SVI didn't go bang!?!?!?

[UltraTen]

OK guy's what do you think this would be??

I'm at a match last night, no gun problems on the first 3 stages.

On the last stage were supposed to double tap 4 targets free style, mag change, then go back and shoot them weak hand only.

Went through the freestyle and the first 2 weak hand OK.

Then it started, as I lined up the 3rd target........ click.......nothing.

Racked the slide, round hit the ground, bang, click.........nothing.

Racked the slide, round hit the ground, bang, click.........nothing.

Racked the slide, round hit the ground, click.............nothing.

Racked the slide, round hit the ground, bang, bang.

At first I thought I had gotten into a batch of bad primers or maybe some high ones.

I picked up the 4 rounds off the floor, no firing pin hit, not even a scratch.

Went home and checked the gun out, did the pencil test.

Nice hits every time.

Any guesses as to what may have caused this??

Nothing but problems lately.

[bulm540]

could be crud in the firing pin tunnel. have you checked your firing pin. could be broke.

[L9X25]

Have you adjusted or checked the overtravel on the trigger lately? Not enough overtravel can cause it to drop the hammer to half-cock.

Have to checked the grip screws for tightness lately?

Since it passed the "pencil test" I doubt that anything is broken.

[lmccrock]

Pencil test? Is that where you load a pencil in the barrel and launch it with the firing pin? If so, sounds like the firing pin is working.

What ammo? Caliber? Factory or reloads? New batch of brass?

Lee

[racerba]

Might be a piece of dirt that is arbitrarily blocking the firing pin. Take it apart and clean the firing pin channel.

[HighVelocity]

I agree with the above, check the firing pin channel, spring, etc. Also look to see if the tip of the firing pin itself is damaged.

[tpcdvc]

Another thing to check and or think about..........sometimes when a hammer follows the hammer will go to half cock and then when you pull the trigger you will feel the click (the hammer falls from half cock) but of course no bang and no mark on the primer.

Edited December 18, 2008 by tpcdvc

[want2race]

I've seen this recently: The back of the firing pin had a small lip on it (peening from hammer hitting it). It would not come back out and stick out through the hole. There is a small bevel (supposed to be) on the inside of the FP stop. The firing pin burr was catching and not letting the firing pin come back through the hole after the hammer hit it. I deburred the end of the firing pin and that fixed it. Tap, rack would sometimes work, sometimes not.

Just one more thing you can look at. This is possible, especially since you've tested it at home and all seems well. That means the FP stop is located properly and the FP is coming back through the hole....now.

[Jake Di Vita]

Another thing to check and or think about..........sometimes when a hammer follows the hammer will go to half cock and then when you pull the trigger you will feel the click (the hammer falls from half cock) but of course no bang and no mark on the primer.

You actually get a very small mark on the primer. I had this happen to me and it took me probably 2 months to figure out what was going on.

But in my case, it wasn't overtravel that was the problem....needed to replace the disconnector.

[tpcdvc]

Another thing to check and or think about..........sometimes when a hammer follows the hammer will go to half cock and then when you pull the trigger you will feel the click (the hammer falls from half cock) but of course no bang and no mark on the primer.

You actually get a very small mark on the primer. I had this happen to me and it took me probably 2 months to figure out what was going on.

But in my case, it wasn't overtravel that was the problem....needed to replace the disconnector.

I didn't actually get a mark at all on my primers. My fix was really easy.......I replaced the mainspring and the problem was solved. Just that little extra pressure prevented the follow. Hope this helps anyway. A lot of good things to check here.

Edited December 18, 2008 by tpcdvc

[shooterbenedetto]

Another thing to check and or think about..........sometimes when a hammer follows the hammer will go to half cock and then when you pull the trigger you will feel the click (the hammer falls from half cock) but of course no bang and no mark on the primer.

You actually get a very small mark on the primer. I had this happen to me and it took me probably 2 months to figure out what was going on.

But in my case, it wasn't overtravel that was the problem....needed to replace the disconnector.

I didn't actually get a mark at all on my primers. My fix was really easy.......I replaced the mainspring and the problem was solved. Just that little extra pressure prevented the follow. Hope this helps anyway. A lot of good things to check here.

+1 replace the main spring with 17 or 18 lbs...then I would cut a few coils off the firing pin spring.

Check any burrs at the back of the firing pin file it down or better yet replace with xl firing pin, check firing pin stop for tightness or cracks. Switch to cci primers/I have from winchester and all goes bang! DO PROCESS OF ELIMINATION!

[UltraTen]

WOW I didn't expect this much of a response.

Thanks for all your input everybody!!

I'll have to agree with tpcdvc, A lot of good things to check here.

To address some of the questions that you've asked:

could be crud in the firing pin tunnel.

Checked it, nothing in there now, but doesn't mean that there wasn't anything at the time.

have you checked your firing pin. could be broke.

Firing pin is OK

Have you adjusted or checked the overtravel on the trigger lately? Not enough overtravel can cause it to drop the hammer to half-cock.

No, I haven't but that would make alot of sense

Have to checked the grip screws for tightness lately?

Same here haven't done that in a while.

What ammo? Caliber? Factory or reloads? New batch of brass?

40 smith, reloads 180gr in front of 4.2gr titegroup 1.190length, assorted brass that I've been using.

The firing pin burr was catching and not letting the firing pin come back through the hole after the hammer hit it.

No burr, still has a chamfer all the way around.

Looks like I have some work to do, I'll check out all the suggestions and let everybody know how I made out.

Thanks for all your input!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

[rvb]

how well fit is the firing pin stop? could it have moved enough to prevent the FP from coming back through the hole?

Also, FP stops have been known to crack/break.

-rvb

[Jaxshooter]

If it is a removeable breech face slide check to make sure the bolt on the breech face is tight.