First part breakage - XD (~6K rd)

[molonlabetn]

Well... I figured it would happen eventually.

As I was contemplating the improvement in the trigger feel of my XD-357, I dry-fired it a few times (which I do quite often)... Now that, along with the strain of nearly 6K rounds through the gun, has taken its toll on the striker retaining roll-pin (the one driven down through the top of the slide just behind the breech). It is broken in half, and upon breaking, it jammed the striker in the forward position until the slide was retracted... The gun is operational without the pin installed, but since it is there for a reason I now have to find a replacement... it will likely have to be ordered, or sent from Springfield unless I can find a suitable roll-pin at a hardware or automotive store... I'll try to find a solid pin which can take more abuse than the flimsy stock pin.

Here's a picture:

If this ever happens to you, here's where to order a replacement: http://www.pistolgear.com/proddetail.php?prod=00PGP

I'll try to post the roll-pin size if I find a suitable replacement locally...

Lessons learned:

1. You CAN dry-fire too much

2. A higher-tension striker spring will possibly shorten the life of your striker retaining roll-pin.

3. Breaking s**t sucks (right before the weekend you're going to the range).

Good news is that all of the other parts are in really good shape... I'm sure that I'll replacing the striker rebound spring soon, as a precaution, since it probably took a shot when the pin broke. I'll call Springfield in the morning to see if they'll send me a couple of pins for free, under warranty... That might be a determining factor in whether I'll buy another XD.

Edited February 21, 2008 by molonlabetn

[deerslayer]

I am by no means knocking your XD, but I hardly consider 6000 rounds to be "strain."

[Guest Boomhower]

I would suspect that items 1 & 2 had a lot to do with it as well.

[Guest db99wj]

You had filed down the trigger bar back a week or so ago. Are you saying that doing that contributed to breaking of the pin. If so, please explain for my benefit. Don't get me wrong, I am not questioning your statements, I am just trying to figure out how it happened....

[Urse]

I suspect the higher tension spring contributed more than anything else.

[towerclimber37]

sheesh,

My browning was made in 1986..it still hasn't broken.

perhaps you should get one of Ole' Moses' pistols to shoot with

Just kidding Eddie..

when you make changes to a firearm, stuff like this happens as you well know. It might take some fiddling around, but by the time you're done you'll have an xd with +5 accuracy and probably +5 damage.

I doubt the round count had anything to do with it..unless you're counting the rounds you fired AFTER you changed out your spring.

(yah, I was a d-n-d nerd)...

[Guest Jason F.]

If you think you need a solid pin and have a 0-1 micrometer (calipers will not be accurate enough) let me know the OD of the pin and the length and I will make you a few. If you can do that before 3pm today or by Friday at 3pm at the latest I would be able to bring them to On Target Saturday. If you do not have a micrometer just bring your broken pin Saturday and I can pattern some off of it and make them Monday.

[GhostDog]

Too bad it's not a Glock. It wouldn't have broken at 6000 rounds and, if it did,you could get parts this side of Croatia. Just giving you a hard time, it sounds like Jason can fix you right up.

[Marswolf]

Just curious. Why did you install a higher-tension striker spring?

[Cannon Fodder]

1. You CAN dry-fire too much

With or without snap caps and did you post this on the XD forum?

[tnroadrunner]

I have over 10000+ on my tactical and over 5000+ on my service and no problems at all. Everything is factory except the sights on the service.

[molonlabetn]

I am by no means knocking your XD, but I hardly consider 6000 rounds to be "strain."

I don't think the round count had anything to do with it, since the pin only gets battered when the chamber is empty.

You had filed down the trigger bar back a week or so ago. Are you saying that doing that contributed to breaking of the pin. If so, please explain for my benefit. Don't get me wrong, I am not questioning your statements, I am just trying to figure out how it happened....

No, the trigger modification didn't change the way the striker interacted with the pin... I think the heavier striker spring had more to do with it than anything.

Too bad it's not a Glock. It wouldn't have broken at 6000 rounds and, if it did,you could get parts this side of Croatia. Just giving you a hard time, it sounds like Jason can fix you right up.

I figured I'd hear a few of these... actually, it's a regular roll-pin that I expect to find at any hardware store, after looking at the hole, it is tapered and would be difficult to fit a solid pin... so, I'll just pick up a few roll-pins and start changing them out every so often.

Just curious. Why did you install a higher-tension striker spring?

I wanted a more crisp trigger feel... it actually works pretty well to do that, without making the pull but barely heavier. But I think this is what killed my roll-pin so quickly...

If you think you need a solid pin and have a 0-1 micrometer (calipers will not be accurate enough) let me know the OD of the pin and the length and I will make you a few. If you can do that before 3pm today or by Friday at 3pm at the latest I would be able to bring them to On Target Saturday. If you do not have a micrometer just bring your broken pin Saturday and I can pattern some off of it and make them Monday.

I'll see what I can do... I think it'll be difficult to get an exact fit, because the hole seems to be slightly tapered. Thanks.

With or without snap caps and did you post this on the XD forum?

I need to pony up for a .357sig snap cap... I haven't been using one.

