EMP4 hammer drops and nothing

2239 Views 22 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Layne12gun, 5 mo ago

Bisley

Discussion Starter · 9 mo ago

Greetings,
I’m new here and I purchased my EMP4 a few years ago. Unfortunately, soon after getting my emp I got very sick and was not able to go to a range. Well now after finishing with dialysis and getting a transplant I fell great.
So today I went to the range but my emp malfunctioned about 75% of the time. The hammer would drop but nothing would happen. I pulled the hammer back with my hand, pulled the trigger and it fired. Next round, sometimes it fired and sometimes it didn’t. Every time it failed to fire if I pulled the hammer back with my hand it fired.
So my question is, is there any thing I can do to remedy the problem or should I send it back to Springfield.

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Klugey1

· #2 · 9 mo ago

So, did you rack the slide to cock the hammer or just pull the hammer back to cock it?

if you can’t remember or don’t know which you did - STOP - do not do any more with it until you get some training on it. If you have a friend that knows 1911s, ask him to work with you a bit or if you don’t know anyone, just pay for a private lesson at a range.

if you did rack the slide 1st, and it malfunctioned 75% then it needs to go back to Springer.

Reactions: 1

Bisley

Discussion Starter · #3 · 9 mo ago

Of course I racked the slide. The magazine had 9 rounds in it. I racked the slide, aimed and fired. The hammer dropped and nothing. Now, I racked the slide again, the unfired round ejected and a new round loaded. I aimed and fired and all was good. Another round loaded, aimed and fired and nothing. Now if I cocked the hammer manually with the same round still in the chamber, it would fire every time. I suspect there may be a problem with the spring that controls the hammer.
BTW, I'm no stranger to safely handling firearms. However, I have no experience beyond field stripping.

Reactions: 1

tu_s

· #4 · 9 mo ago (Edited)

The normal first step would be to inspect the primers on all the rounds you ran through the thing, including both the fired and unfired ones. If they all look the same the ammo would be suspect. During recent times where primers are in short supply people have been loading small rifle primers into pistol rounds, but that shouldn't be the case for factory ammo.

If you see variations in the primer strike marks, you can manually push the firing pin through the breach to see if it's bent or damaged, and feel for any resistance/binding (,although I would probably just take the slide apart and inspect the firing pin and spring.) If that's all fine it would come down to taking the thing apart, and the bigger problem of putting it all back together and working

, something you probably want to call Springfield about.

I could be wrong on this, but I do not believe the EMP's has, or has ever had, a Series 80 type firing pin safety so that can't be the problem if it's not there, but to be honest, I am far from an expert on EMP's, and what they have and have not had for features over the years. If you do happen to have one you would have to push on the plunger to disable it to get the firing pin to move forward.

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Voltaire

· #5 · 9 mo ago (Edited)

I would seriously consider looking at the hammer spring. It is stated when racked and loaded it fails to fire, yet if hammer cocked manually it fires. Firing pin spring may also be looked at, examined but not much else. Possibly when the slide is racked and the hammer pulled back it is not fully back, but that sounds impossible. EMP's are just a 1911 grip safety and all.

Reactions: 1

WVSurveyor

· #6 · 9 mo ago

Could very well be an ammo issue. What kind were you using? When it fails to fire, eject the round and inspect the primer to see if its been struck. May be experiencing light primer strikes or just using ammo that has very hard primers. Switching ammo brands may solve the issue.
Also glad you're feeling well.

Reactions: 1

Bisley

Discussion Starter · #7 · 9 mo ago

I was using Sellers and Bellot, 9mm, Police. I've use this ammo in my other guns without a problem. Good point about ejecting the round and checking the primer. I'm anxious to get back to the range and try a different brand of ammo just to be sure. Perhaps the EMP is more sensitive to the Sellers and Bellot. Although I did try the Police brand and the non police brand of S&B. In any case, I'm anxious to inspect the failed rounds. Thanks for that tip.
On another note, I feel like i have been reborn!

Reactions: 1

Klugey1

· #8 · 9 mo ago

Just send it in to Springer. An EMP should fire just about everything out of the box.

Reactions: 2

Anchorsaweigh

· #9 · 8 mo ago

If you're uncomfortable getting into the weeds with your EMP, sending it back to SA would be my recommendation. I sent a Ronin back for multiple failures and I got it back good as new in only two weeks.

Cheers

Bob

Voltaire

· #10 · 8 mo ago (Edited)

Sending it off to the manufacturer is one idea, however "what was the real problem and cause"? Pistol all rifles are usually fired before leaving a factory to ensure they function. From what i read here on this forum SA has issues with what they manufacture and ship. If i load a 9mm round into a pistol, and it seat in the chamber, i pull the trigger and nothing, first thing to DO is LOOK at the primer to see if there is a firing pin strike there. If there was no strike mark then it is obvious that the primer was not struck as it must be. If there is a strike mark, all ammunition has primers some soft some hard. Hence the stronger the the hammer spring the better the chance of detonation. Then if i load a round into into the chamber, cock the hammer and it fires it is the same hammer strike that on the first attempt failed to make it fire, not a primer issue. The fault is in the firing mechanism, and that's what i would examine. But that's me. When the slide is being cleaned and the firing pin pushed gently from the rear, does it protrude, is it damaged? So then take the pin out and look at the firing pin spring also and look at it it's seating.

