Spring within a spring... Why do they not bind on each other?
When a PX4 Storm has a spring within a spring, like the SubCompact rebound springs and extractor springs (shown here) one spring is spun clockwise and the other counterclockwise. This will prevent them from catching on each other.
For additional advanced features of the PX4 Storm....
Check out my posts on page 66 & 67 of this other thread on the PX4 Storm:
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....tement!/page66
Posts #652, #654, #660
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....tement!/page67
Posts #663, #667
Different types of magazines with PX4s and why
Toward the beginning of the PX4 Storms’ arrival in the handgun world there was a problem with magazines. When dropped on concrete continually, or accidently dropped when loaded, some floor plates ocassionally came off. This caused the magazine to become of no use in a confrontation, if this happened.
To remedy this, Beretta designed a different type of floor plate.
The problem was that the old style would compress the spring under impact. The spring was holding the retainer down, connecting the magazine button retainer to the floor plate. Thus, the floor plate lost cohesion with the mag housing and sometimes separated.
The new style has slots in the bottom of the housing (left most pointer) and the button plate fits in there and has its own button (middle pointer). So, when dropped the spring cannot compress because the retainer is outside the housing (unlike the old style- right pointer).
The picture below shows a Compact, new style mag (left) and a .45 old style (right).
Last edited by PX4 Storm Tracker; 03-31-2018 at 02:32 PM.
Little spring...
In post 47 on page 5 of this thread, in the second picture, I referenced a small spring that retains the break-down lever of the SubCompact. I was recommending that you not pull the lever all the way out.
This is that little spring:
Last edited by PX4 Storm Tracker; 07-19-2018 at 05:48 PM.
Ever notice that when parts wear out, it is usually the less expensive, smaller component that wears out. For example: your firing pin might wear to a point where replacement is needed, but it would be much worse if the slide contact wore out instead. Then, instead of a $15 firing pin, you’d be looking to replace an expensive slide.
This does not occur by coincidence. When quality firearms are designed the “temper” of the metals, as well as the metals are intentionally varied to cause the more expensive, major components to last longer. Though metal quality makes a difference, hardening through tempering is the key. Hardening is fortified through a process of heating and controlled cooling.
This also brings an advisement of caution. If you try to reshape parts, remove metal, smooth parts or alter them by using a belt-sander, grinder, dremel or other instruments that get the metal hot, yet you do not know how to balance exposure time and cooling... you could change the “heat treating” or temper.
Short term there might not be a problem. Long term might even be trouble free... maybe. Wear on other parts it contacts and part damage due to an incident (blown primer, damaged casing, accidental double charge, excessive rapid firing...) and you could cause misshaping or damage to an expensive part. Or worse.. a failure of structural integrity causing injury by pressure escape.
Disassembly for cleaning, parts changing, spring rotations, lubing and other things are fine to do (if you know how to and want to), but don’t get all hot about it! You don’t want to lose your temper!
On the surface, I agree. But it really comes down to what you are doing and what part you are working on. Most large handgun parts, Hammer, Barrel, slide, etc. would require a significant amount of heat over a fairly large area for a period of time to "change" the heat treat of that part. Remember the gun goes through some serious heat cycles just during a long range session.Originally Posted by PX4 Storm Tracker
For example, if some were to grind down their own hammer with a Dremel tool, it would likely do no harm to the face of the hammer, the sear notch or other important areas of the hammer. It would become too hot to hold even with gloves. The glowing redness of the part would likely be a clue that you have gone too far.
So yes, be careful what you grind on and how you do it. But it is not that easy to change the heat treatment of a part.
Last edited by LangdonTactical; 10-12-2018 at 10:20 PM.
www.langdontactical.com
Bellator,Doctus,Armatus
I completely agree.On the surface, I agree. But it really comes down to what you are doing and what part you are working on. Most large handgun parts, Hammer, Barrel, slide, etc. would require a significant amount of heat over a fairly large area for a period of time to "change" the heat treat of that part. Remember the gun goes through some serious heat cycles just during a long range session.
For example, if some were to grind down their own hammer with a Dremel tool, it would likely do no harm to the face of the hammer, the sear notch or other important areas of the hammer. It would become too hot to hold even with gloves. The glowing redness of the part would likely be a clue that you have gone too far.
So yes, be careful what you grind on and how you do it. But it is not that easy to change the heat treatment of a part.
The key ingredient in not crossing the line of affecting heat-treating is patience.
The more aggressive the tool used in shaping the metal, the more patience is needed to balance the timing of heat exposure and cooling.
This will also prevent the heat from the area being worked on from traveling too far through the rest of the metal.
So, in experienced and knowledgeable hands, the procedure would be most safe.
Last edited by PX4 Storm Tracker; 10-12-2018 at 11:54 PM.
There is a difference between the radiant heat caused during firing and direct friction penetrating a metal surface.
During firing, even hundreds of rounds in a short time, you would not experience burning your thumb on your slide catch, decock lever or your hammer while reholstering.
I've also seen people put the part in a vice or hold it with vice grips and would not be able to discern, even through gloves, how hot and for how long they're making that part. The dremel is a less likely culprit than a grinder or a belt sander.
If one section of a part has its temper affected and another section of the part does not, it can cause splitting through process of time.
Last edited by PX4 Storm Tracker; 10-13-2018 at 06:53 AM.
long, long ago i took a course on this very topic, heat treating, but having not applied that knowledge over time, i have forgotten the details. thankfully, the web can fill in some holes.
as the link shows, you have to get really hot to affect prior heat treatment of carbon and alloy steel. about 1400F and up (if you don't want to follow the link), and about 250-400F before you will start to screw up the tempering state of steel.
so, as noted above, keep it cool (to the touch), take your time. if it cannot be held by bare fingers, let it cool off and then try again with less aggressive methods.
then again, give the factory engineers some credit, just clean it and shoot it.
https://www.engineersedge.com/materi...ents_13249.htm
Excellent information, thanks.
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