PX4 Jams

[Bullrock]

Two weeks ago I took a new PX4 Compact to an indoor range, blew the bull out of the target. The gun worked flawlessly, and I had to leave after 100 round because of ventilation problems.

Today, I was outdoors, where I like to shoot, and had an awful day. My PX4 jammed, jammed, jammed. I was using the same type of ammo Winchester FMJ, 115 Gr. The mags hold 15, and full all the time. I did notice on some occasions the mags were going in hard, and not locking without a lot of pressure, which is unusual for a PX4.

I thought perhaps I wasn't racking the slide correctly. I don't know, maybe it was me. The gun shot very well and only jammed when I racked the slide for the first shot. I'm quite elderly and I'm having difficulty remembering how to use a pistol. I need all the help and advice I can get, so please help me out if you can.

 

[jglsprings]

Cleaned and lubed properly? Put back together correctly?

My cougar won't run dry. Same rotating action.

 

[g.willikers]

What kind of jam are you experiencing?
Not completely going into battery with racking the slide with the first round?

 

[zincwarrior]

Stupid question but did you try a different mag?

 

[Bullrock]

Cleaned and lubed properly? Put back together correctly?

Cleaned and lubed out of the box. I only had 100 rounds through it so I used it in the same condition it was in after a flawless shoot.

What kind of jam are you experiencing?
Not completely going into battery with racking the slide with the first round?

Yes, and I noted the mag needed allot of pressure to close. No usual...

Stupid question but did you try a different mag?

I only have the two that came with the pistol. They both jammed when I racked the slide.

 

[Bullrock]

I will take it down today, clean & lube, and see what happens from there.

 

[zincwarrior]

if it keeps doing it after, I'd call their CS and send it back to Beretta.

 

[TunnelRat]

Call Beretta. Failing that, I don't have the ability to teleport and diagnose in person.

 

[Bullrock]

Tunnel Rat: I appreciate that. I was thinking perhaps I was doing something wrong with the decocker, or the position of the hammer which could have caused the mags to tighten up, causing a rack of the slide to not line up the cartridge correctly casing the jams. I'll work on it this PM. and see what else I can come up with. Thank you.

 

[9x18_Walther]

When chambering a round, are you riding the slide to battery with your hand, or are you pulling the slide back and letting it slam forward without your intervention?

 

[Guv]

What if you try less than a full magazine,13,14 rounds?

 

[cslinger]

Make sure you run some grease on the lugs where the barrel chamber rotates. Basically you want to make sure that rotation action is well lubed. Wouldn't hurt to take down and clean just to check for a piece of debris that might be fowling things up (brass shaving, something broke on the gun/frame, big ole hunk of unburned powder. Etc. )

 

[cslinger]

Mag spring might be binding as well.

 

[TunnelRat]

To me what is odd is that it worked fine and then didn't. If something in the way you ran the pistol changed then that would be first where I'd look. If not, that's pretty bizarre. Inconsistent problems are the worst kind.

 

[cslinger]

Yeah that is why I am thinking something sheered/broke or some other type of foreign particle is causing an issue. Maybe something like a sliver of polymer or something to that effect.

 

[g.willikers]

only jammed when I racked the slide for the first shot. I'm quite elderly and I'm having difficulty remembering how to use a pistol.

Sounds like a clue there.
If the gun runs after that first round, it's probably something to do with chambering that first round by hand.
9x18_Walther might have the answer.
If so, here's the cure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbayNc6D9HY
I've been using this method for many years and even with increasing arthritic problems, it still works just fine.
As for the difficulty in seating the magazines, use a little force if needed.
One of mine requires a hard smack to seat them.
Some do, some don't.
But don't baby it if it's stubborn.
Just show it who's boss!

 

[cslinger]

Going on the assumption that maybe strength or technique changed from the first trip.

When charging the pistol with the first round you want to both push with your shooting hand while pulling the slide with your off hand when complete resistance is met (cannot mechanically pull push the slide any more) release completely. As in totally let go of the slide and let it fly forward full force.

The push pull technique really helps a lot of folks I have seen have a hard time charging a semi auto pistol.

 

[Bullrock]

My thanks to all of you, everyone had some good stuff to offer me. It was the video that did it. Amazing what you can learn from seeing others show you how stupid I am. First I have a tendency to turn the gun little sideways when racking the slide. Wrong! Didn't even know I was doing it until I saw the video.

Incidentally, even without the video, the PX4 performed excellent yesterday. after firing I put the gun on decock, racked the slide, dropped the mag. and retrieved the shell. I put the shell (live ammo) back into the mag, loaded the mag. racked the slide (letting it go quickly) and fired.

I'm going to practice keeping the gun straight. After seeing that video, I learned a lot for an old fool. My lesson, don't let yourself get lax on the basics.

Thanks...