Detail Stripping Glock, Smith M&P9

[0to60]

I really don't understand the compunction to do this, you must have way too much free time on your hands.

In the case of the Glock, if it takes "way too much time", you're doing it wrong. It honestly takes me an extra 5 minutes to detail strip n' clean the slide. Why NOT do it for an extra 5 minutes??

 

[jfrey]

Detail cleaning on some guns is definitely an "as needed" thing. I spent 8 hours in a Glock armorers course learning what I can do completely in 10 minutes. I detail my 1911s a couple of times a year just because I like doing it. I removed the rear block on my Shield to install the Apex sear and it took me 3 times longer to get it back together than it did to get it apart. Once I finally got it lined up just right it fell right into place. Sometimes a can of Gun Scrubber and spray Rem oil can be really good friends on some pistols.

Never detail stripped an M&P and don't intend to.

 

[TestPilot]

It honestly takes me an extra 5 minutes to detail strip n' clean the slide. Why NOT do it for an extra 5 minutes??

Because it is not necessary, and my life has other priorities. My gun exists to serve me, not the other way around.

There are never ending things that "takes only extra few minute of your time."

If we were to do all of them our lives would consist of work, trivial work, then sleep. I don't know about you, but I don't live life that way.

Why not complete detail strip the frame too every time? It only takes punching a few pins out for a Glock.

 

[TestPilot]

Worst design ever as far as maintenance goes.

There are plenty of guns with more complex detail strip procedures that are popular choices.

All guns other than Glock must be "worst design ever" then. That Kool-Aid must be really good.

 

[jfrey]

If I spend that extra five minutes on each of my guns, that means I have five minutes less(times each gun I have) to do all those priority projects my wife has for me to do around the house. I really like spotlessly clean guns(big grin).

 

[danez71]

I have a copy of the M&P Armourer manual dated Aug 2008.

I'm having trouble up loading it. It's 23.66 MB so maybe that's why.

This link should work. Down load and save before its gone for good. Its not even listed anymore.
http://stevespages.com/pdf/s&w_m&p_armorer's_manual.pdf

 

[Jaywalker]

danez71 - done, and thank you.

 

[Jaywalker]

In the 30+ years I have owned my Browning HP I have only broken the recoil spring guide, and I could replace that by field-stripping it. I probably have fired it around 1,000 times in all those years. I expect to hit 1,000 rounds in my Glock G19 (and possibly an M&P, if I get one) in three months, and the rounds are much cheaper and dirtier than those I fired though the Browning. I expect the striker channel will get pretty nasty; and also if the safety plunger gets blocked the pistol will not fire. Both require detail strip and those aren't the only potential problems.

I'd like to think I could make a start at a repair without having to go to a gun mechanic, but I might well end up taking him parts in a small freezer bag. I'd like to take an armorer's course, just in case, but I doubt I'll fly to Massachusetts for it.

 

[Ben86]

I use the factory assembly pin, which is a short bullet-shaped pin. The rounded "bullet tip" makes it a lot easier to align holes & parts during reassembly, and the flat rear of the pin butts up against the end of the headed trigger pin. That way the trigger spring's closed coil can easily slip over the pins. I use a thin pin punch to help hold the spring coil "centered" in the proper position as the trigger pin is advanced.

Thanks for that tip. If I ever feel motivated enough to open up that can of headache I'll give that a try. I've only detail stripped an M&P twice, both just to lightly polish the trigger mechanisms. The first one was my M&P45, that was rough. The M&P9 wasn't so bad since I knew what to expect. Still, unless I have a serious reason to detail strip them I don't think I will.

The use of the steel coil pins to secure the sear & locking block in the frame may be more difficult to use, but they also allow for the blocks to be firmly affixed to the steel straps molded into the frame. This essentially makes for a steel "box" in the frame, which helps absorb and disperse the recoil forces (instead of the forces acting upon a single pin, only being supported by a plastic frame).

I figured they did provide more structural integrity. They also seem like they would be less effected by the channel wear that can happen from removing and replacing the pins as they exert constant pressure and can adapt to a slightly larger hole. Whereas a solid pin can start to walk out during recoil if the pin and channel space aren't exact, especially if it is polymer. I had that happen with a Ruger LCP.

