Ruger SR9c troubles

[au_prospector]

I have an early model Ruger SR9c. Serial number dates it to second year of production. I bought it at the LGS as a used firearm.

Trouble from the get go, and I have had it 3 years. Light primer strikes, a lot at first then it seemed to be less common. Then about 6 months ago light strikes about every 3rd round. Also trigger failure to reset would happen once per mag. Frustrations mounted and I contacted Ruger to see what was to be done.

To their credit they sent me a prepaid shipping label. I stuffed the original box, paperwork, and firearm into a FedEx medium box and off it went. I had it back 8 days later with the following note. "Replaced magazine disconnect, slide stop assembly, striker assembly, striker blocker, trigger assembly, trigger lift bar spring, trigger bar reset, fire control housing, ejector, chamber indicator repainted." "reassembled and function fired 54 rounds of Winchester White box 115 grain FMJ utilizing both magazines."

I thought to myself sheesh! I got my old frame and slide back with all new guts! I am ready to rock and roll!

Took it to the range today and felt good as it digested a magazine no problem. Third round of the second mag, I got a light primer strike. Every third or fouth round after that for about 50 rounds same thing, light primer strikes. BLAAAAAAAAH packed up and went home.

So I bought it home, and as much as I hate altering firearms as IT SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY!!!! I took it apart and removed the magazine disconnect safety. Why did I do this? Because the Interweb said this likely will fix the problem.

We shall see, I go back to the range on Monday to check.

 

[edrice]

I'm interested in your results. I have one of these but have had no problems as of yet. I've been thinking about removing the mag disconnect anyway, as I've done in other pistols.

 

[BSA1]

This sounds more like a primer issue than a problem with the gun.

What type of ammunition are you using? Have you tested it with same ammo Ruger used?

Striker fired guns don't not have as much energy as ones with firing pins. With a high primer the first hit fully seats the primer and the second one fires it. With my Beretta 92's they always fire rounds with high primers the first time.

 

[bannockburn]

au_prospector

I have an SR9c as well and no problems with it so far. I'm kind of thinking like BSA1 is: light primer strikes with original internal parts, Ruger replaces internal parts and no light strikes, now back to you and light primer strikes again. Maybe it's the ammo. I would try a lot of different brands and track the results.

 

[tahunua001]

when I was first thinking about concealed carry I bought two guns the same day to test head to head. one was a SR9C about the same time as yours. I put 25 rounds of cheap reman ammo through it and I think there were light strikes. I had done plenty of research prior and had heard about guys taking the mag disconnect out so I did it right then and there. since then I've been thousands of rounds through it without any other failure of any kind... unless you count my failure to put a round where it was supposed to go. the majoy problem with the mag disconnects is that you really have to force the mag home when you insert it to make sure it's fully depressed. if you just slowly push until you hear it click in place then you might not be fully disengaging the mag disconnect and it's preventing the striker from moving forward at full force. I love rugers, hate the mag disconnects. I bought a 9E this spring, first thing I did was take it out of the box, and take out the mag disconnect(which is way easier on the E series than the SR series by the way) so far I have had zero failures and don't expect any.

 

[au_prospector]

Gunna find out in the morning if this solves the problem. . .

On the rounds with light primer strikes, the unfired primer looks as if the striker barely hit it. In my fired ammunition the primer hit is obviously hard with a large indent.

The magazine disconnect is under spring tension and is in direct contact with the striker assembly. The striker assembly slides against the U shaped mag disconnect safety. The problem persists for me with Federal American Eagle Factory, Winchester White Box Factory, Winchester NATO, and my various personal reloaded ammunition. I will say this, the firing pin does not really stick out very far through the bolt face.

I have no such problems with my reloads running in a Beretta 92 nor a S&W 5906, yet the SR9c light strikes several times per mag. My pistol was manufactured in January 2011. This very problem is well documented with google searches in the early production guns. I asked the "Ruger Girl" who answered the phone and she said they still get in a few of these per week.

 

[Jim NE]

Just a thought. I have a Ruger Sr9c (don't know what year) and I also used to own a Ruger P 345.

I never had problems with either gun, but I remember that with my P 345, there were major warnings about never dry firing the gun without a (empty) magazine in it, because the magazine disconnect would cause the firing pin to be permanently damaged.(It was generally believed that you could avoid this dry firing dilemma in the 345 by removing the mag disconnect.)

To my surprise, although there was nowhere near the number warnings and cautions, I read somewhere (in the owner's manual or on a website...I can't remember) that the SR9c was ALSO susceptible to firing pin damage when dry firing without an empty mag. I can't say this with 100% certainty, but that's what I recall.

So did you dry fire your SR9c much without a mag when you first bought it? Maybe the previous owner did. If so, it could be at least part of the problem. Best wishes.

 

[au_prospector]

You are right Jim

There is a warning about this in the SR9c owners manual. I did not dry fire the gun much, and almost never with the mag out. The previous owner may have dry fired it though.

 

[tahunua001]

that shouldn't be an issue though because they basically replaced anything that moves in it. I don't think the SR9 would have to worry about damaging the firing pin as it's metal and the mag disconnect is plastic but I could forsee the mag disconnect either breaking apart and preventing the firing pin from working properly, or just becoming non functional, either way, not an issue at this juncture considering the amount of work that Ruger put into it.

 

[weblance]

I don't think the SR9 would have to worry about damaging the firing pin as it's metal and the mag disconnect is plastic

First off... the SR series doesn't have a mag disconnect. It has a striker blocker, and its most definitely NOT plastic. Its steel, and the problem is without the magazine inserted to push the blocker up out of the striker channel, when dry firing, the striker slams into the blocker, over and over again.

 

[JR24]

I know when they first came out many of the light primer strikes were from crud and such gumming up the striker channel. It was advised to clean it out real good before shooting, and every so often during use.

I kept mine clean and had zero issues with my SR9c in the nearly 4000 rounds I had in it.

Dunno if that helps or not.