Canik TP9SFX striker/firing pin breakage and spares

[random_guy7531]

Hey all,

 

So today, for what is now the second time, I've had the firing pin break off the striker on my TP9SFX. Evidently, this seems to be a bit of a problem with these guns, and I am more than a little peeved that I haven't even had my example for a full year before having to replace it twice.

 

Now, I assume that Century/Canik will replace my striker under warranty (they certainly did the first time around), but I wanted to check and see - does anyone here know of an aftermarket company making upgraded (i.e. more reliable/resilient) strikers for Canik pistols? I was looking around, and it doesn't seem like a titanium striker or similar is available. I don't even see anything for the Walther PPQ (which is 100% compatible with the TP9SFX).

 

Additionally, if anyone knows what causes these breakages, let me know so I can avoid it in the future.

 

Thanks!

[MemphisMechanic]

How often do you dryfire?

 

If you do a fair bit of it, do you use a snap cap in the chamber?

 

...See where I’m going with this?  

[old558]

Mine broke also, so now I use a snap cap when dry firing.

[random_guy7531]

So my replacement parts just came in from Century (as well as my snap caps). Hopefully this issue doesn't persist, but I am concerned that the new striker assembly I was sent has a noticeably stronger spring than the one I removed.

 

Is this to be expected? Will it wear in eventually as I break in the new component? If not, is there an alternative spring I should look to get and use?

 

Thanks!

[MemphisMechanic]

That’s the first time I’ve heart of someone worried their striker spring is more powerful.

 

As long as your trigger pull weight doesn’t go through the roof, and the slide doesn’t come out of battery because it’s stronger than your recoil spring, it will probably work great.

 

You can always swap the old striker spring onto the new one if it hasn’t been somehow redesigned.

[jaep1911]

I could be wrong but have heard that the common striker breakage is caused by the (original) striker spring being too strong and a replacement spring is supposed to be weaker. You may find a relevant thread about it somewhere on the forum.

 

Edited May 21, 2018 by jaep1911

[Weapon]

If your SFx has the original striker spring, those are way too stout. You can replace it with a Ghost 6.5lb striker spring for a Glock and likely never have a pin break again. Another option is the Glock 28 Newton spring. 

The reduced power striker springs also solve problems with failure to return to battery issues if you run a lighter recoil spring. Like basically all striker fired pistols, Caniks are cock on close and the factory striker spring will cause battery issues with any recoil spring under 14-15lbs.

 

I got one of the first SFx pistols and its original striker spring was over the max on my spring gauge so >10lbs. Canik apparently designed those for dry firing pencils to the moon. 

 

Since I mentioned spring swaps...ditch the factory block plunger spring and replace it with a Ghost reduced power block plunger spring for a Glock or a reduced power CZ block plunger spring from Cajun Gun Works. That makes a noticeable difference on the first SFx pistols but a huge difference on the newer ones that have the severe duty upgrade (which came out after the Sig p320 drop test fiasco). On the SFx pistols with the Severe Paranoia Upgrade, a block plunger spring swap will often reduce the trigger pull by a full pound and sometimes more. With the RP block plunger spring, a 28 Newton striker spring and a bit of polishing, you can get the trigger to 2.5lbs fairly easily. 

[bigdawgbeav]

Century Arms just posted replacement firing pins for sale on the site. $60... Plus other "maintenance" items.

[GEEKN8R]

And you get 2 firing pins for $60 :)

[bigdawgbeav]

19 hours ago, GEEKN8R said:

And you get 2 firing pins for $60

 

Ahhh... 2 pins, missed that part on my phone.  Thanks for the clarification.

[random_guy7531]

Quote

Century Arms just posted replacement firing pins for sale on the site. $60... Plus other "maintenance" items.

 

Oh this is great! Previously, I was not able to get spares, so I'm definitely glad they made them available (even if they are a bit spendy).

 

Quote

If your SFx has the original striker spring, those are way too stout. You can replace it with a Ghost 6.5lb striker spring for a Glock and likely never have a pin break again. Another option is the Glock 28 Newton spring. 

