75 PCR hiccup

[Paul C]

Got my 75 PCR Compact last week and love it.  After I picked it up I field stripped it, cleaned it and lubed it, took to the range and shot 100 rounds.  Got it home cleaned it up again.  And then today went back out with it.  Shot a 50 round box of Fed FMJ though it no problem and was most of the way through my second box of 50 of Sellier and Bellot FMJ, and started getting FTF’s.   Rounds were chambering fine and there was faint firing pin marks on the primers but looked like the firing pin wasn’t striking the primer hard enough. 

Pulled out my SAR B6 and all the S&B rounds that failed to fire in the PCR went bang in the B6.

For the gun home and stripped it and while cleaning it noticed that the threaded “sheath” that goes around the loaded chamber indicator had backed out quite a bit.  Tightened back down and thought maybe that was the cause.  It doesn’t make sense to me but could that be the cause of the light primer strikes?

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

Uh huh. So have you fired the gun since you tightened the LCI ? That would be your answer. My PCR has never failed in any capacity. My PCR will never fail. It's better than any g-lock ever made.

[viking499]

Sounds like a firing pin channel issue.

[BarkingAnt]

Same thing happened to me but I lost the LCI retaining screw in the process. The LCI dropped down and pistol wouldn’t fully return to battery.  End of range visit.

I had to send it to CGW anyway so I had them replace the screw and I think they put blue locktite on it. I think David said that it's not a common problem on the PCR but it seems the 97 has an issue with the screw coming loose also unless it gets locktite. There are a few threads on this forum about the problem.

[Tok36]

   After tightening the LCI, i would go shoot it again. If the issue persists i concur with viking499's post above. It could be something dragging on the Firing Pin. A damaged FP Spring, Firing Pin Retaining Pin or some gunk in the FP channel could all impede the FP.

[Paul C]

Haven’t gotten back out with it yet but obviously that will give me my answer.  Was just wondering if it’s a known issue and sounds like if it won’t fully engage in battery with that being loose it prob is.  Thanks. 

[GeneticallySwiss]

...noticed that the threaded “sheath” that goes around the loaded chamber indicator had backed out quite a bit.

Now, I confess that I am rather OCD regarding reliability of all my firearms, particularly those that are depended upon for defense of self and others.  I do not like these retroactively designed and installed loaded chamber indicators, even less so because several of these CZ designs (CZ-97, PCR) tend to back out.  I know, loctite, but that is not my point, it is a flawed design in my opinion.  I have gotten rid of pistols for less.

GS

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

Never had the lci on my PCR come loose and never had a stoppage of any kind in north of 15,000 rnds now. The lci on my 97BD did work loose but a good cleaning and a drop of loctite cured that for good. I'm no fan of the lci but the PCR is the ONLY gun I'll never give up.

[Chuck James]

The LCI is one of the reasons I didn't buy the PCR.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

The LCI is one of the reasons I didn't buy the PCR.

That's too bad. You deprived yourself of the best all around handgun on the planet.

[M1A4ME]

Make sure the magazine is removed, the chamber is empty, cock the hammer, point it muzzle up, drop a #2 pencil down in the barrel and squeeze the trigger - don't hold it so that the pencil hits you in the face when the pencil flies out.

That can tell you if the firing pin is dragging/hanging up, etc.

A good 1911 can stick a pencil in a ceiling tile.  Don't ask me how I know or how my Chief noticed that itty bitty hole in the ceiling tile over his desk a day or so later.

Even a striker fired gun will make the pencil hop.  Not all of them will launch the pencil like a 1911 or a CZ75.  The XD/XDMs are the only striker fired guns I've got that will pop the pencil a couple feet up in the air.  The M&Ps usually won't even get it out of the barrel.

Your PCR should launch it well up in the air.

Try the same "pencil" test in your other empty pistol as a comparison.

You may need to do some deep cleaning if you've got a build up of old oil/powder residue in/around that firing pin and return spring.