Firing pin retainer movement

[renrew]

Should your firing pin retainer on the R9 have any side to side movement?

I recently sent my gun back to the company as my firing pin retainer was out of spec and rotated and caught on the frame.  The company said it was out of spec and fixed the problem.

I just got the gun back and took it to the range today and fired 4 clips on Gold Dot's down the pipe without a hitch.

When I got home I cleaned the gun and noticed the firing pin retainer would move to the side and it made me nervous.  Can other members tell me if there retainer has play in it?

I included twp pictures.  The first one with it in the normal position and the second with it moved to the side.

[tracker]

Great photos; how did it move to the side during cleaning? I just wondered if you could move it with your finger or not.

[renrew]

I moved it with my finger nail to see if it had any play to it.  In speaking with Karl he said the first one was out of speck and this would never happen again with the new one they sent.

I don't think it should be moving like this.

[tracker]

If it continues to pass the range test and Karl confirms the finger nail movement is normal I wouldn't be too concerned about it. You have heightened my awareness and I will be checking it in the future; thank you.

[backupr9]

I disagree with Tracker on this one...first time ever perhaps!  I was the second owner recorded with this problem.  Sent it back to Karl and he fixed it.  No problems since then (two years).  HOWEVER, I just took my Covert down to check on the movement, and there is no movement even with gentle push with a knife blade.  Facing the target, the firing pin retainer should remain to the left side as in your picture.  Although there is a slot on the right, my retainer will not move into that slot and remains tight on the left.  I think that you may find that you still have a problem in the future and would be unwilling to trust this as a carry pistol.  Even if it works OK now, after a few rounds, it may change, just as mine did.  Now, I assumed that my problem may have been caused by the pistol being sent out for the Covert treatment, but who knows?  Just my opinion based on one pistol only, but if there are only three with this problem, you may be the third and fourth all at once.
John

[tracker]

Thanks, John, and I appreciate your disagreement and constructive observation. I was not familiar with the details of this problem.

[backupr9]

I should correct my observation inasmuch as when I said right, left, etc.  I was talking about holding the slide pointing to a target, but upside down. so in that orientation the retainer would be to the left...anyway, mine doesn't move and I don't think it should.

[renrew]

Thanks guys!  I don't think it should move as well.  If it moves all the way it can hit the high part on the frame of the gun.  I am frustrated that Karl said this would never happen again and I have movement right back from the company.

I guess I will call and all with Karl once again on Monday.  From my research it looks like I am the fith person that has had this problem from what I can find online.

[backupr9]

Makes me wonder if the slide is out of speck rather than the retainer...thinking  about it, I remembered that when my pistol was originally returned to me from repair of the retainer and I tried to put the VZ grips back on, Karl's people had loctite on the grip screws to the point that I could not remove one of them...in spite of all care, I stripped one of the screws....sent it back to Karl and his people could not get the screw out, so they basically gave me a new slide...perhaps that is why mine now works perfectly and it may be what you need.  Karl is great to work with and he WILL get it right.  I carry my R9 daily and shoot it regularly...there is nothing better when size, weight and caliber are considered.

[renrew]

Karl said he basically replaced the entire top end.  I don't think this should be moving like this on the second one as well.

[sslater]

My R9S is a very early serial number (R3xx).  The firing pin retainer in the original slide was a nice slip fit, and allowed me to remove it easily for cleaning of the firing pin tunnel.  I'm told that 1911 ACP pistols are also built that way.

About 5 years ago my slide cracked.  The Rohrbaugh company took care of the problem, replacing the slide assembly.  Function was perfect, as before, but I found that the firing pin retainer cannot be removed.  I'm looking at my slide as write this and even after more than 1,000 rounds the retainer is snugged up against the left side (looking down on the slide - that's actually the right side of the pistol as held in firing position...).  It won't move with any reasonable amount of force.  It won't move with an unreasonable amount of "persuading". 
renew: I also notice that your firing pin retainer appears to have to witness marks as if the retainer has been staked in place.  My Rohrbaugh-massaged unit does not have those marks.

I've given up trying to remove that #$%^%$ retainer.  Now I periodically spray some cleaner into the firing pin channel, let it dry, then shoot in a tiny amount of DriSlide or Brownell's Action Magic then work the firing pin back and forth to distribute the dry lube.  I learned the hard way that you can over-lube a firing pin and cause it to get sticky if you use more than the tiniest amount of conventional gun oil.

Steve   

[Reinz]

Renrew - IMO, a gun of this quality should not have such slopiness in play. 

Just send those photos to Karl should be enough to get his attention by all means!.

[renrew]

Thanks Reinz,
I agree that this should not be happening and especially being I just got the gun back for the same problem.
I sent a e-mail to Karl yesterday and have not heard back.  I am assuming I will hear in the next few days.