SPHINX SDP Action Job and Sight Install Experience

[Rick53]

I purchased the Spring Kit and Lightened Trigger Spring (For SPHNIX) from Cajun : I installed all 5 Springs . Plus polished the de-cocker and trigger bar support spring: Plus added the Novak Rear sight and ZRTS FO Front sight .

A few tricks I learned : All and I mean ALL pins come out driving the right to left . They go back in left to right . Following that direction makes the job much easier : I also followed this direction with the  removal of the rear sight. Mine came out very easy : The Front sight , once loosened fell out. The Novak rear was loose as was the ZRT Front. SO I put just a really small amount of lock tight 620 in the center of both Front and rear dovetails: Seems to be staying put :

When replacing the springs in the slide, the firing pin retainer pin is a pain to say the least . I left it out and used a roll pin made by cajun when I put it back together:

  I used a Lightened Trigger ReturnSpring made by Cajun . This made a big difference : I  re-leaved the decocker support spring slightly:  Be careful not to break it. I took mine right out and polished it up with 400 and then 1500 paper: Seems to have helped the DA hitch : I actually think this helped more then polishing the De-cocker/Trigger bar : Mine was pretty smooth cut to begin with:

The other 2 springs, Hammer Spring (easy) , Lifter Spring is tricky but only due to how small it is : If you can do a CZ 75 You can tackle the SPHNIX.

Last : BUY A PRESTO BLUE PEN : Makes scratches that may occur disappear: AND GET THE LIGHTENED TRIGGER RETURN SPRING: IMO it should be part of their Sphnix Spring kit but isn't: I ran across it totally by accident : It's not listed under SPHNIX parts :

All done my DA pull weight is digitally 6.588 and my SA is right at 3.61.  SO far with 400 rounds no FTF or feed.


Cajun quit doing work on the Sphnix : My guess would be the Firing Pin retaining Pin is the toughest I've ever encountered: Plus you beat up the one side pretty bad. It's unavoidable if you want to get it out : I made a router cut in a piece of 2x4 and drilled a hole for the pin to fall in. Even using a construction hammer , I had to support the board on my garage floor and give it some mighty wacks . The pin is slightly bigger on the left side : SO you have to go R to L . Here's where I'm sure Cajun lost to much time to make money :

I did get lucky as Kriss was kind enough to send me a replacement pin. It took 2 Phone calls and sweet talking the woman who answered the phone. Normally they won't sell you replacement parts: They want you to send the gun to them. I am saving the pin to put back in maybe: As mentioned the Roll pin Cajun suggested works and is far easier to install and remove: You just need the right punches:

[jwc007]

Thankyou for sharing your experience!   

[tamlin]

The trigger pin in mine was pretty hard to get out.  I'm not surprised the firing pin retainer was such a pain considering how tight the fit of everything else is.

[MikeLW]

Good to hear that your upgrade went smooth enough. I know the "get a bigger hammer" trick can be quite scary when your working on one of your babies.

[Rick53]

 should have taken pictures for people to see where the difficult issues were :

[jaep1911]

Thank you very much for sharing the tips. I got a spring kit but am not ready to deal with the FP retainer as I have heard that it is a pain in the but. Changing the hammer spring alone induced FTFire so I am back to square.

Love the gun but when it comes to even 'simple maintenance', I kind of think that I should have gotten something else.

[Rick53]

Thank you very much for sharing the tips. I got a spring kit but am not ready to deal with the FP retainer as I have heard that it is a pain in the but. Changing the hammer spring alone induced FTFire so I am back to square.

Love the gun but when it comes to even 'simple maintenance', I kind of think that I should have gotten something else.

If you have issues taking it down to clean as you're implying : I wouldn't try to remove the FP retainer or the spring in the sear block. I've worked on many different guns : Including 1911's. Even I nearly gave up getting the FP retainer out of the SPHNIX. You have to really pound it hard with a heavy hammer. Plus you really ruin the pin taking it out. That is not a big deal as Cajun sells a replacement that works great. Just remember on that pin Right to left as the left end of the pin is larger. The guys at Cajun said they quit working on SPHNIX"S because they were a pain: They aren't really any different then a CZ 75. What makes them a pain is how tight all the pins are :

[dummykid]

I think I just had a hard time to remove the pin as well and I ended up giving up coz I really don't want to beat up the slide. Do you know which replacement pin I should get from Cajun website? I sent an email to Cajun and I was told that they no longer selling spring kits for Sphinx SDP/

[Rick53]

I think I just had a hard time to remove the pin as well and I ended up giving up coz I really don't want to beat up the slide. Do you know which replacement pin I should get from Cajun website? I sent an email to Cajun and I was told that they no longer selling spring kits for Sphinx SDP/

