Peter M. Eick
Member
I am not sure this is the correct terminology so let me describe the problem. I have a heavily shot Springfield P9 Ultra Longslide 40 S&W. This gun if you are not familiar with it is a clone of the CZ75. It has an extra long slide. I have shot it nearly 10,000 times with generally hot reloads before I went the 10mm route and now I just plink with it. I freely admit I put a lot of hot reloads (book max) down the gun for years with no problems.
The last couple of times to the range the gun has been exceptionally difficult to disassemble. I have had to rubber mallet the slide off the last time. What I have tracked the problem down to is barrel link down lug is expanding slightly in the lower lug and the link down recess is also expanding thus creating some peened up metal that is binding the barrel which is what caused the hard disassembly.
I stoned off the bit of raised metal the link down lug and put it back together. Now I am thinking about reloading for it and shooting it some more. I took it apart and I can see that the spring guide sits in a machined 3/4 tunnel that at the rear end the metal is definitely raised and at the bottom also. Thus I envision that the slide guide is absorbing some recoil through the spring forces instead of the slide hitting the frame solely.
I then marked the slide (without barrel or spring/guide installed) where it would be in full recoil on the frame. I then assembled the gun and checked the same spot and yes the spring does not appear to be fully compressed PRIOR to the slide coming to full recoil.
These are wolff springs so I pulled another new one out for a long slide 40 as ordered from wolff (49814). It has 2 more loops but is made of .044 thickness while my spring (49718) is made of .046 thickness. This one does not appear to stack either, or the slide can be recoiled backed to maximum extent prior the spring full compressing.
Ok, Now I am stumped.
I see raised metal around where the spring guide rod seats in the frame.
I see slightly raised metal at the end of the spring guide rod.
I have a barrel that drags across the raised metal in the frame.
I have full slide excursion prior to the spring fully compressing (I think).
The current spring is a 49718 wolff. Hitting their web site they now say I should use a 43114/43116. Of course I have the 49814 (longslide EAA 9mm) and a 43014 (conventional P9 9mm).
I don't really want to retire the gun, but I can see that maybe I have just beat it up too much in my younger days. I was thinking about loading up some mild say 1000 fps 150 JHP's for plinking but before I crank off 2000 rounds of 40, I figured I should solve the gun issue. I don't really want to burn up all of those 40's in my 610 if I have to retire the gun from service.
So, any advice? I was thinking of ordering a new 43114 (longslide P9 40) and a 43112 to try them out, but I am concerned about that raised metal. I think that may be telling me something I am missing overall.
The last couple of times to the range the gun has been exceptionally difficult to disassemble. I have had to rubber mallet the slide off the last time. What I have tracked the problem down to is barrel link down lug is expanding slightly in the lower lug and the link down recess is also expanding thus creating some peened up metal that is binding the barrel which is what caused the hard disassembly.
I stoned off the bit of raised metal the link down lug and put it back together. Now I am thinking about reloading for it and shooting it some more. I took it apart and I can see that the spring guide sits in a machined 3/4 tunnel that at the rear end the metal is definitely raised and at the bottom also. Thus I envision that the slide guide is absorbing some recoil through the spring forces instead of the slide hitting the frame solely.
I then marked the slide (without barrel or spring/guide installed) where it would be in full recoil on the frame. I then assembled the gun and checked the same spot and yes the spring does not appear to be fully compressed PRIOR to the slide coming to full recoil.
These are wolff springs so I pulled another new one out for a long slide 40 as ordered from wolff (49814). It has 2 more loops but is made of .044 thickness while my spring (49718) is made of .046 thickness. This one does not appear to stack either, or the slide can be recoiled backed to maximum extent prior the spring full compressing.
Ok, Now I am stumped.
I see raised metal around where the spring guide rod seats in the frame.
I see slightly raised metal at the end of the spring guide rod.
I have a barrel that drags across the raised metal in the frame.
I have full slide excursion prior to the spring fully compressing (I think).
The current spring is a 49718 wolff. Hitting their web site they now say I should use a 43114/43116. Of course I have the 49814 (longslide EAA 9mm) and a 43014 (conventional P9 9mm).
I don't really want to retire the gun, but I can see that maybe I have just beat it up too much in my younger days. I was thinking about loading up some mild say 1000 fps 150 JHP's for plinking but before I crank off 2000 rounds of 40, I figured I should solve the gun issue. I don't really want to burn up all of those 40's in my 610 if I have to retire the gun from service.
So, any advice? I was thinking of ordering a new 43114 (longslide P9 40) and a 43112 to try them out, but I am concerned about that raised metal. I think that may be telling me something I am missing overall.
