Revised striker doesn't fit

[MemphisMechanic]

So... be aware that it looks like you can't just throw a new-style striker into an 'old' gun and go.

The narrowed portion of the striker, where the spring cups fit, is now tapered only on the sides. The spring cups are 1/8" apart when you attempt to stuff them down into the striker spring.

In other words, I need spring cups or something else revised to fit this into my gun.

Those of you who have just ordered a new-style striker to keep in your spare parts box should be aware of this.

[Sean Gaines]

thanks for the information! didn't realize they changed it, why would you change something that works?????

[cyclone336]

I am confused. So the new style striker won't fit and/or work in an older gun. Or are you just talking about swapping the spring cups from an old style striker and putting them on a new one?

[kend]

'cause evidently it didn't work......

MM, did your new striker come as an assembly or just a bare striker?

[MemphisMechanic]

Fresh off the phone with s&w customer svc.

They have eliminated almost all the sharp edges (stress risers) on the revised assembly. Since someone above asked, they DONT work. Been breaking in dryfire, when done a lot.

You cannot slide the new striker into the old spring, cups, and guide. Requires a whole new assembly. Whomever I ordered the first one from didnt know this, and sent a bare striker. Hey, Im getting the whole assembly for free now. So Ill have THREE strikers. Which means I will never bbreak one.

I'll post pics side by side - old versus new. Obvious difference.

If you have picked up a bare striker for a spare, make sure it FITS YOUR GUN before finding out at the Nationals that it doesn't fit.

[kend]

That's what I was wondering, they sent us a batch that were bare as well.

[ryan45kim]

Is it just the original spring cups that don’t work with the new striker?

Are the striker spring and guide also changed from the original design?

Thanks, Ryan

[MemphisMechanic]

S&W is sending me a complete striker assembly. When it shows up this week, I'll pop the cups and spring out of both of them, and post some pictures. This is something we should all be up to speed on.

The S&W C/S rep that I talked to the second time was VERY surprised that I was sent a bare striker on the first call: Felt everyone at their shop should have known about this issue, and not sent a new striker to fit an old gun without sending the entire unit.

[ryan45kim]

I look forward to you’re update.

Thanks, Ryan

[Filishooter]

I had the same problem. Old striker broke and they sent me the new design striker (minus the rest of the assembly). S&W sent me an entire assembly to replace it and didn't want me to send the other one back, so now I have a spare. Looks like the sleeve and spring would work but the cups are different (flat slab).

Edited March 2, 2010 by Filishooter

[MemphisMechanic]

New striker is here.

The old one was perfectly round with sharp corners where the spring cups ride. Had two cups.

The new one has two flats that gradually taper off at the ends - I assume to remove the stress riser where they broke in dryfire. It only uses a single slotted spring cup.

New coil is probably stronger. Some of the length difference will be due my old one being broken in, but the old one had 21 coils, and the new one has 23.

Difference in trigger pull-weight is negligible. If anything, the trigger has a smoother break slightly farther back than the original. I only left 1/8" of gap between the trigger and frame stops when doing the trigger job, and I think that may just have been cut in half.

Edited March 5, 2010 by MemphisMechanic

[ryan45kim]

So if I understand this correctly

1) There are two different strikers the original and the new model, but both will work in all M&Ps

2) The spring retainers will only work with there specific striker either original or new

3) There are two striker springs original and new. The springs are interchangeable but the new one has more coils and should be stronger and heavier.

4) The retaining plate spring is the same for both strikers

5) The striker guide is the same for both strikers

[raz-0]

there are i believe 5 revisions of the striker. 

all before the one that has the flat narrow area use the same parts, but there are different ones. 

L-shaped original (not a lot around)

L-shaped with chamfer behind the head to reduce stress.  

J shaped version of above.

J shaped with flats on the head.  (don't think this was around for that long)

J shaped with flats on the head and flat "waist" that needs the new spring cups. 

[ryan45kim]

So are all the parts interchangeable except the striker and spring cups?

[MemphisMechanic]

I believe so.

1) There are two different strikers the original and the new model, but both will work in all M&Ps

2) The spring retainers will only work with there specific striker either original or new

3) There are two striker springs original and new. The springs are interchangeable but the new one has more coils and should be stronger and heavier.

4) The retaining plate spring is the same for both strikers

5) The striker guide is the same for both strikers

To the best of my knowledge, you are correct on all counts.

The new one will work in all 9mm/40 M&Ps. If you order one from S&W or anywhere else, just make sure you get the complete assembly, and you'll be fine.

Numbers 3, 4, and 5 are correct. Those parts are interchangable.

[TAP]

I broke my trigger return spring on my M&P today so I decided to do a full cleaning and parts replacement. I replaced slide release, trigger spring, recoil spring and striker assembly (I was still using the old black style striker).

After reassembly, my reset is laggy. I could hear it reset but the striker doesn't always fall when I pulled the trigger. I replaced the new striker assembly with the old one and everything now works 100%. Any ideas why the new striker assembly would be binding?

The replacement was the full assembly and not just the bare striker.

ETA: Turns out my striker was tuned with a trigger job I had. I will need a new trigger bar and sear to use a new striker.

Edited February 6, 2012 by TAP