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Collective

· #11 · 8 mo ago

I had a similar problem with my EMP4 CC. Light firing pin strikes. Sometimes it would fire and most times not. On those occasions when it FTFire, the rounds had a light FP indent on the primer. I contacted SA, and had them send me a steel FP and a 28# hammer/main spring. I installed them my self and that solved the problem.

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rhatfield6977

· #12 · 8 mo ago

Springfield made EMP 9mm firearms with titanium firing pins and heavy firing pin springs for sale in California in order to pass the California drop safety test. There has been numerous complaints of light firing pin hits with misfires with these firearms. I bought one as I live in CA. and had one or two misfires in about 20 shots. I returned it to Springfield and they installed the standard steel firing pin and firing pin spring, free of charge, and the problem was cured. You may have a gun with the titanium firing pin and heavy spring.

Reactions: 1

rhatfield6977

· #13 · 8 mo ago

Springfield made EMP 9mm firearms with titanium firing pins and heavy firing pin springs for sale in California in order to pass the California drop safety test. There has been numerous complaints of light firing pin hits with misfires with these firearms. I bought one as I live in CA. and had one or two misfires in about 20 shots. I returned it to Springfield and they installed the standard steel firing pin and firing pin spring, free of charge, and the problem was cured. You may have a gun with the titanium firing pin and heavy spring.

WVSurveyor

· #14 · 8 mo ago

Bisley said:
I was using Sellers and Bellot, 9mm, Police. I've use this ammo in my other guns without a problem. Good point about ejecting the round and checking the primer. I'm anxious to get back to the range and try a different brand of ammo just to be sure. Perhaps the EMP is more sensitive to the Sellers and Bellot. Although I did try the Police brand and the non police brand of S&B. In any case, I'm anxious to inspect the failed rounds. Thanks for that tip.
On another note, I feel like i have been reborn!

Do you have any updates for us? Interesting info brought forth by rhatfield6977. I'm curious to know if the primer had been lightly dented after your first trigger pull.

rhatfield6977

· #15 · 7 mo ago

WVsurveyor, this is one thing I do not appreciate. New member comes on board to ask a question about his firearm. Forum members take the time to try and give the new guy information so he can correct the problem. New member fails to reply back to let us know if the information helped him or just to say thanks for the help. You had a very good question about the possible light primer hits and he fails to answer you.

WVSurveyor

· #16 · 7 mo ago

rhatfield6977 said:
New member comes on board to ask a question about his firearm. Forum members take the time to try and give the new guy information so he can correct the problem. New member fails to reply back to let us know if the information helped him or just to say thanks for the help.

It is disheartening to not hear back on an issue. He replied a couple times after his initial post, so I was hopeful on this one. Maybe circumstances have kept him from getting back to the range, don't know. Life will go on though.
I didn't realize that the Cali EMP's had titanium firing pins with a heavier spring. I suppose that's not surprising given the political climate out there.
MY EMP4 Champion has had no firing issues but I did have to send it back because of an ejector issue. They were glued in and mine, along with others I've read about, came loose and jammed the slide. Springfield service was excellent and they pinned the ejector and also reamed out the chamber for good measure. I've had no issues since.

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rhatfield6977

· #17 · 7 mo ago

The EMP pistols are based on the series 70 colt design and the series 70 Colts also have a reputation of discharging when dropped barrel first on a hard surface. One reason Colt designed the series 80 with a firing pin block.
One of the officers in my department dropped his series 70 Gold Cup on a asphalt surface barrel first and the gun discharged and the gun flew back into the air and landed on the roof of his patrol car. No one hurt. CA. preforms a drop test from 3 feet onto a hard surface in their testing of semi autos. To pass that test Springfield had to replace the heavy steel firing pin with a titanium firing pin and use a heavier firing pin spring in order to sell the EMP in CA.
They can replace those two items on a repair request as they did mine.

Bisley

Discussion Starter · #18 · 7 mo ago

Update on the EMP4 issue. I sent the EMP back to Springfield Armory. I finally got it back yesterday, 10/28 and Springfield had replaced the FP. I hope to get out to the range next week to see how it handles.

Reactions: 2

WVSurveyor

· #19 · 7 mo ago

Bisley said:
Update on the EMP4 issue. I sent the EMP back to Springfield Armory. I finally got it back yesterday, 10/28 and Springfield had replaced the FP. I hope to get out to the range next week to see how it handles.

Glad you're still with us and thanks for the update. I'm looking forward to your upcoming range report.

rhatfield6977

· #20 · 7 mo ago

Do you know if the firing pin they replaced was a titanium firing pin?

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