I have over 10000+ on my tactical and over 5000+ on my service and no problems at all. Everything is factory except the sights on the service.

Like I mentioned in another reply... after looking at the striker design again, the pin only gets battered when firing on an empty chamber, add lots of that to a heavy striker spring and you end up in my situation. I plan on keeping my heavy striker spring... but I'll certainly be getting better pins and a snap-cap. Upon doing that, I don't think it's likely for this to happen again.

[Guest canynracer]

I hate when any gun break...I know you can fix them, but it just sucks....sorry man

[Marswolf]

Snap caps are a problem with weapons of this type that require you to rack the slide before you can pull the trigger again. Big PITA. I have the same problem with my P3AT, but not the USP and Beretta 92.

If you buy them for the XD, you will probably want a pack of them to load in the magazine. Bet that costs a bundle.

[molonlabetn]

Snap caps are a problem with weapons of this type that require you to rack the slide before you can pull the trigger again. Big PITA. I have the same problem with my P3AT, but not the USP and Beretta 92.

If you buy them for the XD, you will probably want a pack of them to load in the magazine. Bet that costs a bundle.

True, but you don't have to fully rack the slide just to reset the striker... It can be done without retracting the slide very far at all from battery.

I should get more than one though.

[shaftbass]

It's like modifying everything else whether it be cars, motorcycles, or what have you.. if you upgrade one part, chances are you are going to have a weak link somewhere down the line that will be exposed, and that must be upgraded as well.. it's a chain reaction of wallet emptying.

[Guest DonRickles]

Like I mentioned in another reply... after looking at the striker design again, the pin only gets battered when firing on an empty chamber, add lots of that to a heavy striker spring and you end up in my situation. I plan on keeping my heavy striker spring... but I'll certainly be getting better pins and a snap-cap. Upon doing that, I don't think it's likely for this to happen again.

Is this a carry weapon? If so you have more faith than I would. As a general rule other than sights I try to leave my carry weapons as stock as possible.

[strickj]

I just ordered some suff from pistolgear,and I wish I had added those pins to my order to save on shipping.

let us know if you can get them from SA.Those pins are not that much but its kinda the point of the matter.

[molonlabetn]

I found a roll-pin at the hardware store which fit perfectly once I opened up one end. The pin is also made of thicker material, which should be more robust.

Jason, the dimensions of the pin which I removed are:

Big end diameter: .1150"

Small end diameter: .1100"

Length: .625" (as best as I could determine since it was broken... it would fit fine if it was a bit longer, say .65")

If you feel like making some pins, I'd be very grateful.

Is this a carry weapon? If so you have more faith than I would. As a general rule other than sights I try to leave my carry weapons as stock as possible.

Yes, it has been my carry weapon for a few years now... My faith in its reliability isn't shaken in the least, as I alluded to before, the gun was still 100% operational with the broken pin, the only side-effect was that the firing pin wouldn't retract after being fired until the slide was cycled and the striker was caught by the sear.

Parts break... in any weapon, I'd be far more troubled if the part which broke would have caused the gun to malfunction, of if it was a piece which wasn't available locally.

The gun has all stock parts installed (except for the striker spring, which would enhance reliability by preventing light-strikes... and of course the replacement roll-pin)... The only modifications I have made to the stock parts are some polishing and minor adjustment of the trigger overtravel, but no reduction in the proper engagement of any parts.

[Cannon Fodder]

If you feel like making some pins, I'd be very grateful.

I wonder if it would be better to make it out of a little softer metal than the striker?

[molonlabetn]

I wonder if it would be better to make it out of a little softer metal than the striker?

Yes, definitly... moreso because I'd like it to deform a bit for a tight fit in the slide than anything else.

Also, I called Springfield... and 2 minutes later Vickie confirmed that they are sending me a couple of new pins from the factory. So, at worst I'll have a factory part and a spare or two on hand...

[molonlabetn]

Thanks for the pins Jason! I attempted to install one at the range when the temporary roll-pin I had installed began to back out... I couldn't get enough oomph on the pin to engage all the way, I think perhaps the hole isn't tapered, but has a step. Back to waiting for the factory roll-pins.

Poor design on the part of Springfield... So far this is the only XD, out of the 4 I've had, which has given any problem whatsoever, but I have a feeling that this might be enough for me to make it gun-show fodder shortly.

[Marswolf]

I'm not sure it is entirely fair to blame the XD for a problem you think you caused by increasing spring strength and repeated dry firing. There are a number of guns out there that break the firing pins when you dry fire them. I've never heard of that happening with an XD. But I do agree that a better design would be preferred.

Still, I no longer have an XD. I used it for a car gun for some time, but became uncomfortable with having it always cocked and perhaps a bit too easy to fire. DAO or SA/DA with a de-cocker works well for that application.

For protective carry, I like either SA/DA with de-cocker or good DAO. I much prefer the former, but settled for the second option for a bug/casual carry.

[Guest gcrookston]

...and I've got 26k rounds out of my P226 now. I expect something to break any day... um, wait.... It's a Sig, what was I thinking?

[Mike.357]

If you had a Hi-Point this would not have happened