As easy as it is to detail strip my Glocks I don't do it often because I don't want to loosen the tolerances of the pins or channels due to repeated removal and replacement.

Do you have any experience detail stripping a CZ75B? I heard it is a bear. Just curious about the level of complexity and "3 hand operations" it entails.

 

[fastbolt]

Thanks for that tip. If I ever feel motivated enough to open ...

Do you have any experience detail stripping a CZ75B? I heard it is a bear. Just curious about the level of complexity and "3 hand operations" it entails.

No.

While I see their website has an armorer's manual shown listed (out-of-stock), I haven't asked the company if they have an actual LE armorer field class (or whether they have much in the way of LE sales to justify putting one together).

I can only ever remember seeing one CZ come through a qual course over the years, and I don't own any, so if a class were to be available, it would have to be really affordable and put on really close before I'd add it to my certifications.

Oh yeah, that 1 CZ that came through? It was a P-01, and the first time the user dropped a magazine onto the sandy range and then put it back in the gun, after only shaking it off, the gun stopped running after 1 shot, locking up tighter than a drum. Since none of us are certified as actual CZ armorers, we recommended he contact the store where he bought it and ask for warranty/repair support.

 

[ATLDave]

I've never detail stripped a CZ, but I have detail stripped a Tanfoglio, which is fairly similar (though not identical). I have no mechanical training, but consider myself passable with my hands. It was not an easy process the first time, and I mangled the trigger return spring getting it back into place. The only tools needed were pin punches and hammer, plus a slave pin for re-installing the trigger. When the time comes, I will do it again, but not without a mild feeling of apprehension. I've performed harder mechanical operations, but I've performed a lot more that were easier!

 

[mes228]

Detail

I too wonder why anyone does a "detail strip". I've found little necessity to perform anything greater than a "field strip". I'm old now (63) and have been
around guns my entire life. One thing I've noticed is many "jam-o-matics" start with someone detail stripping a firearm. I can remember having very reliable pistols and trading them off. Later learning they later became unreliable. I always asked the person "Did you detail strip the gun?". Invariably, they were detail stripped by a novice. When it was totally unnecessary. Some makes of pistols seem to be more prone to this operator error than others. Just my opinion and it's based on experience. Yours may vary.

 

[AnthonySmithXR]

Same reason I used to take the tv and toaster oven apart as a kid? Fun learning. Because I could. And now when I do it, they're aren't parts left over!!

I too wonder why anyone does a "detail strip". I've found little necessity to perform anything greater than a "field strip". I'm old now (63) and have been

around guns my entire life. One thing I've noticed is many "jam-o-matics" start with someone detail stripping a firearm. I can remember having very reliable pistols and trading them off. Later learning they later became unreliable. I always asked the person "Did you detail strip the gun?". Invariably, they were detail stripped by a novice. When it was totally unnecessary. Some makes of pistols seem to be more prone to this operator error than others. Just my opinion and it's based on experience. Yours may vary.

 

[0to60]

I too wonder why anyone does a "detail strip". I've found little necessity to perform anything greater than a "field strip". I'm old now (63) and have been
around guns my entire life. One thing I've noticed is many "jam-o-matics" start with someone detail stripping a firearm. I can remember having very reliable pistols and trading them off. Later learning they later became unreliable. I always asked the person "Did you detail strip the gun?". Invariably, they were detail stripped by a novice. When it was totally unnecessary. Some makes of pistols seem to be more prone to this operator error than others. Just my opinion and it's based on experience. Yours may vary.

Well in my case, if its too complicated I won't do it. I usually take my 1911 (series 70) all the way down to clean it, mostly because its easy to do. With the Glock, detail stripping the slide (I haven't done the frame at all) is so quick and easy, I can't see a reason not to. If I've already got my hands dirty and all my brushes and patches out, its an extra 5 minutes. Why not??

