[Problem] Ruger LC9 very often failure to fire (FTF)

[ByblosHex]

AHenshaw's new Ruger LC9 on both trips after it's first range trip has been very unreliable. It fails to fire approx 3/5 times. All failures to fire result in evident light or weak primer strikes. Usually accompanied by a little brown goo being on the primer. Upon further inspection with the firearm field stripped there is clearly some sort of brown goo within the firearm where the firing pin is housed. The failures to fire began on it's second range trip and have persisted through it's third. It has been field stripped and cleaned with Break-Free CLP. It has not been dissembled further than field stripping. The manual offers no instruction on detail stripping neither does it make any mention of brown goo. The brown goo is visible and actually coming out of the rear of the firing pin housing, where the hammer strikes the back of the firing pin. Also, brown goo can be seen on the tip of the firing pin and in the hole where the firing pin pops out to strike the primer.

Has anyone experienced anything like this before? My plan right now is to just take the thing apart entirely without instruction and clean it all out, but I wanted to see if anyone had any better ideas.

[theduke]

Can you remove the firing pin? try cleaning out the FR slot. Run a drill bit through it by turning it with your hand, not in a drill.

[rwb1500]

Get rid of the brown goo!!

No, but seriously. It's probably some sort of packing grease, and the firing pin is not a good place for it.

[Mity2]

Not Ruger, but my Sig 226Combat I bought few years ago had a similer issue.
Sig ships thier new gun with this white thick grase. You really really have to scrub to get rid of it.
It was cold when I took it out for the first time. It jammed, failed to fire, faild to eject and everything in between.

I totally dissassemble the gun, and was amazed by the amount of white grease that guncleaner in a can fail to remove

Cleaned everything, and gun functioned 100% until day i sold it

[SAB215]

My SR9c had the same goo in the striker channel. I think that's a Ruger thing. Having read about it before I bought it, I knew it caused some problems for people, so I cleaned it right after I bought it. Never had an issue.

[kel ruger man]

i have bought many rugers and never seen this GOO you are talking about. i would be careful about taking the gun apart more then a field strip. it might void your warrantee if you need to send it back. just clean it real good, if you are still having problems, send it back to ruger, or take it to the gun shop, sometimes they will do it free if its something like a deep cleaning.

[God's Country]

Did you clean the gun prior to it's first use?
It's been my understnading that all new firearms should be field stripped and cleaned of packing/shipping grease prior to shooting.

I wouldn't strip it dowm completely. It's brand new, let Ruger worry about it if you cannot correct the problem.

[bortle]

We were shooting one this weekend and had a similar problem.
Ours seems to be ammo related. Federal shot fine, Fiochi fine. S&B one or two shots and click.
Little pieces of the primer come off and stick to the firing pin. Acts like a cushion on the end of the pin. Barely puts a mark on the primer.
Have to field strip it and pick the piece off.
Son in law searched the web and found others with this complaint.
http://rugerforum.net/ruger-pistols/...-misfires.html

[firebird.77]

I'm by no means a gunsmith, but if it were my gun I'd drip some Hoppes or other solvent of your choice onto the back of the firing pin while the gun is field stripped and the slide is held vertical- hoping to dissolve the goo. When satisfied, drip some oil down it to lubricate and test fire.

[dkf]

Just keep in mind that "Goo" will hold any dirt, fuzz, brass shavings and etc. I'd strip it down, clean and re-oil as specified. There is enough info on the net you should be able to get it back together no problem.(like the above link)

I don't have an LC9 but and LCP and it was slathered pretty good with oil. I took mine down to bare frame the first day I had it. Only way I could get all Rugers slopped on oil off.