Dagger build question

[trekgod3]

Could use a little help with this one. Bought a complete blem dagger lower during the memorial day sale, and mated it with a complete Patmos Arms upper from JSD. Haven't tested fired it yet, just lubed it and have been racking the slide to " break it in". Here's the issue: If I rack the slide and pull the trigger, and keep the trigger held to the rear, the slide will not rack again. As soon as I release the trigger, the slide will rack. I swapped the upper with a couple different PSA brand uppers that are on my other P80 builds, and it functions normally. And, I've also put the Patmos upper on my P80 lowers, and they function normally. It's just when this particular Patmos upper is on the dagger lower I have the issue. The only difference with the lower that I can tell is the "birds head" vertical extension has the dimple in it like on newer glocks. Any thoughts?

 

[Mooner]

1. Check sear engagement on the Dagger frame. Mine was maybe 50% or less on all my upper, I swapped with a Pre-EH OEM trigger.

2. Check the safety plunger on JSD's Patmos Arms complete slide. Patmos is not really known for in-spec parts. Start there first on your diagnostic process.

 

[Racer88]

If I rack the slide and pull the trigger, and keep the trigger held to the rear, the slide will not rack again. As soon as I release the trigger, the slide will rack.

Do you mean that the slide literally won't move back? Frozen?

 

[trekgod3]

Do you mean that the slide literally won't move back? Frozen?

Yes

 

[Bongo Lewi]

safety plunger on JSD's Patmos Arms complete slide

I have to go with Mooner on this.

I have also seen:

Recoil spring hanging up on frame
Locking block and barrel block need to be fitted.
Slide release installed backwards

 

[trekgod3]

But, what's interesting is that this upper functions correctly on my P80 lowers, just not the dagger

 

[Racer88]

But, what's interesting is that this upper functions correctly on my P80 lowers, just not the dagger

Let's see some photos. I'm especially curious about this shot:

Maybe also these views:

 

[trekgod3]

I'll post pics when I'm home from work tomorrow. Gotta get up early

 

[trekgod3]

Pics

 

[Bongo Lewi]

When you re-assemble and attach the slide, does the connector hang up on the lower right of the slide back plate?

 

[trekgod3]

When you re-assemble and attach the slide, does the connector hang up on the lower right of the slide back plate?

I don't think so. Everything functions normally until I dry fire and try to rack the slide while holding the trigger back

 

[Bobster]

Looks like the RCA is rubbing the channel or maybe that is a trick of the pics. I had to return a Patmos RCA to JSD because it was all wiggly-woggly like yours. The replacement was marginally better but worked...

 

[Mooner]

Try swapping safety plunger from Dagger slide into Patmos slide

 

[Racer88]

Looks like the RCA is rubbing the channel or maybe that is a trick of the pics. I had to return a Patmos RCA to JSD because it was all wiggly-woggly like yours. The replacement was marginally better but worked...

Yeah, that RSA looks like a caterpillar in motion. The OEM springs are much straighter.

 

[trekgod3]

Yeah, that RSA looks like a caterpillar in motion. The OEM springs are much straighter.

I've got a bunch of extra recoil spring assemblies. I'll try swapping it and the safety plunger

 

[Racer88]

I've got a bunch of extra recoil spring assemblies. I'll try swapping it and the safety plunger

If you can get / use OEM parts, it can eliminate a lot of the guesswork.

 

[trekgod3]

Ok, quick update. I found that if I press down slightly on the front end of the slide while pulling up on the rear of the slide, it will rack while the trigger is held back. This leads me to think that the front and rear rails are not level with each other. It must be really minor, because it only hangs up with the Patmos upper, which is probably also slightly out of spec. I was able to successfully rack the slide a bunch of times. It felt like it was hanging up less and less the more I did it. It may just be a matter of "breaking in" the slide and frame together.

 

[Racer88]

Ok, quick update. I found that if I press down slightly on the front end of the slide while pulling up on the rear of the slide, it will rack while the trigger is held back. This leads me to think that the front and rear rails are not level with each other. It must be really minor, because it only hangs up with the Patmos upper, which is probably also slightly out of spec. I was able to successfully rack the slide a bunch of times. It felt like it was hanging up less and less the more I did it. It may just be a matter of "breaking in" the slide and frame together.

You may want to level-sand your rails. I've never had to do it, but as I understand it.... Install the rails - with pins but without the other parts (trigger group, slide stop, etc). Turn the frame (with rails) upside down and put it on a flat surface - like a glass table or marble / stone countertop. See if the rails are all on the same plane. If not... use sandpaper on a flat surface or a diamond knife sharpening block like this (click on image for Amazon link):


The key is to do it LIGHTLY. A little bit at a time.

If I've got it wrong, someone will be along to describe the right way to do it.

 

[trekgod3]

You may want to level-sand your rails. I've never had to do it, but as I understand it.... Install the rails - with pins but without the other parts (trigger group, slide stop, etc). Turn the frame (with rails) upside down and put it on a flat surface - like a glass table or marble / stone countertop. See if the rails are all on the same plane. If not... use sandpaper on a flat surface or a diamond knife sharpening block like this (click on image for Amazon link):
View attachment 11432

The key is to do it LIGHTLY. A little bit at a time.

If I've got it wrong, someone will be along to describe the right way to do it.

Yep. I did this on most of my P80 builds

 

[Racer88]

Why I wanted to see a sharp photo of your slide (underside). I had to brighten it in photoshop to help see.

Check this out... a big / heavy drag mark in front of the firing pin safety (from the trigger extension aka "shark fin"). Is your trigger OEM? It could be a trigger bar that's out of spec. or it could be that your pin hole placement is causing the trigger group to ride high in the frame.

I'm thinking out loud here, and I might be wrong. But, I think this may be part (or all) of the problem. If I'm wrong, someone will be along to correct me.