handgun I bought myself and has been my "go to" SD/HD gun for most of that time. That is the only repair it has needed and none of the others have needed repairs. One, a SxS 12 ga. with fixed chokes was modified to take screw-in chokes. And my AK and 10/22 have had some "add-ons" bought for them (flash hiders, larger mags, & a larger "mag release" for the 10/22).
 
If any firearm of mine was that troublesome, it would be gone ASAP.
well, it’s my gun now and my problem now. I don’t want to put out a $1,000 firearm for someone who saved up forever to buy only to find out it has serious reliability issues. I’ll get this thing running!!!

I believe in Karma
 
I've been lucky to only own one gun that didn't function properly. It was a Dan Wesson 15-2 357 revolver that had a trigger issue which is probably why it was for sale. Used parts were pretty cheap so I bought springs, hammer, trigger to swap out and still didn't work right. I had the gun totally disassembled so many times I got to know it pretty well. After all that the only way it works right is with one side plate screw slightly loose under the grip. It's only a range gun and I haven't given up on it or have a lot invested.
 
I've been lucky to only own one gun that didn't function properly. It was a Dan Wesson 15-2 357 revolver that had a trigger issue which is probably why it was for sale. Used parts were pretty cheap so I bought springs, hammer, trigger to swap out and still didn't work right. I had the gun totally disassembled so many times I got to know it pretty well. After all that the only way it works right is with one side plate screw slightly loose under the grip. It's only a range gun and I haven't given up on it or have a lot invested.
I’m going to put new springs in my junk mag “boat gun” then put a bump, tack or small round screw head. see if that will help the feeding issues with gen 1 mags.
 
If it is an inexpensive gun and repair costs exceed value of gun that gun becomes my learning gun. I will disassemble it beyond a field stripping and see If I can put it back together. Key to not pulling hairs is to take pictures as you began to disassemble it.
 
My Ruger Mini 6.8 had issues. The only way it could hit the broad side of a barn was if you threw it at the barn. We had just got the safe act so all my AR's were history. What is one to do? So I threw money at the problem. Except for the rifle being inaccurate with many attempts to make it better, why not just send it to the experts. Sold the offensive rifles, took the capital and applied it to my Mini. Cost as much as I paid for the rifle. Now I have something to be proud of, shoots great, and will last me a long time. Sometimes you got to let them go, and sometimes you have to pay the cost of doing business.

Failures aside. I think the biggest reason we throw money at something is we want to end up with something nice or at least think we will.
 
If it is an inexpensive gun and repair costs exceed value of gun that gun becomes my learning gun. I will disassemble it beyond a field stripping and see If I can put it back together. Key to not pulling hairs is to take pictures as you began to disassemble it.
Cost me $1,000 used 4-5 years ago. Big reason I don’t buy used guns much anymore
 
A long time ago my wise old Daddy told me that the way to solve a problem isn't to throw money at it trying to fix it yourself ...But you hire an expert to fix it ...pay him once and the problem is fixed .

I was having trouble with my 1970's model 41 S&W ... instead of buying all kinds of new parts and throwing money at it ... I took it over to Clark Custom Guns ... they did an overhaul and a tune up and a target trigger job and tuned my magazines ... cost $275 and the gun is better than when it was new ... Them boy's work magic on triggers .
Spent a total of $275 on the reliability package , tune up and trigger work ... done by experts ...
Best money I ever spent .
Gary
 
A long time ago my wise old Daddy told me that the way to solve a problem isn't to throw money at it trying to fix it yourself ...But you hire an expert to fix it ...pay him once and the problem is fixed .

I was having trouble with my 1970's model 41 S&W ... instead of buying all kinds of new parts and throwing money at it ... I took it over to Clark Custom Guns ... they did an overhaul and a tune up and a target trigger job and tuned my magazines ... cost $275 and the gun is better than when it was new ... Them boy's work magic on triggers .
Spent a total of $275 on the reliability package , tune up and trigger work ... done by experts ...
Best money I ever spent .
Gary
I sent it back to STi and they did a few things and the gun runs with gen 2 mags. But I one mag runs on longer .40 and the other shorter. .40.

I polished the breach face and extractor. Now both runs pretty smooth with short and long loads.

one thing I did mess up was grinding too much of the main spring plug, now my hammer is a tiny bit floppy (.001” floppy). So so I’ll get a new plug and refit it.

I’ll be in NC in july and I can literally shoot in the back yard. I’ll report back on function on the gen 2 mags. And, bitterly on my modified gen 1 mag with the bumb mod
 
A long time ago my wise old Daddy told me that the way to solve a problem isn't to throw money at it trying to fix it yourself ...But you hire an expert to fix it ...pay him once and the problem is fixed .

I was having trouble with my 1970's model 41 S&W ... instead of buying all kinds of new parts and throwing money at it ... I took it over to Clark Custom Guns ... they did an overhaul and a tune up and a target trigger job and tuned my magazines ... cost $275 and the gun is better than when it was new ... Them boy's work magic on triggers .
Spent a total of $275 on the reliability package , tune up and trigger work ... done by experts ...
Best money I ever spent .
Gary
I’ll send it to them if I get grey hair trying to get this thing to run
 
I've been lucky to only own one gun that didn't function properly. It was a Dan Wesson 15-2 357 revolver that had a trigger issue which is probably why it was for sale. Used parts were pretty cheap so I bought springs, hammer, trigger to swap out and still didn't work right. I had the gun totally disassembled so many times I got to know it pretty well. After all that the only way it works right is with one side plate screw slightly loose under the grip. It's only a range gun and I haven't given up on it or have a lot invested.

Have you checked the length of that screw? It's possible that it is a bit too long and is either binding on or putting pressure on something inside that is causing the trigger to act up. Try checking for "wear marks" on the internals that shouldn't have any. Then use some very fine emery cloth or a small needle file to take off the excess material.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top