New Beretta M9 Frame Wear - Anyone Else Seen This Kind of Wear?
I'm planning on calling Beretta USA later today, but wanted to post these for any thoughts on what is causing this.
Bought a new Beretta M9 two weeks ago. Just went to third range trip Saturday morning. It's had no more than 400 rounds through it. The numbers are approximate, give or take a few rounds:
Started field stripping it for cleaning after third trip to range, as I had done with the first two trips. This time, after I took the recoil spring and guide rod out and wiped them down I noticed small metal chips on the barrel. After investigating further, I put all the cleaning materials away, and started documenting it with photos.
It's disconcerting to see metal chips and shavings as it indicates there's either galling or one part is grinding and/or milling another part, which should not be occurring, not in any firearm I've ever owned or handled. The moving parts should be polishing each other smooth, which is definitely not occurring here. I cannot help but think something's out of dimensional specifications (slide, barrel, or frame). I would hate to think there's a metallurgical problem. Obviously the frame is the softer alloy compared to the slide, barrel and locking block and if anything gives where they mate, it will be the frame. Generating metal chips and shavings cannot possibly be "normal".
Because this M9 was brand new, after each of the prior cleanings I had used some Hoppe's #9 oil on the slide rails, and on the barrel's flanges and the frame rails on which they ride, wiping off the excess leaving a very thin film afterward.
Any thoughts on what the cause is would be helpful . . . galling . . . parts out of dimensional spec . . . something else (??).
Thanks
John
What I saw on the barrel after removing the guide rod and recoil spring, before removing the barrel from the slide . . .
Took the barrel with locking block out and examined it finding more metal chips on both sides. It also appears the sides of the barrel flanges fore and aft of the locking block may be galling the alloy frame grooves.
Left side of barrel and locking block . . .
Right side of barrel and locking block with more small metal chips . . .
A look inside the frame reveals the frame wear and the first surprise with something in the slide or barrel peening the frame on one side and having chipped a corner off the frame on the other side. A small part of the abrasion on the frame from the barrel flanges can bee seen as well.
There's more metal chips and debris inside the frame . . . and the abrasion on the rails from the barrel flanges is quite visible. The chipped and peened frame corners are also visible here.
A look down inside the frame where the barrel flanges fore and aft of the locking block ride shows the major source of the metal chips as the barrel is galling or grinding away the frame. This is the left side, and the surface may be shiny, but it's not being polished smooth. A relatively large chip of metal seen on top of the frame to the right.
The right side is similar . . .
Looking down into the frame groove under the barrel breech had me looking at the barrel again. This is the left side of the barrel, and the beveled end of the flange is scraping up metal from the frame.
Also noticed the upper edge of the barrel breech is being peened by the slide breech when the slide goes into battery. I do not drop the slide on an empty chamber as it's hard on the breech. There's a better photo of this later.
The beveled edge of this flange is scraping metal off the frame as can seen here in the left side of the frame . . . matching the left side of the barrel above.
The right side is similar, with the barrel having retained more frame metal on this side than the other. You will note the barrel is dirty as I stopped cleaning to investigate the extent of frame galling and abrasion.
Right side of frame shows similar accumulation of shavings being pushed there by the barrel flange . . .
Last, but not least, is what I'm suspecting may be some of the cause . . . the edge of the barrel on the left side is being peened and gouged by the slide when it goes into battery with the barrel. Note that I do not "drop the slide" into battery by using the slide release or slingshotting it without a round or at least a snap cap in the chamber (or in a magazine) to absorb the impact.
Thanks for looking and thanks in advance for any helpful comments or observations.
John
I'm planning on calling Beretta USA later today, but wanted to post these for any thoughts on what is causing this.
Bought a new Beretta M9 two weeks ago. Just went to third range trip Saturday morning. It's had no more than 400 rounds through it. The numbers are approximate, give or take a few rounds:
- 30 rounds Fiocchi 124 grain JHP
- 15 rounds Magtech 124 grain JHP
- 50 rounds Remington 147 grain FMJ
- 50 rounds Winchester 147 grain FMJ
- 220 rounds Winchester 124 grain NATO FMJ
Started field stripping it for cleaning after third trip to range, as I had done with the first two trips. This time, after I took the recoil spring and guide rod out and wiped them down I noticed small metal chips on the barrel. After investigating further, I put all the cleaning materials away, and started documenting it with photos.
It's disconcerting to see metal chips and shavings as it indicates there's either galling or one part is grinding and/or milling another part, which should not be occurring, not in any firearm I've ever owned or handled. The moving parts should be polishing each other smooth, which is definitely not occurring here. I cannot help but think something's out of dimensional specifications (slide, barrel, or frame). I would hate to think there's a metallurgical problem. Obviously the frame is the softer alloy compared to the slide, barrel and locking block and if anything gives where they mate, it will be the frame. Generating metal chips and shavings cannot possibly be "normal".
Because this M9 was brand new, after each of the prior cleanings I had used some Hoppe's #9 oil on the slide rails, and on the barrel's flanges and the frame rails on which they ride, wiping off the excess leaving a very thin film afterward.
Any thoughts on what the cause is would be helpful . . . galling . . . parts out of dimensional spec . . . something else (??).
Thanks
John
What I saw on the barrel after removing the guide rod and recoil spring, before removing the barrel from the slide . . .
Took the barrel with locking block out and examined it finding more metal chips on both sides. It also appears the sides of the barrel flanges fore and aft of the locking block may be galling the alloy frame grooves.
Left side of barrel and locking block . . .
Right side of barrel and locking block with more small metal chips . . .
A look inside the frame reveals the frame wear and the first surprise with something in the slide or barrel peening the frame on one side and having chipped a corner off the frame on the other side. A small part of the abrasion on the frame from the barrel flanges can bee seen as well.
There's more metal chips and debris inside the frame . . . and the abrasion on the rails from the barrel flanges is quite visible. The chipped and peened frame corners are also visible here.
A look down inside the frame where the barrel flanges fore and aft of the locking block ride shows the major source of the metal chips as the barrel is galling or grinding away the frame. This is the left side, and the surface may be shiny, but it's not being polished smooth. A relatively large chip of metal seen on top of the frame to the right.
The right side is similar . . .
Looking down into the frame groove under the barrel breech had me looking at the barrel again. This is the left side of the barrel, and the beveled end of the flange is scraping up metal from the frame.
Also noticed the upper edge of the barrel breech is being peened by the slide breech when the slide goes into battery. I do not drop the slide on an empty chamber as it's hard on the breech. There's a better photo of this later.
The beveled edge of this flange is scraping metal off the frame as can seen here in the left side of the frame . . . matching the left side of the barrel above.
The right side is similar, with the barrel having retained more frame metal on this side than the other. You will note the barrel is dirty as I stopped cleaning to investigate the extent of frame galling and abrasion.
Right side of frame shows similar accumulation of shavings being pushed there by the barrel flange . . .
Last, but not least, is what I'm suspecting may be some of the cause . . . the edge of the barrel on the left side is being peened and gouged by the slide when it goes into battery with the barrel. Note that I do not "drop the slide" into battery by using the slide release or slingshotting it without a round or at least a snap cap in the chamber (or in a magazine) to absorb the impact.
Thanks for looking and thanks in advance for any helpful comments or observations.
John
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