  Here's the Roll pin. https://cajungunworks.com/product/61100-tempered-spring-steel-firing-pin-retaining-pin/   To get the one out of the Sphnix : *Get a 2x6 or 2x6  Drill a hole in it big enough for the roll pin to fall thru. Get a Good punch and use a hammer (A good weighted one) you'd use for house building . It's not how hard you hit it. Just short firm smacks. If you're worried about hitting the slide with the hammer then maybe you should take it to a Pro. Or wrap it up with a few layers of masking tape. If you hit the slide that will prevent you scratching it. You're not going to dent it as it's hardened. One slip won't hurt it. Like I said protect it.

The Sphinx pin is larger on one end. But it's only about a 3rd of the Pin. Once you clear that it comes right out.  To install the Cajun pin you need a Roll pin Punch.   

1/2 the issue with working on any gun is HAVING THE RIGHT TOOLS and overcoming the fear you'll ruin it. You probably will if that's your mind set. BUY that hammer spring I sent you a link for. I've done this work for friends: Unfortunately I'm not an FFL carrier. So I can't accept guns to work on.

[dummykid]

I think I just had a hard time to remove the pin as well and I ended up giving up coz I really don't want to beat up the slide. Do you know which replacement pin I should get from Cajun website? I sent an email to Cajun and I was told that they no longer selling spring kits for Sphinx SDP/

  Here's the Roll pin. https://cajungunworks.com/product/61100-tempered-spring-steel-firing-pin-retaining-pin/   To get the one out of the Sphnix : *Get a 2x6 or 2x6  Drill a hole in it big enough for the roll pin to fall thru. Get a Good punch and use a hammer (A good weighted one) you'd use for house building . It's not how hard you hit it. Just short firm smacks. If you're worried about hitting the slide with the hammer then maybe you should take it to a Pro. Or wrap it up with a few layers of masking tape. If you hit the slide that will prevent you scratching it. You're not going to dent it as it's hardened. One slip won't hurt it. Like I said protect it.

The Sphinx pin is larger on one end. But it's only about a 3rd of the Pin. Once you clear that it comes right out.  To install the Cajun pin you need a Roll pin Punch.   

1/2 the issue with working on any gun is HAVING THE RIGHT TOOLS and overcoming the fear you'll ruin it. You probably will if that's your mind set. BUY that hammer spring I sent you a link for. I've done this work for friends: Unfortunately I'm not an FFL carrier. So I can't accept guns to work on.

Hi Rick, I appreciate your helpful information. I guess I would wait until I get the  CGW roll pin. Just to be clear, when we say driving the pin from right to left, and my understanding is we hit the pin on the right side? (  the right side is the extractor side), coz I saw someone's post saying drive the pin from left to right to remove  it.

[Rick53]

I think I just had a hard time to remove the pin as well and I ended up giving up coz I really don't want to beat up the slide. Do you know which replacement pin I should get from Cajun website? I sent an email to Cajun and I was told that they no longer selling spring kits for Sphinx SDP/

  Here's the Roll pin. https://cajungunworks.com/product/61100-tempered-spring-steel-firing-pin-retaining-pin/   To get the one out of the Sphnix : *Get a 2x6 or 2x6  Drill a hole in it big enough for the roll pin to fall thru. Get a Good punch and use a hammer (A good weighted one) you'd use for house building . It's not how hard you hit it. Just short firm smacks. If you're worried about hitting the slide with the hammer then maybe you should take it to a Pro. Or wrap it up with a few layers of masking tape. If you hit the slide that will prevent you scratching it. You're not going to dent it as it's hardened. One slip won't hurt it. Like I said protect it.

The Sphinx pin is larger on one end. But it's only about a 3rd of the Pin. Once you clear that it comes right out.  To install the Cajun pin you need a Roll pin Punch.   

1/2 the issue with working on any gun is HAVING THE RIGHT TOOLS and overcoming the fear you'll ruin it. You probably will if that's your mind set. BUY that hammer spring I sent you a link for. I've done this work for friends: Unfortunately I'm not an FFL carrier. So I can't accept guns to work on.

Hi Rick, I appreciate your helpful information. I guess I would wait until I get the  CGW roll pin. Just to be clear, when we say driving the pin from right to left, and my understanding is we hit the pin on the right side? (  the right side is the extractor side), coz I saw someone's post saying drive the pin from left to right to remove  it.

