Beware and/or be aware

[Polymer 80 addict]

Dry fired my pf940c and heard a "ping" on the tile floor. Took the slide off the frame to look and along with the piece I located on the floor my firing pin broke!
I should've known better buying from eBay but I gave it a chance. Like $200 for a complete slide. I was trying to finish this specific build on a budget but I just wanted to possibly help others by showing my stupid mistake. It goes without saying that from now on I will only buy oem parts like usual. This was the one time I veered away from my own personal rules. Will be purchasing a complete slide now, an OEM slide. Not a cheap route but anyway.

 

[Racer88]

As you said... buyer beware. Of course, since I started down this rabbit hole only about 2 years ago, I have advocated for OEM internal parts.

I have veered from that for isolated parts... like Rook Tactical's "Smooth Operator" firing pin safety on a couple of builds. I have a Cross Armory striker on my G34 clone build with over 2,000 rounds fired and no problems.

So, I think it's OK to be selective with some aftermarket parts, as long as you do your homework and stick with trusted / known merchants.

That all said... I think if it's going to be a self-defense gun (home or carry), it would be prudent to stick with OEM parts when it comes to the firing mechanism. If it's a range toy... the risk is, of course, not really there other than being inconvenienced or annoyed... and money wasted (even if a "bargain").

Thanks for posting!

 

[Bongo Lewi]

As you said... buyer beware. Of course, since I started down this rabbit hole only about 2 years ago, I have advocated for OEM internal parts.

I second that emotion.

I don't buy cheap parts or ammo of questionable origins because I like my face the way it is, prefer to keep both my eyes, all my fingers, and one day die in my sleep.

 

[Polymer 80 addict]

As you said... buyer beware. Of course, since I started down this rabbit hole only about 2 years ago, I have advocated for OEM internal parts.

I have veered from that for isolated parts... like Rook Tactical's "Smooth Operator" firing pin safety on a couple of builds. I have a Cross Armory striker on my G34 clone build with over 2,000 rounds fired and no problems.

So, I think it's OK to be selective with some aftermarket parts, as long as you do your homework and stick with trusted / known merchants.

That all said... I think if it's going to be a self-defense gun (home or carry), it would be prudent to stick with OEM parts when it comes to the firing mechanism. If it's a range toy... the risk is, of course, not really there other than being inconvenienced or annoyed... and money wasted (even if a "bargain").

Thanks for posting!

I agree 100%. One of my "range guns" has a Taryn Tactical ultimate connector kit installed. The trigger pull is different but I haven't put my gauge on it yet to check the pull weight.
But I have 1 build I call my "OEM build" because everything except the P80 frame is Glock. The complete slide was pricy but It's been great. Over 500 rounds through it so I haven't shot it enough to use for carry with confidence. I probably shoot 200 or 300 rounds of 9mm a month and maybe around 100 10mm. But for now I carry an OEM Glock.

 

[Polymer 80 addict]

I second that emotion.

I don't buy cheap parts or ammo of questionable origins because I like my face the way it is, prefer to keep both my eyes, all my fingers, and one day die in my sleep.

Fucking A.
I wonder what would've happened had the firing pin broke while shooting the gun.

 

[Bongo Lewi]

Fucking A.
I wonder what would've happened had the firing pin broke while shooting the gun.

It would have stopped firing. If there's nothing to hit the primer, it doesn't go bang.

Look on the bright side. Be glad that didn't happen in a dark parking lot when an armed crackhead demanded your wallet.

 

[Mooner]

@Polymer 80 addict
If you haven't trashed it, there are some that are looking for a broken firing pin
PM me, I will put that shitty trash into good use!!!

 

[Bobster]

I'd be curious about the Striker Assy (firing pin) bore. Refer to this post I made and let us know if there are similarities. LINK

I DO think there is a possibility the little triangle piece of the pin that broke off could get jammed in the firing pin hole and make your gun keep firing until the mag was empty. Not likely BUT possible...

I had considered buying a SC slide kit from that same vendor a year ago. Mainly because they were a "local" seller (about 1.5hrs away).

What did you end up doing for a SA?

 

[Michele]

Fucking A.
I wonder what would've happened had the firing pin broke while shooting the gun.

Nothing…CLICK - WTF !! no freedom seed. I had 2 bust on me while during live fire, one in a SW.40 and the other in my .357 sig. Firing pins from lone wolf

 

[Bongo Lewi]

My guess is poorly made MIM or if it's not MIM, not hardened correctly. The pin not being the right size or not aligning with the hole in the slide is also plausible. Different guns, different firing pins. Even among the same brand, i.e. Glock. I also wouldn't rule out that the muttonhead who fulfilled the order or assembled a ready-made slide installed the wrong firing pin. At a glance, Glock firing pins do look the same.

I have a Henry lever action that had the wrong hammer installed. A hammer designed for a different Henry model. It would sometimes not go into the fully cocked position when you operated the lever. Had to send it back, which was inconvenient and made me very unhappy. The gun has been fine ever since.

I have never experienced a firing pin failure on any firearm. Fifty gazillion rounds and a hundred guns later. I have seen springs break. Especially on semi-automatic shotguns.

 

[Alpa Chino]

I bought two no name slides online plus two RSA’s of which one broke during install.
So I tossed the other one straight away and ordered two metal rods somewheres else.
There is certainly trash out there.

 

[Bongo Lewi]

I bought two no name slides online plus two RSA’s of which one broke during install.
So I tossed the other one straight away and ordered two metal rods somewheres else.
There is certainly trash out there.

I have found that cheap recoil springs are often "squiggly". A good compression spring should not twist out of shape when compressed - if the axis is straight. Twisting occurs due to unequal forces between coils when the load is off-center during compression. With captured recoil springs especially, if the ends of the spring are not finished well they twist and can rub on the inside of the frame, interfering with the normal movement of the slide.

Flat wound springs are less troubling in this regard, but even those can twist if they are cheaply made.

 

[Bobster]

Nothing…CLICK - WTF !! no freedom seed. I had 2 bust on me while during live fire, one in a SW.40 and the other in my .357 sig. Firing pins from lone wolf

Not that you will be swimming with your gat, but those are the "self-draining" spring retainers...

 

[Polymer 80 addict]

I'd be curious about the Striker Assy (firing pin) bore. Refer to this post I made and let us know if there are similarities. LINK

I DO think there is a possibility the little triangle piece of the pin that broke off could get jammed in the firing pin hole and make your gun keep firing until the mag was empty. Not likely BUT possible...

I had considered buying a SC slide kit from that same vendor a year ago. Mainly because they were a "local" seller (about 1.5hrs away).

What did you end up doing for a SA?

I'm going to buy an OEM slide parts kit maybe from Midway USA or maybe just buy an OEM complete slide