Now, if I got in there and nothing was dirty, I wouldn't keep doing it. But this isn't the case. After 200-300 rounds a gun is FILTHY inside. When I see how dirty the extractor is, or the firing pin, or the striker safety on the Glock, I can't justify NOT spending an extra few minutes on it.

Now my Beretta 92, I don't detail strip that because its pretty complicated. And I can see, its pretty dirty inside. It bugs me. I'd love to get in there and clean it out. Does it NEED to be detail stripped? Prolly not. But its kinda like a car. Do you NEED to wash it? No. It'll run just fine without ever washing and waxing it. But I bought it, its purty, and if its simple to do, why not be nice and thorough?

 

[mes228]

Dirt

My pistols get dirty inside too. Field strip and spray "brake cleaner" or "Powder Blaster" or other such cleaning agents into non accessible areas. Prior to using ANYTHING. Check if grips or plastic on the firearm are subject to harm from the solvent/cleaner. After cleaning re-oil the pistol internally and external. I prefer RemOil as it "migrates" well.

 

[Ben86]

Oh yeah, that 1 CZ that came through? It was a P-01, and the first time the user dropped a magazine onto the sandy range and then put it back in the gun, after only shaking it off, the gun stopped running after 1 shot, locking up tighter than a drum. Since none of us are certified as actual CZ armorers, we recommended he contact the store where he bought it and ask for warranty/repair support.

That's interesting, I would have loved to take it apart and seen what happened. I've often wondered how those "internal rails" would hold up to some grit.

CZ pistols are really nice shooters, if you find a great deal on one you ought to give it a try.

I too wonder why anyone does a "detail strip". I've found little necessity to perform anything greater than a "field strip". I'm old now (63) and have been
around guns my entire life.

Well mess228 some people are bit more adventurous mechanically than others. I would be lying if I said I detail strip only for practical purposes. It is fascinating to me to see all the little parts, how they are held inside the pistol and get a better understanding of how they work.

Simply spraying some cleaner into a given crevice is not as good as actually taking it apart and cleaning it. While it may suffice for most use, it is not just as good I assure you. And taking it apart is fun, well for some of us.

 

[mes228]

Strip

I'm sure that some here are gifted and keen on learning about their arms. That's a good thing. The point I was making is that some people can't put salt into a salt shaker. I know people that are not the sharpest knife in the drawer and the first thing they do with a "new" pistol is detail strip the piece. They also have an inordinate number of pistols that jam.

As an aside. I have pistols that have a minimum of 15,000 rounds through them and have never been detail stripped. Actually my carry pistol has been carried for about 13 years daily and never been detailed. It has never failed in any way.

 

[AnthonySmithXR]

I do detail my guns. In fact, I took apart a Mossberg 500 trigger group. It's just the way I am. I've always done that sort of thing. I understand things by taking it apart and putting them back together. For me, it hasn't caused any problems. But I can certainly see how it would for some.

As to the benefit, I'm not totally sure. Most modern carry guns are made with looser tolerances that allow for the gunk and crap that builds up inside springs, levers and whatnot. When I take the striker pin apart and the extractor off of my pistol every thousand rounds or so, I'm always surprised at how many scraps of brass I find in there. This, to me, is a good practical reason to do this every now and then. It gives me the peace of mind in knowing that my carry gun has the comfort of the well-worn gun but the function of a factory new gun. It makes almost a zero chance that if my pistol malfunctions it's a result of something I could have prevented. That is a bit of an overstate, but I think you get my drift. This is most important for me and I carry gun. I don't take my rifles apart to this detail or my shotguns (The Mossberg was an exception because it was used and exceptionally dirty). Or my other handguns. cleanliness, in my opinion, is critical for a carry gun. Ask any soldier who's been in combat and they will tell you, when you're going outside the wire, you clean your gun every chance you get. If you carry a gun daily, it's essentially the same thing.

 

[ATLDave]

"When I take the striker pin apart and the extractor off of my pistol every thousand rounds or so, I'm always surprised at how many scraps of brass I find in there. "

Yep, the amount of brass shavings that get into small places is one of the things that will really shock you the first time you detail a pistol. It's kind of amazing that semi-autos are as reliable as they are.