The Unofficial P64 Resource Forum

Okay, maybe it's me(probably is); not real good motor skills, but this has me really p'd-off. I spent several hours today trying to re-assemble the safety into my new P64 after installing a new Wolffe firing pin spring. I've got the firing pin fully compressed & held in place w/a hemostat, but I can't, for the life of me, get the little safety detent to stay in place on the spring & depress so that I can get the safety to go all the way in. And, before you ask, I've watched (and re-watched, about 10 times) the Youtube video on disassembling/reassembling the P64 firing pin assembly. My problem seems to be that the detent piece sits very high on the spring channel, so that any movement @ all knocks it over. Should it sit part way into the channel? I've noticed that the safety movement sis very stiff ever since I got the pistol. Could I try removing a coil or 2 from the spring, so that the detent will sit lower in the channel? I'd really appreciate help here; I'm no gunsmith & I'd really like to get this puppy back in working order. TIA, guys.
Donzi

Donzi, first big issue is the detent and spring. They should be mated together. If you look at the detent, it will have a little stud on the back side that fits into the spring. Lightly crimp the end coil of the spring and get the detent to snap into it. The stud on the detent has a channel cut around it that the coil will fit into and they'll be one unit.
Once you get this done, put the detent/spring assembly into the slot. Install the safety into the channel and butt it up against the detent. It will keep it from flopping around so bad. Use a small punch, flat-head screwdriver, or basketball inflator tip and compress it down into the hole. Once it's in there good, push the safety on into its home.
The videos I made are pretty good IMO as there is no other videos and I try to show things as simple as I can. My recorder isn't the best, it's just a $20 webcam from Wal-Mart. However, the biggest fight that folks have with that detent and spring is that they leave them as 2 parts instead of crimping an end coil and snapping them together. It keeps the detent spring from launching to Timbuktu if something slips. I have yet to lose those pieces as they're stuck together.
I will see if I can maybe post some pics.

As 2 pieces. You can see the channel around the stud end on the detent. You can lightly see that the end coil is a bit crimped.


Start it in the hole.


Push the safety into the channel and butt it up against the detent.


Compress the detent with a suitable tool. I used a sports ball inflator tip as it has the hollow end that the point of the detent fits nicely into.


Push the safety on in once the detent is compressed. You may have to push down on the safety to get it to compress the detent into the hole as the safety goes into the round cutaway inside the slide.


Completely in place.


Hope these help.

FWIW, the length of my detent and spring assembly is about 3/4" or maybe closer to 2 cm. If yours is a bit longer, you may consider cutting a tiny bit off one end.

Thank you so very much for your kind help. As usual, it WAS me. I never thought about attaching the spring end to the detent. And also, thank you for posting your very clear pix of the installation process. I''m away from home today, but I'll get right on your fix as soon as I return. You're really a lifesaver.
Regards,
Donzi

You are very welcome, I hope it will work out better for you this time around.

All is now well w/my P64, thanks to you, junius. BTW, I also trimmed a tad off the spring, & now the safety works much more smoothly. Again, my thanks to you.
Donzi

I saw a video using hemostats to grab the firing pin to unload the detent pin...I was hesitant to use stats on the pin for fear of scarring the firing pin....Am I stoopid, or just paranoid..??..

beesouth wrote:I saw a video using hemostats to grab the firing pin to unload the detent pin...I was hesitant to use stats on the pin for fear of scarring the firing pin....Am I stoopid, or just paranoid..??..

I can only tell you my own experience w/a hemostat(you only need one): it worked w/no problem. After all, the pins ARE made from hardened steel. I bought a one w/curved jaws @ a local hobby shop f/about $6 and I'm sure that you could find one on the Net f/about the same or less. Good luck.
Donzi

I did this same thing the night I got my p64. I told myself I would never take the safety apart again. I do remember the spring and detent were seperate. Took me like 2 hours to put back together lol. I might take it apart and try again sometime.

That's fantastic news Donzi, I am glad you got it back together. For the small cost of the stats, they are worth every penny as they're like a 3rd hand. I'm glad the safety works better with a bit of the coil removed from the spring.

Beesouth, using the stats won't harm the firing pin any. My firing pin may have very light marks on it because I've taken mine apart a million times. However, it is nothing to have any alarm over. you could try putting something over the jaws or dip them in Plasti-dip or something.

Guys...you are leaving out the most important reassembly "trick"!
Say the prayer of sunny beaches and it will snap right in.

Actually, onlysarge, my safety did "snap right in" after I followed junioustaylor's invaluable advice. I'm now a happy boy. In fact, I think this calls for a beer. Or 2.
Donzi

I had this same issue happen to me last night. I successfully launched the detent, and then performed the dreaded gunsmith crawl. Luckily I found it. I got the safety put back together after a lot of foul language, but it wasn't until just now that I saw this thread.

I'm a glutton for punishment, maybe I'll pull the safety again and crimp and shorten the spring. My safety is a little stiff. how much of the spring should I remove? Just a coil? I don't want to remove too much.

BTW- First post... hello!

Gary2112, welcome to the brotherhood man. I would recommend not removing any coils from the spring but instead clean up the area where the safety resides, get all the accumulated gunk out and make sure the outside "bearing surface" of the safety is clean as well as the inside of the slide where it lives. Deburr the safety barrel if it needs it with some super fine emery cloth or 0000 steel wool. After you reinstall it, put just a drop of very light gun oil on each end (from inside the slide) of the safety and them work it on/off for awhile. this smoothed my safety out ALOT! But with the difficulty of getting parts, I would resort to cutting coils off that spring only as a last resort.
Again, welcome to the forum and hope this helps you.