Beretta 92 Stovepipe malfunctions

[GyroF-16]

The gun in question is a LTT Elite 92 with 15,000 rounds through it.
The recoil spring has been replaced every 5,000 rds, the last time with an LTT 12.5# spring (which now has 4000 rds on it).

3 times in the last 315 rds, I’ve experienced failure to fully eject (stovepipe) malfunctions. In each case, the slide caught the back (primer end) of the case between the breachface and the barrel, with the next round on the way into the chamber.

This didn’t happen at all for the first 10,000 rds through the gun. It’s happened a few times in the last 5,000, and 3 times in the last 315 (all during IDPA matches, 2 in Nationals). All with low-ish velocity (850-900 ft/s), heavy (147-150 gr) bullets (the same loads it’s fired since new).

One of the last 3 was with a slightly dirty gun (400 rds fired since last cleaning), and the last two in the first 200 rds after cleaning. I took a look at the extractor during that cleaning, and it didn’t appear damaged, nor to have crud under the extractor claw.

Any ideas on what might be causing this? Too light a recoil spring? Too heavy? Worn-out extractor spring (it’s original)? Damaged ejector?
I’ve looked at all the relevant parts and can’t see anything that appears damaged, but I’m not really sure what I’m looking for…

I’d appreciate any advice and input. It’s not a crisis yet, but having an average of 1 stovepipe per 100 rds during matches is no longer a reliable match gun.

[Willard]

Mag spring issue? Maybe recoil spring out running magazine spring? Have you isolated which mag(s) it occurs with? Is it generally at the last few rounds in the mag?

[shootist26]

Have you physically removed the extractor and checked for crud packing into the extractor channel?

[Hambo]

Send up the pizza signal: @Les Pepperoni

[Oldherkpilot]

I'd bet on a worn extractor hook or possibly the spring. Were these by chance aluminum cased cartridges that were hanging up?

[Suvorov]

Another vote for changing out the extractor and spring plus cleaning the extractor channel.

[Ivantheterrible]

Yes, the extractor channel can get really cruddy and cause malfunctions. Easy enough to change extractor spring while you have it out. After removing the extractor pin, you may want to re-stake it. I've had mine to back out on me when I didn't stake it after removing.

[GyroF-16]

Re: mag springs: I can’t rule this out, and at least 2 of the last 3 stovepipes occurred on the first mag of a stage, so I can narrow it down to 4 mags in my inventory. I can shoot my next practice session exclusively with those mags to further narrow it down. But I’m not able to visualize how a weak mag spring would start to chamber the next round, only to be stopped by an empty case stovepiped, keeping the slide from going into battery.

Re: extractor: yes, I already have a new extractor, extractor spring, and pin in my cart at MGW. I’m going to have to YouTube how to get the pin out. What’s the best tool for staking after the pin is back in?

Re: casings: it’s all been with Federal brass - my own reloads (147 gr, 900 fps) and Federal Syntech 150 gr.

Re: recoil spring: Would I be correct in assessing that a spring that is too strong might result in the stovepipe malfunction? Since I have a lighter-than-standard spring in there now with 4,000 rounds on it, this would mean I could rule out the recoil spring as a potential issue.

One other potential contributor: I installed a Beretta Match Hammer (designed to decrease trigger take-up before the wall) 1000 rds ago. It seems to me that I’ve had most of the stovepipes since then. While examining the gun last night, I noticed extra “drag” when the underside of the slide is in contact with the top of the hammer. This is after the hammer is cocked, while the slide is cycling further aft.
It seems like more drag than I remember previously, and a bit more than another B92 with an Elite hammer on it.
I’m wondering if the increased resistance I’m feeling could be decreasing slide velocity when moving aft, these decreasing the impact of the ejector on the spent brass - causing occasional stovepipes.

Maybe I should polish down the top of the hammer to reduce this contact with the underside of the slide, and make what little contact that remains cause less drag.

What do you all think?

[Oldherkpilot]

I would think 15k rounds ought to have the hammer pretty smooth by now.

[GyroF-16]

I would think 15k rounds ought to have the hammer pretty smooth by now.

Except that this hammer was installed 1000 rds ago.