Originally Posted by
JonInWA
Latest update: With p-f member Jeep's suggestions and guidance, and after watching a YouTube segment twice on 92 slide disassembly, I just removed my extractor, firing pin block and firing pin, cleaning and re-lubricating as necessary, and replacing the OEM firing pin spring with one of Wilson Combat's chrome silicon firing pin spring. Here are the details, in all the glorious micro-detailed discussion that you guys have come to expect from me:
Done Jeep-and thanks for the encouragement and guidance. Pretty straightforward, as you said. I annually remove, clean and re-spring my extractor (the re-springing part is as necessary, which is really probably never, but since Wilson Combat provided me with 2 flavors of their chrome silicon extractor springs {standard and +), last year I removed my OEM Beretta one for the heck of it, and used the standard weight Wilson Combat one-its running just fine).
The firing pin block removal was very straightforward-just punch out the retaining roll pin with a 1/16th" roll pin punch, push down from the top (with a thumb on the rear of the firing pin to preclude it from launching into orbit), and it falls out (there's a small coil spring that tensions it, I removed it as well) and then pulled out the firing pin and firing pin spring (which was a little stubborn, and a Q-Tip was used to pull it out). While you could probably get away with using a flat 1/16th" punch, the roll pin punch both helps in the removal and re-installation process, and maintains the integrity of the roll pin itself, so using the right tools pays off-in this case the 2 sets of Lyman pistol maintenance punches (one standard flat, one roll-pin) I've invested in.
All components were de-grunged, cleaned, and lightly lubed with Dri-Slide, a molybdenum disulfate dry film lubrication solution suspended in a liquid carrier-the liquid carrier solution evaporates, and you have an evenly deposited a dry lubricant film that lubricates without serving as a GSR magnet. The Beretta manual recommends a drop of lubricant applied to the firing pin hole at the breech and at the back of the firing pin where it projects from the back of the slide, but I much prefer the dry-film lubricant approach for theses assemblies.
There really wasn't all that much accumulated on the firing pin, extractor and locking block, or in the firing pin, firing pin block and extractor chambers. It was worthwhile going in, but probably annually is sufficient for the extractor, and every couple of years for the firing pin/firing pin block. But since it's so easy on the D model, I'll probably just do the full meal deal annually.
Despite that the OEM firing pin spring was running fine, since Wilson Combat had also graciously provided me with one of their chrome silicon firing pin springs, I replaced the OEM one with it (the Tech at BUSA that I spoke with yesterday said that he'd personally never seen or heard of an OEM firing pin spring breaking or losing tensility, but since I was already in there, I might as well just replace the original spring with a new one...). (And yes, I'm keeping the OEM one, just in case...).
After reassembling everything, the extractor retaining pin needs to be re-staked (well, actually, it's the metal on the slide surrounding the extractor pin's hole that needs to be re-staked). Not much metal is required to be moved to accomplish this, and some 92 users have reported that the pin stays in place without re-staking, but I personally always do it. using a couple of hammer taps to a judiciously-placed small flat screwdriver blade, and then retouching with a dab of Birchwood Casey Black paint.
Everytime I go into my Beretta 92, I'm reminded of the quality of the design and manufacturing that went into it. For example, when you re-insert the firing pin locking block and its spring, the firing pin nicely locks the assembly into place, making it easy to re-insert the roll pin used to secure it-no "three-handed drill" necessary (as compared to, say, replacing the extractor and firing pin stop on a 1911, especially a Series 80 firing pin safety on a 1911...). These are simply magnificently designed and manufactured pistols, and ones that we can thoroughly appreciate and use as designed. While my appreciation is more on the pragmatic side, it's is fun participating in the recent 92 Series Renaissance that seems to be occurring, and concurrently appreciating how Bill Wilson, Ernest Langdon and others are applying their efforts to tangibly improve the platform (and in how both Bill Wilson, Ernest Langdon, Erik Stern, Jackie, Joe and Brandon at Check-Mate Industries, the late Jacques Trausch and Tool Tech have personally contributed in the upgrades and improvements to mine).
Best, Jon