Do you just brownell's the tension pins, or have you found good ones elsewhere? My second PX4, I had two factory pin's do different things; one mushroomed, and the second one the center just started spiraling out of it. Ended up taking to the gunsmilth after trying some from a local hardware store. (cheap, both ways)Originally Posted by PX4 Storm Tracker
I have tried taking the actual measurements of the pin and looking for blank pins or a substitute. I was not able to find anything better. Brownells is an offiical parts distributor for Beretta and their parts come from Beretta. That is our main source.
Midwest Gun Works https://www.midwestgunworks.com/beretta/gun-parts.html is also an official Beretta parts distributor. They even do repairs for Beretta when sending it to Beretta is less advantageous geographically. We are ordering some pins from them to see. I have only had 1 of 10 pins drift loose. I think that whichever distributor sends us the pins, they will still be from Beretta.
I have not experienced the type of pin mishaps you described. If the punch is the correct size and type and the holes for both levers are exactly aligned, it should be an easy insertion. We did once receive a pin for the SD that was very oversized. So, I always order spares.
There is also usually one end of the pin that is tapered for easier insertion.
Pistol round count 40,400
Last edited by PX4 Storm Tracker; 06-14-2018 at 08:54 AM.
The pin held just fine. I put that pin in @30,000 rounds, took it out @35,200 for interior slide cleaning, put the same pin back in and now removed it and reinstalled it @40,100 for an interior slide cleaning. For an older set of levers, that is good pin duration. It is more apparent that bad pins are the anomaly and not the frequent expectation.
Also, they are cheap enough that ordering spares consumes less time and energy. I've only had pins walk in .45.
Pistol round count 40,700
Last edited by PX4 Storm Tracker; 06-17-2018 at 01:04 PM.
My question might not be best for this thread but I didn't see one for the 40 S&W. I've been wanting to get a PX4 and noticed some Police Trade Ins in 40 cal for $250. Any issues with these or should I just go ahead and pay the extra $$ for a 9mm?
Holg, Your questions are welcome! There is a thread on the .40 PX4 https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....d-or-Workhorse
However, to answer your question: Both I and @Storm SD that participate in reporting on the PX4 .45 have .40s, as well. Storm SD carries one as his EDC. I use mine at the range and for defensive purposes. They are both full size.
We have found that the PX4 .40 is outstanding in reliability, accuracy and durability. Though it may be opinionated, the defensive capabilities of 15 (14 +1) 180 grn Federal HSTs (or another preferred round) are hard to argue with.
If I found Police trade-ins for $250 I would jump on that. The caveat would be their condition. We've had 4 PX4s in .40 and the older ones worked as well as the new ones. Cosmetic condition might be an issue, as holstering might leave scratches. I would suggest a new slide rebound spring if you don't know the round count.
Straight up... the PX4 .40 is an excellent pistol and not inferior to the 9mm sibling. It would be a matter of if you enjoy shooting .40s. I do.
We also installed a low profile slide catch and levers kit to convert ours to type G and installed a D spring.
If the cosmetic condition is poor, if you find you really like it, you could always Cerakote, Rogard or KG Gunkote at a later time. You can also send it to Beretta for a refinishing of the Bruniton it came with.
Pistol round count 41,000
Last edited by PX4 Storm Tracker; 06-20-2018 at 05:37 PM.
Excellent information. Minor nitpick: isn't 35000 PSI .460 Rowland territory? What I've understood is 28000 PSI is the specified maximum pressure of the .45 Super and 35000 PSI the specified maximum pressure of .460 Rowland.
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IDPA SSP classification: Sharpshooter
F.A.S.T. classification: Intermediate
Interesting point. The .460 Rowland is actually chambered to 40,000 PSI and has a longer case so that it can't be loaded into a standard .45 pistol. The bullet is seated back to give the same overall length, but the casing will prevent chambering in a pistol not made for it.
The average maximum PSI for a .45 Super is 28,000 PSI, but it is capable of being loaded to produce 35,000 PSI.
Last edited by PX4 Storm Tracker; 06-21-2018 at 08:14 AM.
I passed the 25,000 round mark on the SD this week. It had 25,052 rounds on it and it was time for a complete slide cleaning. I disassembled the slide and thoroughly cleaned the firing pin, firing pin plunger, firing pin channel, the extractor and springs, decocker levers and spring and the firing pin block plunger and spring. I clean the slide like this around every 5,000 rounds. I am providing pictures of the parts prior to being cleaned and after being cleaned to assess the amount of carbon build up and the amount of wear. Also, the cerakote was applied to the slide at 8,528 rounds and you can see how it is holding up.
Before cleaning:
After cleaning:
Pistol round count as of today: 25,252
Update: Range ammo change
In post #130 on page 13 of this thread I reported on some problems with Winchester White Box 230 grn FMJ range ammo.
I have been using WWB (Winchester White Box) in .45 for a very long time. I put over 15,000 rounds of it through my Ruger P345s and over 43,000 rounds of it through my PX4 .45s. These last 3 or 4 months the quality and consistency have gone down hill.
I had been getting 1 or 2 that lacked the power to throw the slide back well each shooting session. When I shoot I want to focus on shooting skills and enjoyment, not ammo issues.
Last Saturday, while shooting, @Storm SD had a WWB round so weak that it sounded like only a primer. He knew to stop, unload, come off the line, go to the loading table and disassemble to check if it was a squib. It was not, but not by much.
We have tried to work with Winchester Customer Service to see if they stand behind their product. They take a month to call back, then require lot numbers and box numbers and after sending them back your ammo for testing, they might send you a half box to full box (50 pack) for all of your labor. Not worth the time and effort.
So, I’ve switched to Federal Champion 230 grn target loads. So far they work great! Recoil impulse is smoother and consistent. Accuracy is excellent. They run much cleaner than WWB. My front sight can even go 10x as long without being wiped off.
The more expensive Federal American Eagle has advantages, but not enough to justify the price difference for me. The American Eagle (AE) are either copper plated or copper cup filled, it will vary with lots. The Champions are copper plated, slightly thinner. I ran hundreds of Champions through with no leading or any evidence of problems with a pistol with no compensator.
Federal requires AE to print a 3.5” group @50 yards through a 5” test barrel. The Champions are required to have a 4” group @50 yards. Not much difference for mostly 25 yards or closer work.
Of the less than 1,000 rounds of Champions I’ve tested, only 1 mishap. A primer that would not ignite. I considered a light firing pin strike, but ruled that out. I tried 4 DA hits, 3 SA hits, waited a few minutes to make sure it was not a hang-fire, then we put it in Storm SD’s pistol and he hammered away on it DA & SA. Nothing. Maxwell’s silver hammer could not have ignited that thing. I have found that that has occurred occasionally with these, but extremely rarely. Time will tell. It seemed to be traced back to the primer pocket depth.
The Champions that I’ve gotten use small pistol primers. I don’t reload, so it doesn’t matter to me. They are supposed to burn cleaner and have better case strength. It is also supposed to be an advantage to those that load different calibers, to not change primer dies. Nevertheless, they work well so far. If not, it won’t take long to find out at 600-700 rounds per week.
Pistol round count, 41,600
Last edited by PX4 Storm Tracker; 06-28-2018 at 02:57 PM.
Here are a couple of more pictures of my SD from my last slide disassembly and cleaning at 25,052 rounds. The purpose of the pictures is to show the more obvious places of wear. I will provide a close up picture of the inside of the slide after the disassembly. Also, I will include a close up picture of the frame for the same purpose.
Pistol round count, 25,652
Last edited by Storm SD; 07-01-2018 at 04:09 PM.
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