Author Topic: Screws Coming Loose - Help!  (Read 3181 times)

Offline chasdo4

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Screws Coming Loose - Help!
« on: February 28, 2009, 06:53:00 PM »
I am still learning about the R9 and shooting it and all the little nuances with it.  I do like it - a lot.  In the last few ranges sessions, however, I have had intermittent failure to fire and stove pipes/jams on some of the rounds.  I am using winchester silvertips 115 grain.  Anyway, I was confused until I watched the screws on the right and left grips pop out while shooting the pistol!  I tightened them as best I could and that seemed to fix the problems with failure to fire and stove piping.  However, they keep coming loose after even 1 or 2 magazines have been fired. I tried to tighten them and a couple of them wouldn't screw in anymore and I had to replace entirely.  Is this normal?  (I had purchased a few extra screws from Maria. She's been great) Anyway . . . am I missing something?  Is this supposed to happen? What can I do to fix/avoid this?  Thanks for all the great help and suggestions with my continuous questions.  I am grateful.

Offline Bill_in_TX

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Re: Screws Coming Loose - Help!
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2009, 07:56:58 PM »
When I got extra grip screws, along with a few other spares (recoil springs, particularly), Maria suggested using some blue loctite on the screws if I did take them out.  That didn't come as a surprise to me, since I've used blue loctite on several grip screws for other pistols.  This may well be what you need.

A few pointers, if you use it.

1.  MAKE SURE THAT IT IS BLUE LOCTITE.  Blue is the low strength version that allows fasteners to be unscrewed readily.  Any others will be much too strong and you may never get the grips off again in one piece.

2. Use it sparingly.  Just a very small drop is more than enough.  I know some that put a drop on a small screw like these and then shake the screw to get all but the last bit off.

3. Clean both screw and frame hole first.  Isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab works pretty well the first time.  Later you'll have to clean the old stuff off with a toothpick, or similar, before reapplication.

A second option is a similar small dab of clear fingernail polish on the screw.  The steps above apply equally to that, except you can clean it up for reapplication with fingernail polish remover.

Offline tracker

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Re: Screws Coming Loose - Help!
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2009, 10:07:16 PM »
chasdo4,

The problems you experienced seem to be a bit
beyond the norm. Although I check the screws
periodically for tightness I have never seen them
back out so readily as you describe. The advice
about blue loctite and fingernail polish is excellent
but there may be another issue there best addressed
by the factory.