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fail to fire

3K views 20 replies 12 participants last post by  Trashbilly 
#1 ·
I have a relatively new pt 24/7 pro c ds ....probably put 800 or so rounds through it so far. Only actually jammed on me once, but lightstruck (i think that's the proper term) a lot the first 200 or so which i believe was due to not cleaning the factory grease out and having the extractor all gummed up and what not....anyway it really doesn't do that anymore. Took it to the range tonight and did my usual ritual of firing off the hollow point that's already chambered to make sure it goes and doesn't jam in the event of an SHTF situation. This time it was decocked when I drew it and pulled the trigger. But it didn't go off...made the clicking sound like when you dry fire but nothing. Obviously this is a MAJOR problem. I unchambered it, reloaded it with the same hollow point in the chamber and it fired off just fine. Put 200 FMJs through it without a single problem. Then when it was time to be done, I put the hollow points back in and tried to fire one just for kicks. Decocked it, to simulate the same situation and once again i pulled the trigger and it just clicked. This time i didn't unload it; I just pulled back the slide slightly to recock it and it fired off just fine.

Anyone have any idea what might be causing this?? I blasted some break free solvent (powder blast) down the firing pin as i was cleaning it tonight afterwards. I know that the last time i cleaned it i put on a little more oil than normal, but still wiped it all down and left virtually no standing oil anywhere. But obviously this is a major concern, as obviously you can't have it failing to fire the one time you need it. All suggestions and ideas are much appreciated.
 
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#2 ·
This reads like the decocker doesn't quite get out of the way. How does it work with FMJ?
 
#3 ·
I fired off a few FMJs with it decocked just fine. I mean obviously I didn't test it enough times with either FMJs or hollow points to determine whether it actually made a difference which type or if it was just pure coincidence that the hollows wouldn't fire. I mean obviously if this is the case I could just never decock it. But the principle is that it's supposed to fire off no matter what...otherwise people die. If this helps any, I have also noticed that from time to time it decocks on its own when i engage the external safety (normally you have to press it further to decock). I'm hoping there was just some gunk in the firing pin or something. I blasted the heck out of it with break free solvent and I'm hopefully gonna go to the range again next week....45 cal isn't easy on the wallet. While I admit I'm relatively new to handguns, I gotta say this striker is kinda making me nervous...seems like the hammer might be more reliable.
 
#4 ·
What kind of rounds were you using? I recently bought several boxes of 230 gr Winchester Ranger T's and a wwb value pack, and the first box I opened of the Ranger's had six bonafide duds in it. The value pack had two. They seem to be having some issues with their large pistol primers, and even when I tried them in my 1911 they still wouldn't fire.
 
#6 ·
i usually break it down about once a week or two...and obviously immediately everytime i shoot it....I've been told that if anything i'm oiling too much and that it's possibly getting up in the firing pin and mixing with other crap and gunking up. I usually try to oil only lightly on the slides and wipe off the excess and then every once in a great while oil everthing else but i'm told i need a completly dry firing pin mechanism. I am using winchester ammo as it seems to work the best in my gun. I don't think this particular problem is the ammo at all....I have the least amount of light strikes with that brand (none the most recent time..just an issue with the firing pin itself i think or the decocker)
 
#7 ·
I'd agree that you might be over doing it a little, then. A light wipe down and a quick inspection once a week is probably sufficient; a tear down and clean that often is probably overkill and just inviting unnecessary wear and tear.

I'd be curious what kind of oil you are using and how you are applying it, particularly if you are using CLP to clean. (Remember the 'L' in CLP.) Lubrication can very easily become glue that holds grit in all the wrong places. In my opinion, proper amounts of oil and grease are almost imperceptible except under pretty close inspection. If you've got "standing oil" anywhere or if you see oil running out of the cracks later, it’s too much in my book (unless you're oiling it up for long-term, unattended storage or something). You might want to try a dry film lubricant (like Remington DriLube), as that it tends to be less sticky over time. But keep in mind that you can still use too much, so follow the directions.

