Beretta PX4: Funny primer strike?

[Hwood]

I just got my first pistol last month, a Beretta PX4 full size in 9mm. After giving some spent brass (fired factory new) to a friend who reloads, he expressed some concern with the way my firing pin struck the primer.

The primers have divots from the pin surrounded by a raised ring. It has happened with all cartridges fired (no reloads have run through the gun) to the same amount.

He said that the protruding ring isn't supposed to be present and when he set the case on end, the bump on the primer makes the case wobble on the bench-top.

There's a worry that the hole in the slide's breach face is too big for the firing pin and the primer is expanding back into the slide. He recommended I return my gun and have the slide serviced.

I bought the gun new and have not had any operational issues with the pistol. Could I have a defective NIB pistol? I have 1200 rounds through it with no FTFs, FTEs or anything else. Yes, I'm a noob, so can somebody shed some light on this potential concern?

[w_houle]

Looks like the firing pin hole is large enough to allow some primer to push into the void because the breech face isn't supporting that part of the primer.

[Hwood]

So is that something that I should send the slide to Beretta for??

[w_houle]

... *sigh*... I don't know. It wouldn't bother me as long as it didn't worsen or cause malfunctions.

[ferrarif1fan]

I have a 9mm PX4 and it marks the primers exactly the same way. I disassembled the gun and took a look at the slide where the end of the firing pin is. Rather than being completely flat with a little hole where the firing pin comes out, it is actually radiused quite a bit in that area. If you'll disassemble your gun and take a look, you'll realize that the fired primer would fit exactly into the breech face.

Now, is that like most other guns....No. Is it a cause for concern, I'm not sure. Only Beretta could tell us that. However, I do know that mine has been 100% reliable and very, very accurate. Unless something else crops up, I really don't have any intentions of contacting Beretta or seeking any repairs to mine.

How about some other PX4 9mm owners either looking at some fired rounds, or inspecting the breech face area where the end of the firing pin comes through and reporting back here. If everyone has the same findings, then I think we have reason to be concerned.

TIA,

Robert

[41mag10mm]

I suggest you go here to ask this question. I was active on this site at one time when I owned a Beretta 9000s.

http://www.berettaforum.net/

BTW - Other than the odd shape of the primer deformation, there doesn't seem to be any sign of excess pressure and that is really the only thing you should be concerned with.

[Hwood]

Thanks, I sent it in anyway.

[greyson97]

i've never noticed that on my px4, although i will say 2 things:

1. ive fired 1000+ rounds through my px4, and it never malfunctioned.
2. ive had a friend pick up my spent 9mm brass and reloaded it, and to this day he never complained about something funny about any of his reloads to me. I will ask him though just to make sure.