• Winner! Quick Shot Challenge: What’s the dumbest shooting myth you’ve heard?

    View thread

Sidearms & Scatterguns Spray pistol cleaner

RedRyder

Full Member
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 22, 2013
356
108
I have a modded 9mm that's acting up in the form of failure to eject. I have a wild assed theory that the reason is because so many rounds have gone through it. What's a good spray cleaner to trty to get the gunk out? Brake cleaner? CLP? Anything I'm missing? Thanks.
 
Disassemblly cleaning would be a very good place to start. Now as for spray cleaner, use caution. Some can be corrosive and you'll need to be sure you get it all off.

I would look close at magazines or any other worn or chipped parts when you do the detail cleaning. In my experience, most issues are not related to cleaning unless someone has ran thousands of rounds through it with no cleaning. Especially with your major brands today. Being dirty could be the issue but I'd be willing to bet it's something else. Don't hesitate to get some help if you're not sure about proper disassembly/assembly.

Also some specifics on brand, model, how long you've had it, and how many rounds since the last cleaning might help us too.
 
It's a 9mm M&P full-size. I had trigger work done by a well-known gunsmith whose name I'd rather not mention at this time - he lightened the pull to 4lbs and decreased the reset. Gun's got a couple of thousand rounds through it so it's altogether possible it's just gunked. I stay away from any Russian or Chinese ammo but I'll shoot anything else. As far as disassembly, as far as I know, I'm fairly limited. Appreciate the responses.
 
It's an intermittent occurrence. I fire a round and the spent case gets ejected. I fire the next round, or the third round, and the gun does not go off and therefore the slide does not cycle. I've got to manually eject the live round. Primer strike looks normal. Once a new round gets fed, the gun fires regularly. Pattern repeats shortly thereafter. I've had guys watch what I'm doing and I'm not limp wristing it. I shoot a 45 with no failures. And it also has a stock trigger.
 
Last edited:
That sounds like an ammunition issue. Where you are getting a good primer strike, but no ignition. Have you tried refiring those rounds?

you are getting a perfect chance to work your tap,rack, failure to fire malfunction clearance.
 
Agreed on the "primer strike.". This can also be where verbage can make a difference. When you eject a live round after it does not fire, does that primer look the same as one that has fired?

If they're the same, there is ammo issue. Try getting some fresh ammo.

If the one that did not fire looks "lighter" (as if the firing pin didn't hit hard enough) or does not have any firing pin dimple, then the gun is having some type of problem.

You tube videos can be very helpful but use caution. Sometimes they'll give you only enough info to get you into trouble. Use caution. When in doubt, don't force anything and try and get help.
 
It's an intermittent occurrence. I fire a round and the spent case gets ejected. I fire the next round, or the third round, and the gun does not go off and therefore the slide does not cycle. I've got to manually eject the live round. Primer strike looks normal. Once a new round gets fed, the gun fires regularly. Pattern repeats shortly thereafter. I've had guys watch what I'm doing and I'm not limp wristing it. I shoot a 45 with no failures. And it also has a stock trigger.

Long time ago a fella passed on to me that malf's tend to be cause by the following, in said order. Dirt, Ammo, Parts (gun).

Regular cleaning, including disassembly is a standard part of any shooting session. Though the full disassembly type cleaning gets done at home normally. And of course it also includes relubing the vital bits. I can't imagine not doing so. So 1st rule out dirt as the cause of your issues.

Otherwise, there are just some weapons/models that don't work with one's physiology, regardless of how good your technique. There's one or two well known models that consistently malf on me, by means of a light strike. This with good ammo, and; a clean, bone stock weapon.
Speaking of which, if it ain't complicated, try switching your sidearm back to it's stock configuration for a few hundred rounds & see what happens. Might be the non-OEM parts, and or the smith.

BTW, what cleaners are you guys using that are eating polymer frames? And what polymer framed weapons are they eating? I've just always used brake cleaner, and it cleans well enough, while always having been safe to use. Knock on wood.
 
Last edited:
I was at the LGS the other day and noticed that Gunscrubber prominently mentions that it's safe for synthetic material. Don't know how good it works on cleaning/lube though. None of the other products I saw CLP for instance, said they were polymer friendly.