Speaking of ammo: primers do vary from brand to brand, lot to lot, etc and some are harder than others. It shouldn't be an issue most of the time, but it is something to keep in mind. Also, understand that manufacturers can and do change loads from time to time. They will usually try to keep the overall performance and dimensions the same, but they may still change primers and powders without notice. So, ammo of one type from an earlier lot may behave the same way as something from a later lot. Also, realize that ammo in a carry pistol will "age" much faster than something stored properly at home; the oils, humidity, higher average temperature, and broader temperature swings it experiences being on your person do nothing good for its longevity.

Finally, there could be something amiss with the pistol. I'd check for free and proper movement of the safety/de-cocker and would pay particular attention to the firing pin blocking mechanism. I'd also suggest looking for any obvious damage to parts in those mechanisms. If you have any older casings around, it may be worth comparing the primer strikes from then to now. If the more recent ones are noticeably "lighter" or otherwise different than older ones, that could be an indication of damage to the firing pin or a malfunction in the striker or cocking mechanisms.

Bottom line: I'd follow some of the suggestions in this thread and try it again. If you don't see the problem, I'd keep testing until I was comfortable and confident that it was just a fluke or overzealous oiling. If, instead, you continue to see the problem, you should arrange to get it back to Taurus for service before you trust it for carry. (Oh, and don't forget the "double-strike" capability. I wouldn't rely on it but, given no other choice, it could save you in a pinch.)
 
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#8 ·
OK, first i don't understand why you would pull the sldie back to recock it?/
if its a Pro C D/S it has second strike ability, actually i enjoy when mine will not fire on the first try (2 times thta i can remember) anyway it could be the gun, it could be the ammo.
if it does it again take the bullet out of the gun and inspect the primer on the bullet.
if its dented pretty well then its more than likely ammo, if its got a good strong strike then look at the gun, and many things can and will cause a light strike, especially in a striker fired weapon.
i would start with a thriough cleaning if it was the gun.
 
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#10 ·
OK, first i don't understand why you would pull the sldie back to recock it?/
if its a Pro C D/S it has second strike ability, actually i enjoy when mine will not fire on the first try (2 times thta i can remember) anyway it could be the gun, it could be the ammo.
if it does it again take the bullet out of the gun and inspect the primer on the bullet.
if its dented pretty well then its more than likely ammo, if its got a good strong strike then look at the gun, and many things can and will cause a light strike, especially in a striker fired weapon.
i would start with a thriough cleaning if it was the gun.
you are correct in that it has a second strike capability and every other time it has failed to fire i simply pull the trigger again and it goes off....this is something different and it seems to only happened when i begin shooting with it decocked. The difference between the lightstrikign when it immediately fires off with another pull and what i am dealing with is that i can clearly hear a click as if you were dry firing the gun. And when you have the gun decocked, the red tab disappears (goes about 1/8 inch into the gun)...and you can re "cock" it by pulling the slide back like a half inch. The problem disappears when this happens and it goes off just fine. The guy at the range said it might have been gunked up and for whatever reason the firing pin may have been traveling like a fraction or so of a centimeter less in decock mode. I'm hoping that everyone above as well as the guy at the range's advice rings true that it was just oiled too much and the pin was gunked up. I will find out in a few days when i go back to the range whether or not it was a fluke.
 
#9 ·
Light strikes with my PT 145 were caused by a gunky FP channel. I would detail strip the slide, clean it thoroughly and reassemble with no oil and see it that doesn't solve all of the light strikes.
 
#12 ·
Did cleaning out the firing pin channel or doing something else solve the problem? I hope so as I have the same issue with my 24/7 Pro DS 9mm (used multiple ammo). It fires everytime when fully cocked in "single-action", but, light-strikes and does not fire when de-cocked. No amount of pulling the "double-action" trigger when de-cocked will fire the round. The primer on the light-strike round is dimpled but obviously shallower then the strike on a fired primer. Every light-striked round that I re-chambered fired when fully cocked. This was the first time at the range for this pistol. It was cleaned when I first brought it home, but, the FP channel was not blasted out. I have since fully scrubbed out the gun, but, haven't been back to the range to test.
 
