Fireant Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 (edited) I had several light strikes at my last match that cost me the match. Today I was cleaning the gun and noticed the grip screws were loose, both of the top ones. Can that cause light strikes? There was nothing else wrong with the gun. The firing pin tunnel was not that dirty and the main spring is a fairly new 17lb. Edited to add this is my STI 9mm major open gun. Edited September 7, 2009 by Fireant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Miles Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 What gun are we talking about here? I assume it might be an S_I style but obviously don't know for sure. Adios Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireant Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 Opps fixed that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SA Friday Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 (edited) Just speculation here from an STI rookie, but if there was enough movement, could it have pinched the mag against the bottom of the slide and caused enough drag on the slide to not fully chamber causing light strikes? PM Matt Cheely or HSMITH on the forum. They have the know in this area. Edited September 7, 2009 by SA Friday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Tighten the grip screws. Fire the gun with the same ammo. If the gun goes bang every time, then that was the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wide45 Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 (edited) Don't ever run a STI/SV with a loose grip. The hammer can fall if the grip shifts, like when you chamber a round. It's dangerous. You should be checking for loose screws/grip, safeties function, and unobstructed bore, whenever you gear up. Light strikes is very likely to be high primers. Edited September 7, 2009 by wide45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 FireAnt - I put blue locktite on my Open gun grip screws. If your grip was lose better check the C-More mount, it might just be falling off. Red on the C-More screws. Open guns take a hammering and everything falls apart. It could have well started doubling or worse full auto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireant Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 Tighten the grip screws. Fire the gun with the same ammo. If the gun goes bang every time, then that was the problem. Good idea except the next range time I have is a match. Cocobolo, You are right, I picked this gun up in trade and never thought to go back and double check that the screws were loctited in. I'll do that before the next match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Let us know how it turns out, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireant Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 I will, but it will be next Sat before I'll know. Two matches back I had one light strike, then the last match I had 6-7. If I don't have any this weekend I'll know it was the grip screws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Good info to have, if it's true, and something to watch out for in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I will, but it will be next Sat before I'll know. Two matches back I had one light strike, then the last match I had 6-7. If I don't have any this weekend I'll know it was the grip screws. All from the same batch of ammo? One thing that does come to mind is that with a loose grip it could/would let the mainspring housing move slightly up and down. If it moves down at the wrong time the mainspring can't put as much oomph into the strut so you'd get a lighter hammer strike. Sounds like it could have been the problem. I know I've shot a bunch of rounds with the grip screws slightly loose (found them when cleaning the gun after an extended practice) and it worked perfectly, but it might not take more than a tiny bit of difference to go from okay to marginal. Ever since that happened, any time I tear the gun down completely I clean out the grip screw bushings with alcohol, dry them and put a tiny bit of blue loctite on the grip screws....they stay tight now seemingly indefinitely. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Have you changed anything on the gun or the ammunition since they worked perfectly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireant Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share Posted September 8, 2009 This is all from the same batch of ammo I loaded with federal primers. I was putting the gun back together last night and I could not get the pin for the magwell to go in. I took the mainspring housing off and look at it. The pointed thingy at the bottom of the mainspring had worn through the plastic housing and was sitting in the hole the mahwell pin goes in. I guess the combination of the loose grip screws and the mainspring having less compression was enough to have some light strikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazos Custom Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 The "pointy thingy" is a mainspring housing pin retainer and as it's name implies it retains the pin. It needs to stick down into the hole to do this - in other words that is normal. I have seen loose grips screws or a cracked grip (same effect) cause all kinds of different problems, including light strikes, hammer follow, misfeeds, all manner of jams etc. It is usually the first thing I check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireant Posted September 13, 2009 Author Share Posted September 13, 2009 I shot 200 rounds today and not a single light strike. That mainspring housing pin retainer was down so far that the mainspring housing pin would not go through the hole. None of my other grips have the retainer sticking down that low. So, tightened the grip screws and put in a new mainspring housing and all is well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyH Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 It did make you shoot better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Biondi Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 It did make you shoot better. :roflol: :roflol: if you'll never drive a car with the screws wheels loose WHY use a gun with the grip screws loose?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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