kcobean Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 I have a new-to-me Akai Custom 2011. It's had very few rounds through it but lots of dry fire by the previous owner. At a match today, I had an issue with the firing pin where if I dropped the hammer on an empty chamber (like when doing a sight picture trigger pull after Make Ready), the firing pin would travel forward and stick in the forward position. The firing pin channel is clean (I cleaned the gun thoroughly prior to the match). I don't know if the FP spring is a reduced power spring. What's the corrective action here? New FP? New spring? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 You might polish the firing pin, if it has any rough spots it would encourage sticking. Replacing the spring might cure the problem but I'd try one thing at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Make sure the firing pin spring is installed properly. The small diameter goes on first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troupe Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Is the pistol a open gun or a limited gun ? Limited gun, check the elevation screw on the rear sight. If it is a open gun or limited , check the firing pin stop for burrs. also role the FP on a piece of glass to make sure it is not bent. Check for any burrs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2MoreChains Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 +1 on checking the elevation screw especially if you've adjusted the rear sight since you took possession. If it extends too far into the firing pin tunnel it can cause what you're experiencing. I had the elevation screw on a couple of my guns trimmed for this reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Miles Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 (edited) Clean the firing pin tunnel and the firing pin again. Drop the firing pin in the tunnel without the spring. Does it travel back and forth freely as you tilt the slide? Edited October 20, 2014 by Pat Miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postal Bob Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 I had a similar problem on my 1911 9mm. It would be stuck all the way foward after I cleared the gun and dropped the hammer on an empty chamber. It ended being that the firing pin was every so slightly bent. It got bent when it got stuck partially foward because of debris in the firing pin hole. And when I went to load the gun next time, the cartridge rim hit the partially exposed firing pin and bent it. It would then get stuck completely foward when dry fired. A new firing pin solved the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMike Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Clean the firing pin tunnel and the firing pin again. Drop the firing pin in the tunnel without the spring. Does it travel back and forth freely as you tilt the slide? +1 to this. Also and this is obvious but make sure the firing pin is not bent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltdmstr Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 You might also check to make sure the hole in the slide was deburred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcobean Posted October 20, 2014 Author Share Posted October 20, 2014 Thanks guys. I'll do all of the things recommended above. In the event that I need to replace the firing pin, a few questions: I see them listed by caliber on STI's website, but it doesn't appear that they have an online store....EGW lists 4 different sizes of firing pins, .066, .068 and .075 and ".45 .093". Which of the first three is the correct one for a .40? (It's an STI slide) Is there a benefit to the Titanium FP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 An easy way to tell - if you have the equipment - is to run a number drill into the slide hole (try until you find one that fits snugly, use non drill end) and then look on chart or mike it and that will tell you the hole diameter. Then choose one that will give a few thousandths clearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troupe Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Stay away from the titanium. The hype is not worth the extra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcobean Posted October 20, 2014 Author Share Posted October 20, 2014 (edited) An easy way to tell - if you have the equipment - is to run a number drill into the slide hole (try until you find one that fits snugly, use non drill end) and then look on chart or mike it and that will tell you the hole diameter. Then choose one that will give a few thousandths clearance. If that's the procedure, could I safely use a micrometer on the existing firing pin to make the same determination? It's an STI slide. Does STI use a specific/standard size for all of their slides? Thanks. Edited October 20, 2014 by kcobean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Sure, but if the present firing pin sticks, and you determine that it is straight, no burrs or deformities I'd see if I could get one just a slight bit smaller in diameter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Neill Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 If all the above doesn't fix it, replace the firing pin spring. You mentioned it had been dry fired a lot. The front of the firing pin tunnel is not flat (it's conical from the drill bit) and will crimp in (and eventually break coils off) the firing pin spring. It would be really nice if the firing pin tunnel was counter-bored instead of simply drilled to give a flat shoulder for the firing pin spring to rest against. If the tip of the firing pin protrudes beyond the end of the spring when assembled together, the spring has taken a set and should be replaced even if the front coil has not been crimped. I recommend separate firing pin springs for dry fire versus live fire. I've disintegrated more than one firing pin spring through dry firing. Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postal Bob Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) Thanks guys. I'll do all of the things recommended above. In the event that I need to replace the firing pin, a few questions: I see them listed by caliber on STI's website, but it doesn't appear that they have an online store....EGW lists 4 different sizes of firing pins, .066, .068 and .075 and ".45 .093". Which of the first three is the correct one for a .40? (It's an STI slide) Is there a benefit to the Titanium FP? STI uses the same size firing pin for all their different calibers, .067". Just go to either Shooters connection or Dawsoin precision websites, and order an original STI firing pin and a new extra power firing pin spring. But also check the one in the gun first. As it's a custom made gun, they might've used an extended firing pin. My Brazos built 2011, uses a Dawson Precision extended firing pin. Look at the firing pin hole with the action open. If the end of the firing pin is almost at the edge of the firing pin hole, it's an extended firing pin. Edited October 21, 2014 by Postal Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dranoel Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Don't drop the hammer on an empty chamber. That's what snap caps are for. Dry firing on an empty chamber is one of the things that cause this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a matt Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I had the same issue at the NC sectional this year, turned out to be very small crack in my firing pin stop. It took a jewelers eye to see the crack good. I did like you and replaced the firing pin and spring. That only lasted a few weeks. When it happened the second time I knew I had to look for more the just a firing pin issue. It will not hurt to check the firing stop along with the firing pin stop. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWLAZS Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The firing pin is bent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcobean Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 The things you learn as you go..... When the slide was internally lightened, the channel on the under-side of the slide to the left of the firing pin tunnel was machined out far enough that it exposed the FP tunnel. Hard to describe it, but I'll see if I can get a photo. Anyway, that "window" into the FP tunnel was not deburred well (if at all) and the FP was dragging on some burring. I managed to clean the channel up and now the FP travels freely though its entire path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcobean Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 I got some pretty good pictures of this so y'all can see what I'm talking about. My first custom gun, but I've never seen anything like this before: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltdmstr Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Not sure I'd be ok with that. The cut should not have been that deep or that far over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcobean Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 Not sure I'd be ok with that. The cut should not have been that deep or that far over. That's what I was thinking. I sent a note to Shay to see if he'll look at these pictures and give me some feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postal Bob Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) Someone messed up with the slide lightening, and left it that way. With an opening in the firing pin tunnel, debris and fouling will get in there over time, causing more firing pin sticking problems. Edited October 21, 2014 by Postal Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcobean Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) Someone messed up with the slide lightening, and left it that way. With an opening in the firing pin tunnel, debris and fouling will get in there over time, causing more firing pin sticking problems. Think it's fixable, or am I facing slide replacement? And to be sure "someone" would be Akai. The gun is only 5 months old. Edited October 21, 2014 by kcobean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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