Ok do as you wish. If they said to drive the sphinx pin out from the left side going right IMO they are mistaken. When I say right to left out . I mean pointing the gun in the direction you would to shoot. Looking at the rear sight forward . Right to left . The Sphix pin has a Knurl on the left side . If you take it out left going right it will be really difficult. More so then it is now.

Kriss was nice enough to send me a New pin (Something they don't normally agree to do. ) I never re-installed the Pin . I kept it incase I sell the gun and someone wants OEM parts. The CGW roll pin is not what's in the Sphinx from Factory .   I've worked on guns for 30 plus years. Even though most pins the direction doesn't matter . It's kind of a given lefty lose righty tight. So you follow left out right in direction just as a basic rule in all mechanics of any nature. Guns guitars or Cars. You don't loosen a nut going right .

 Waiting to see what the CGW pin looks like won't help you a bit because it's a roll pin (Center is Hollow) The OEM Shpinx is a Solid pin that has intents on both ends. A roll pin requires a Roll pin punch that fits inside the hollow lip.to guide installation. So you will need the pin to get the right size punch figured out.

[dummykid]

Ok do as you wish. If they said to drive the sphinx pin out from the left side going right IMO they are mistaken. When I say right to left out . I mean pointing the gun in the direction you would to shoot. Looking at the rear sight forward . Right to left . The Sphix pin has a Knurl on the left side . If you take it out left going right it will be really difficult. More so then it is now.

Kriss was nice enough to send me a New pin (Something they don't normally agree to do. ) I never re-installed the Pin . I kept it incase I sell the gun and someone wants OEM parts. The CGW roll pin is not what's in the Sphinx from Factory .   I've worked on guns for 30 plus years. Even though most pins the direction doesn't matter . It's kind of a given lefty lose righty tight. So you follow left out right in direction just as a basic rule in all mechanics of any nature. Guns guitars or Cars. You don't loosen a nut going right .

 Waiting to see what the CGW pin looks like won't help you a bit because it's a roll pin (Center is Hollow) The OEM Shpinx is a Solid pin that has intents on both ends. A roll pin requires a Roll pin punch that fits inside the hollow lip.to guide installation. So you will need the pin to get the right size punch figured out.

thank you for the  help on this issue. I have a few roll pin punches, for my SP01 and P07,  on my way and I will update the  progress  when I take the pin out, and I do remember when I took out the pin on the grip , i was driving the pin from right to left.  I am surprised that Sphinx SDP has such tight tolerance on its product.

[Rick53]

Ok do as you wish. If they said to drive the sphinx pin out from the left side going right IMO they are mistaken. When I say right to left out . I mean pointing the gun in the direction you would to shoot. Looking at the rear sight forward . Right to left . The Sphix pin has a Knurl on the left side . If you take it out left going right it will be really difficult. More so then it is now.

Kriss was nice enough to send me a New pin (Something they don't normally agree to do. ) I never re-installed the Pin . I kept it incase I sell the gun and someone wants OEM parts. The CGW roll pin is not what's in the Sphinx from Factory .   I've worked on guns for 30 plus years. Even though most pins the direction doesn't matter . It's kind of a given lefty lose righty tight. So you follow left out right in direction just as a basic rule in all mechanics of any nature. Guns guitars or Cars. You don't loosen a nut going right .

 Waiting to see what the CGW pin looks like won't help you a bit because it's a roll pin (Center is Hollow) The OEM Shpinx is a Solid pin that has intents on both ends. A roll pin requires a Roll pin punch that fits inside the hollow lip.to guide installation. So you will need the pin to get the right size punch figured out.

thank you for the  help on this issue. I have a few roll pin punches, for my SP01 and P07,  on my way and I will update the  progress  when I take the pin out, and I do remember when I took out the pin on the grip , i was driving the pin from right to left.  I am surprised that Sphinx SDP has such tight tolerance on its product.

It's the same roll pin that's in the P07 .  The Sphinx Pin is tight only because the one end is knurled and ever so slightly larger: I guess they didn't want them taken out . Problem is once you start there's no way not to beat the pin to it's death.  I believe removing the Slide Pin is the only reason CGW quit working on them > Because everything else is like working on an SP01. *AND nothing compares to how easy the P07 is to work on.   

[bg002h]

I know this is an old thread, I’m hoping this necropost can help me dig up some obscure info.

Does anyone know how to remove the hammer pivot retaining pin (part #52)? It’s not like a regular cz 75…there is nothing to lift up from the outside to expose the pin from the side. The pin rides in a channel in the hammer pivot. If I figure out how to get it out, I’ll post it here.

Oh, I also learned you can order any part you want for the SDP compact from Kriss USA. I got a PO and  gave them payment info…hopefully they charge my card come Monday.