Compensator causing issues

U

USAF Ret

New member
I put a compensator on a PSA Dagger. Just took it to the range and it won't fully cycle. One of the guys at the range said he had heard I might need to get a lighter spring due to the extra weight on the barrel. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.
 
The moving parts of a semi auto are a balancing act. Change the weight of the part(s) and you are out of balance. Am not personally familiar with that model, but it seems to be a variation of the basic Browning tilt barrel recoil operated system.

If so, then the barrel is one of the moving parts. Adding a compensator to the barrel changes the weight, and so changes its movement characteristics. Since it is now heavier, its going to move "later" (inertia) and move slower than it did before.

The solution to regain the balance between the moving parts (and spring tension counts as one of those parts) is to either reduce the resistance to movement of the other parts (lighter slide, or spring, or both) OR go to a heavier load which gives the now heavier barrel more "push" so it moves the same as it did before.

ONLY do ONE of those things, NOT BOTH.
 
I’ll second the above, what ammunition and which compensator? The latter can help identify if the manufacturer has guidance about ammunition and spring weights for their compensator.
 
1. Was the gun reliable with the ammunition you are using before adding the compensator?

2. When you hand-cycle the slide with the compensator installed, is there any binding/catching/sticking?

If the answer to 1 is "No" or "I didn't test the gun with this ammo before adding the compensator." then take the compensator off and find some ammo that cycles reliably without the compensator and then use that ammo for testing after the compensator is installed.

If the answer to 2 is "Yes" then you need to figure out what is obstructing the operation of the slide and remedy that issue.

If the answer to 2 is "No" and the answer to 1 is "Yes", then you could try a lighter recoil spring, hotter ammo, or look at lightening the slide. Obviously you want to try the easiest/cheapest things first.
 
JohnKSa said:
1. Was the gun reliable with the ammunition you are using before adding the compensator?

2. When you hand-cycle the slide with the compensator installed, is there any binding/catching/sticking?

If the answer to 1 is "No" or "I didn't test the gun with this ammo before adding the compensator." then take the compensator off and find some ammo that cycles reliably without the compensator and then use that ammo for testing after the compensator is installed.

If the answer to 2 is "Yes" then you need to figure out what is obstructing the operation of the slide and remedy that issue.

If the answer to 2 is "No" and the answer to 1 is "Yes", then you could try a lighter recoil spring, hotter ammo, or look at lightening the slide. Obviously you want to try the easiest/cheapest things first.
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Was never shot before the compensator. No binding when working the slide.
 
If you never shot it without the compensator, then I wouldn't assume it's the compensator.

Try shooting the gun without the compensator installed. If that works, then you can progress to trying to go to a lighter spring or hotter ammo.

I certainly wouldn't buy any new parts or alter the gun until I had verified that the gun is/isn't reliable without the compensator.
 
Not cycling in what way? Fail to extract / eject, to feed, or to lock?

Compensator adds mass. It pushes muzzle down, which is opposite to barrel tipping. All that siphones energy away from cycling the action.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
I've got two .38 Supers made by STI, one is a 5-inch Edge and the other is a 5-inch Trubor with a T2 Compensator. With hot ammo I use a 14 lb. recoil spring in the Edge... same ammo in the Trubor needs an 7-8 lb. recoil spring (just to function!).
 
74A95 said:
There are two ways a compensator prevents/slows cycling. 1) it adds weight to what the recoil force has to move. 2) the exiting gas hits the port baffle and pushes forward on the comp and therefore barrel. This slows down the rearward speed of the barrel/slide.
Click to expand...

In this case, nope. A compensator added to a 9mm pistol actually is a LONGER barrel than the standard and thus the pressure lasts a little longer, and at the same or greater level than the non-threaded barrel.

With pistols, it is the weight that matters, and the lever of the weight hanging, and oscillating, on the end of the barrel can, and often does cause issues. Several 9mm suppressors have boosters to help with the issue of the weight, and in some cases, a comp can be heavy enough to cause issues. But then, if a few ounces on the end of a 9mm barrel causes cycling issues, it was right on the edge anyway.

JohnKSa has it right...

If you never shot it without the compensator, then I wouldn't assume it's the compensator.

Try shooting the gun without the compensator installed. If that works, then you can progress to trying to go to a lighter spring or hotter ammo.

I certainly wouldn't buy any new parts or alter the gun until I had verified that the gun is/isn't reliable without the compensator.
Click to expand...
 
I have a Harrington Arms HC9C Micro compensator on my Dagger and it has worked fine. Harrington states that they have designed their unit so that no recoil spring adjustment is needed for functioning, for Glock 17,19 or 26.

Just FYI. It has worked perfectly with my Shadow MR920 also.
 
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