#13 ·
"GUNSCRUBBER" is our friend!
and of course everyone has their own magic brew as to cleaning/lubricating choices.
I use Rem Dri -Lube in my firing pin and channel after a through blasting with the pressurized gunscrubber, the Rem dri Lube is exactly that a dry lubricant under pressure and being dry it holds no powder residue or dirt that would not be there anyway with a dry channel and pin , and being teflon it does reduce friction quite nicely.
we have one guy here (not to mention any names-Foot locker.) that has gone to using it even as a anti perspirant, but i just use it in the firing pin area myself.
 
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#15 ·
Thanks olfarhors and Taurus10 for your responses. I finally was able to get back to the range yesterday and I followed your suggestions to the letter about using GunScrubber in the firing pin channel and also lubricating with Rem Dri Lube (high hopes), but, unfortunatley it did not "fully" work, suffering intermittent failure. At first, several attempts with de-cocked in double-action failed. After running a full mag in single-action (ran flawless), I tried again in double action and was able to get three shots off in a row. The fourth FTF twice, I re-chambered to single action and it fired. The fifth round I de-cocked to double-action and it fired, but the sixth FTF and all further attempts in double-action would FTF. This gun runs great in single-action, but, I have now deemed it unreliable as a whole. It seemes that the "second strike" capabilty should really punch that firing pin, but, it's just weak. Are there any other suggestions or is it time to send it back to the factory for repairs. Thanks ...T
 
#16 ·
Attaboy! I want to read what you have learned. I'm still breaking in my 24/7 PRO C DS and will face the same possibilities soon.
 
#17 ·
Trashbilly, if it was me at this point i would contact Tauurs and let them arrange a free pickup from Fed-x for you and repair the weapon.
if the gun has been owned by you for less than 1 year they should pay for the shipping both ways to and from the repair station, if the person on the phone doesn't want to do this ask to speak to a supervisor.
either way let us know how this works out for you.
 
#18 ·
If I had to guess, I'd say the DA sear isn't holding on to the striker long enough to get a good strike. DA striker / hammer strokes are always shorter than SA as far as I know, but a good system will make them close. If the striker is being dropped too early with a DA pull, which is plausible, that might be your issue. In any case, it still needs to go back to Taurus to fix.
 
#19 ·
You were saying you sprayed some break free down the firing pin channel? That is not a good practice. You wan to keep those areas free. I would do a complete field strip. Pull the firing pin out from the channel. Clean both and WIPE DRY. Leave it dry. When you spray stuff down the firing pin channel, it can actually cause debris to get caught in the firing pin which will create friction and that will slow the firing pin's traverse through the channel and create light primer strikes. Just some thoughts.
 
#21 ·
Thanks fellow Junior member GeneralCarver for the suggestion, however with no disrespect, it wasn't 'til Senior members suggested blasting out the factory gunk and using Rem Dri Lube ("stuff") in the firing-pin-channel did it fire at all in D.A. . Myself and my FFL Dealer where purchased agree with Member Lindenwood's suggestion that it's a mechanical issue, being compounded with factory packing grease and since this is right out of the box, it's on it's way back to Taurus for warranty repairs (and shipping with no charge to me!) which is in line with other members thoughts after cleaning the FP Channel did not fully work.

I failed to note the secondary problem that came up after the first test fire, The slide would stick on re-assembly until the spring was moved to a slightly different position, barely engaging the barrel. This will be addressed by Taurus as well.

Thanks again for the all the great input, I'll let you all know the results when the Pistol returns from Taurus. (They say a three week turn around???? A bummer, but, not an big issue as I have other means of defense, especially since this one could not be trusted as a whole... Two is One, One is None, Three is Key and so on..) ...T
 
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