Bad experience at the range!

[backupr9]

My EDC covert had not been fired since the last cleaning3 months back, but was well lubricated.  I loaded with Lawman 115.  I had a stove pipe the 2nd round fired.  Cleared it and intermittently had several more failures to eject, jamming up the gun...clearly a limp wrist, except I wasn’t limp wristing...decided there was something impeding the slide.  It also was intermittently catching when I racked the slide.  When I got home I found the slide retainer pin was broken.  Had a hard time getting the last piece out.

Now it is out.  I can pass the punch clear through without resistance.  However, the slide racks as if the pin was still in place, and I cannot get the slide off the pistol.  Suggestions?

[tracker]

That's a tough one. Perhaps Eric could offer a suggestion or two.

[backupr9]

Eric messaged me, but is tied up with the loss of a dear friend.  We’ll figure it out together when he gets back next week or two.  What a guy!

[tracker]

As a last resort you might try to contact Alex at Williams but you probably have already considered that option.

[backupr9]

Thanks Tracker.  Eric thinks he can talk me through a fix.  Since I have a spare, there is no real hurry.
My arthritic hands are becoming a problem on fast follow up shots...the G43, if I buy one, may end up as my EDC.

[tracker]

The G43 is a winner, imo. As for arthritic hands I had a 5-6 level of pain in the two middle knuckles of my right hand. After I started taking Heal-n-Soothe for two weeks the pain has virtually disappeared. Here is a consumer link that discusses it but I am sold.
https://www.consumerhealthdigest.com/joint-pain-product-reviews/heal-n-soothe.html

[backupr9]

I spoke with Eric yesterday and the talked me through getting the slide off....one of my favorite techniques as a non-mechanical person....”hit it with a hammer”.  Actually, a rubber mallet with proper positioning of the pistol...worked great.  Slide came off with a rain of tiny metal fragments.  The interior of the slide and the body had some major gauling, corrected with using pin-fines and a fine Drexel on low speed.  Now I can rack the slide without significant resistance and snap the trigger (had to reset the trigger bar spring twice as it would come off with the effort of racking the slide until it was finally smoothed out).  Once I get a new pin for the slide I’ll try it out, but suspect there may be some issues with resistance to the slide resulting in failure to feed...will wait and see. I’m not sure I will ever be able to trust this Pup as an EDC in the future.  Fortunately, I have a backup R9.

Advice:  If you get more than one  failure to extract properly with stove pipes/jams when you are confident you have a well lubricated R9 and a stiff wrist, QUIT SHOOTING, take it home and take it apart.  Kudos to Eric for staying on top of this forum and helping all who need such help.

[backupr9]

Well, I’m back with another range report.  Eric found a pin for me, and I took the pistol to the range today without much expectation since the inside of the pistol was gauled badly and after I smoothed it all out, looked rough.  Anyway, I was surprised at how well it shot and how badly I shot.  It took 2 mags to get some skills back (such as they are).  I used Lawman 124 and put 40 rounds down range with one feeding issue, probably due to a limp wrist.  I won’t carry this one until I can trust it more but it’s gonna stay with me!

[ECR]

Good to hear. Try it again maybe after the New Year and see how she works. Make sure everything is tight and lubed. You may also try Gold Dot JHP 115 in the gun and see how it handles those rounds. We found the best results from those.

Regards,

Eric R

[backupr9]

Thanks Eric.  I took it out yesterday and put another 40 rounds of Lawman 115 through it and it functioned perfectly.  Accuracy at 5 yards was impressive in spite of my essential tremor.  It is back in my good graces!

[ECR]

Nice to hear. Have a Great New Years!