[bengewarmer]

So I've read online and seen a couple of videos of the "pencil test" as a way to test the firing pin without firing rounds. However, from what I see/read, whenever people do this test and it is successful, the pencil flies several feet out of the gun. I tried this in my P2000 and found that the pencil only jumped about an inch or so, not even coming all the way out of the barrel. Is this indicative of a faulty/weak firing pin? I have fired this gun before and it is a new gun. Been to the range three times with a total of about 400 rounds through. There have thus far only been two failures but they were jamming issues, not misfires. Am I looking at any problems down the road? Or should I just go to sleep and stop being a hypochondriac on behalf of my baby.

 

[Apollo11]

If the gun is functioning, and the primer strikes are nice and healthy--I would be just fine with it. I have never had a pencil in my barrel.

 

[Bombtech945]

Or should I just go to sleep and stop being a hypochondriac on behalf of my baby.

This

 

[bengewarmer]

This

I will do this.

 

[DaZe831]

Never heard of the pencil test lol... If it works then let it be

 

[Landpimp]

pencil with eraser is a good way to practice, not sure if it works with HK's but it works with 1911's.

 

[Skyline]

Been to the range three times with a total of about 400 rounds through. There have thus far only been two failures but they were jamming issues, not misfires.

Two failures? What kind of jamming?

I have 980 rounds through my P30 and not a single failure, and so I'm surprised to hear you've had issues with your P2000. Were they ammo related?

 

[HKOREGUN]

I've done the pencil test neat to see the pencil go into the air but as far as "jamming issues" are you talking "Stovepipes". Question did you purchase this firearm "Used".

 

[bengewarmer]

It was purchased new with an AI date code. Both failures were with different ammo types and the jam was such where the round wouldn't fully chamber and the slide would get stuck halfway. Easily cleared by racking the slide back and ejecting the round but disconcerting nonetheless.

 

[HKOREGUN]

What kind of ammunition Winchester, Federal or Remington it's a possibility that those two rounds were "Out of Spec". Another question do you by chance have "case gauge" say made by dillion, better yet remove your barrel and see if the cartridge will "drop" into the barrel.

 

[Skang]

Try harder eraser. hahaha

 

[bengewarmer]

I was shooting Winchester Ranger 180 grain ammo and Herter's TNJ 165 grain ammo with aluminum casings. It jammed with the Herter's. Also the round did drop into the barrel.

 

[M1fuzz]

I have tried this w/ some guns w/ decockers. Ayoob mentioned it in his Sig Sauer book. You drop the decocker, if the pencil jumps the decocker may have issues and the firing pin is hitting the eraser. If it doesn't move your firing pin is being stopped and the decocker is working as it should be.

 

[bengewarmer]

Ayoob is where I originally heard about the test. I was researching it further with videos online and my only concern is that for the videos I've seen, the pencil jumps a few feet out of the barrel or across a room. With my P2000 it is merely jumping about an inch or two.

 

[JR956678]

Ayoob is where I originally heard about the test. I was researching it further with videos online and my only concern is that for the videos I've seen, the pencil jumps a few feet out of the barrel or across a room. With my P2000 it is merely jumping about an inch or two.

Which end of the pencil went in first? My HK45C only jumps the pencil about the same inch you describe if I load the eraser first - but the rubber of the eraser absorbs a lot of the impact. If I load an unsharpened pencil end in first it flies out and goes several feet. I can't test the decocking function as I've converted to light LEM so there is no decocker - and that's where I think this test is most meaningful.

But what counts - at the range - is that it goes bang every time.

 

[twpayne75]

If you want distance from your "shot", use a plain stick Bic pen. That what I have used before in other guns. I just tried it in my P2000 and it shot about 15 feet. Oddly enough I have shot one out of other guns and it shoot across my garage (about 30 feet). Only thing I can think of right off is that my 2000 is a .40 and all others I have tried are 9mm. A Bic is the perfect diameter for 9mm. With a .40 the firing pin is going to be off center. don't know how much difference that would make. But considering we are talking about most non-scientific test ever........i boubt it matters much.


But I have never had a malfunction in my P2k in roughly 700 rounds.

 

[bengewarmer]

Hmm, I just tried it with a Bic pen and I must say you are correct. Pen flew across the room. However, I'm starting to think the previous jams may have had something to do that the gun was made in 2008 and I picked it up about two months ago, making it almost four years without being fired. Just a theory but it seems to fit. I think.

 

[kennjen]

REALLY ?

~~found that the pencil only jumped about an inch or so, not even coming all the way out of the barrel. Is this indicative of a faulty/weak firing pin?~~

Although, your additional comment about lack of any ignition problem indicate otherwise. The pencil jumping about an inch is not sufficient. I'm just wondering if you are using a "Standard" wooden pencil that is loose in your barrel ?? And is it sufficiently centered that it's being hit properly ??

Provided that the pencil is loose in the barrel and being hit solidly, the pencil should fly out of the barrel. ( with the gun pointing up.) I've used chopsticks to test my FP, when I changed it to the new style, and it hit my ceiling. The FP is hitting it hard enough that you can see the little holes in the wood. So, there is some thing wrong if the pencil is only jumping an inch.

Few possiblity come to mind:
-Dirty FP channel.
-Broken parts: broken FP, FPB, FP spring...

I don't agree with others that basically said "If you aren't having an issue then don't worry about it". You are either not performing the test correctly OR there is some thing wrong. (And the pencil test is pretty hard to do incorrectly).

 

[kennjen]

Hmm, I just tried it with a Bic pen and I must say you are correct. Pen flew across the room.

Then ...you got nothing to worry about......

BTW,I wrote the above post as few others posted during ....

 

[bengewarmer]

Also, I tried it with the pencil again, this time with the unsharpened flat side and it flew out a couple of feet and I saw a hole in the pencil where the firing pin struck. For future reference however, how would I get to the firing pin if I needed to do some closer diagnostics?