The reduced power striker springs also solve problems with failure to return to battery issues if you run a lighter recoil spring. Like basically all striker fired pistols, Caniks are cock on close and the factory striker spring will cause battery issues with any recoil spring under 14-15lbs.

 

I have had some (admittedly - rare/sporadic) issues with going into battery - in particular after slide lock reloads - so I just picked up the 6.5 lb Ghost spring you recommended. Hopefully, that will solve most of my problems. On a tangential note though, I do see that Ghost also has some ~4lbs striker springs available - has anyone tried those springs in a Canik or Q5? Do those lighter springs work better at all? I've never actually tried to tune springs on one of my firearms before so this is a bit of a new experience for me....

[MemphisMechanic]

19 hours ago, random_guy7531 said:

I do see that Ghost also has some ~4lbs striker springs available - has anyone tried those springs in a Canik or Q5? Do those lighter springs work better at all?

 

I have never seen a Canik with the slide removed, so I don’t know if they’ve copied the Walther PPQ’s unique trigger mechanism or if they’re a more traditional design.

 

In the Q5 I love how good the trigger is with all stock springs. And since the factory striker spring works just fine with a 13 pound recoil spring and nobody is breaking strikers, I doubt anyone will replace theirs.

 

With a light striekr spring in a Glock the primary motivation is to reduce the trigger pull weight, but in a PPQ all you have to do is swap the trigger spring in order to have a pull weight around 2.5 pounds so there’s no need to respring the striker.

 

Edited June 14, 2018 by MemphisMechanic

[Jeff O]

I use a Jager SS Glock non-captured guide rod with a Zev Gen 4 spacer an 11 lb ISMI recoil spring and a Ghost 6.5 lb Glock striker spring (still lighter by a good bit than the stock spring). Gun shoots very flat and runs flawlessly. My ammo makes 130 PF.

Edited June 14, 2018 by Jeff O

[MrPostman]

37 minutes ago, Jeff O said:

I use a Jager SS Glock non-captured guide rod with a Zev Gen 4 spacer an 11 lb ISMI recoil spring and a Ghost 6.5 lb Glock striker spring (still lighter by a good bit than the stock spring). Gun shoots very flat and runs flawlessly. My ammo makes 130 PF.

What load are you using?

[Jeff O]

1 hour ago, MrPostman said:

What load are you using?

 

147 gr Acme (Wisconsin) moly coated subsonic bullet, 2.9 gr TiteGroup, 1.125 OAL. A buddy of mine was skeptical of the PF so we ran 'em through my chrono and his in series and he pulled some bullets and weighed the powder

Edited June 14, 2018 by Jeff O

[random_guy7531]

Quote

I have never seen a Canik with the slide removed, so I don’t know if they’ve copied the Walther PPQ’s unique trigger mechanism or if they’re a more traditional design

 

I have a plain jane 4" PPQ, and from what I can tell, the mechanisms are identical (even if the spring tunings are not). At least, they are identical enough that the slides will mate between both guns, and will at least dry fire as expected. I have not attempted with live rounds, but I have no reason to believe they wont function together. The designs are actually close enough that I used my PPQ's firing pin in the Canik while I was waiting for the replacement.

 

Now, the various springs are of noticeably different  strengths - especially ever since the paranoia induced recall on Canik's part. My personal Canik predates the recall, and I never sent mine in, so I can't comment on what the newer ones are like. However I found that I liked the Canik trigger (pre recall) ever so slightly more than the PPQ's. The main thing I dislike about the Canik trigger is that the safety-dingus doesn't have the same geometry as the PPQ, and sometimes I fail to disengage it (particularly during one-hand shooting).

[MrPostman]

2 hours ago, Jeff O said:

 

147 gr Acme (Wisconsin) moly coated subsonic bullet, 2.9 gr TiteGroup, 1.125 OAL. A buddy of mine was skeptical of the PF so we ran 'em through my chrono and his in series and he pulled some bullets and weighed the powder

Ok cool, I was going to try 3 grains with a 147 xtreme but I may drop that a tenth. I was using 3.2 gr titegroup, 147 xtreme @ 1.130 and it was 139 pf out of mine.

[Jeff O]

Xtremes take more powder the moly bullet is faster.