P83 Firing pin and decocker issues

[MrLimey]

I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction on a fix for my issues. I have been reading many posts about people having issues with the decocker on their P 83 wanad. I have a general idea about what to do, my issue started out the same. I received my p 83 from J&G Sales a few days ago and the decocker would not function. The safety was able to rotate when the hammer was forward but was stuck when the hammer was back. I cleaned the gun very well, I took it to the range and put ~100 rounds through it. After a post-range wipe down, just like others have reported, my decocker started to function. Albeit it was very stiff. My hope was that if I kept working the safety it would eventually break in.

I later took it out of the holster to inspect it and mess with the safety. I cocked the hammer back and the safety was once again stuck in place. I took the weapon apart and checked, the issue now was the firing pin was stuck in the forward position. I tried to push it back but it was stuck. I placed a snap cap in it and chambered it. This worked and pushed the pin back to its correct position.

The firing pin now seems to get stuck slightly forward but able to be pushed back manually, when this happens the decocker wont function and the safety will only rotate half the distance it should when the hammer is down. Has anybody experienced this issue or know whats going on? I have tried to find a guide to disassemble it fully but haven't found one, in case all it needs is a good cleaning. If anybody knows where I could find instructions on that would be very helpful as well. Thanks for the help!

[Curly1]

Welcome to the forum.

There was some discussion hear on further dis-assembly for the FP if you chose to go down that road.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4782&p=46449&hilit= ... c0a#p46449

[Weasel640]

Sounds like your Firing Pin Spring may be broken or worn out. You should contact J&G, they will probably send you a replacement, especially if you tell them it's a safety issue.

[MrLimey]

Thanks for the replies! After posting this I played around with the safety a bit more and pushed on the firing pin. It seemed to be functioning properly. So I decided not to take it apart, unless it has any further issues. I place the slide and firing pin assembly into a cup that I filled with Ballistol and let it soak for an hour or so. A lot of gunk came out of the firing pin assembly. The safety has now become even less stiff, the decocker still takes a little bit of force but works. I took the gun to the range again and put 150 rounds through it with no problems. I will keep an eye on it, but I think by bubba solution may have done the trick.

[Curly1]

Good news, looks like it may have been gunked up with grease.

Thanx for the update.

[chestertnted]

I had problems with my decocker as well. Had to use a dowell to break it free. Doused it
In Frog Lube for awhile, and it loosened up. Much better but still stiff. I think I will have another go at it.

[gman68w]

I'm having this issue now. The pin rattles around inside the slide, and prevents the safety from engaging or disengaging, unless i'm pointing the muzzle straight up or straight down. I think the spring is borked. I'm gonna write J&G and see if they won't send me one. I paid extra for hand select, after all.

[Ketchman]

is the pin broken maybe? That may account for the rattling?

[gman68w]

I don't think so. I can't push one end out without pushing the other back in. And if I press the back of the pin in and shake, nothing rattles. The spring, what's left of it, pushes back a little bit, so I think it's just weak. I'm gonna order a spring rehab kit from milsurp.com and just switch out all of them.

[Ketchman]

Hmmmmm. Well you could remove the pin and spring before hand and see what kind of shape they are in before ordering. I am suspicious, I don't think I have ever heard a whole firing pin rattle. Especially if there is a spring around it. I wonder if it is something else that is doing the rattle dance.

[gman68w]

When I say "rattle", I just mean the pin is loose inside. The spring isn't uncompressing all the way.

[gman68w]

To satisfy your curiousity, here's a photo of what I found inside. The pin spring did snap and had collapsed on itself. I'm pointing to it with the intact firing pin. I'm concerned about there being only one detent. I could've sworn there's supposed to be two.

[Ketchman]

Well at least now you know for sure what the firing pin problem was, easy / cheap to fix too.
I am not familiar with the P83 safety setup so I do not know if there is only 1 detent, although I would suspect only 1. And nice to know the FP is not broken.

[gman68w]

I was pretty sure what the problem was to begin with, I just didn't want to take the whole thing apart, because now I have to put it back together.

[Ketchman]

I hear you there. The take apart is always sooo much easier than the put together.