SSE Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 I am trying to get a PPS-43 running in 9mm. Sometimes the empty case is caught by the returning bolt. Hotter ammo might do it, but how about cutting the recoil spring? What do you guys think. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subgun24 Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 Did you check to see if the ejector is actually hitting the spent case. You may have a situation where you aren’t even using the ejector. I had similar problem on my ppsh41. The ejector was to low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huggytree Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 I’ve had same issue with my yugo 49/57. I played w cutting recoil spring. At first it improved slightly. So I cut another coil. And it got worse. The solution was a longer ejector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSE Posted May 1 Author Report Share Posted May 1 When it is running it kicks the empties out at 3 o=clock about 4 feet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPFiveO Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 Cutting the recoil spring almost always leads to other problems. In the case of the 43 there's a substantial recoil buffer so you don't have to worry about the bolt slamming into the back of the receiver from the lack of recoil spring. Another issue is that the stripping force is diminished so you may encounter feeding issues. I would follow Subgun 24's advice and check the ejector first. Use some resized empty cases to see if you can diagnose the problem. Another issue could be the extractor spring. If the extractor doesn't maintain it's grip on the fired case until it hits the ejector then it will just bounce around in the receiver. Testing with empty cases may not reveal this issue because the forces are drastically different. Just put an empty case without a primer under the extractor and check it's grip strength. It should only let go in the direction it is ejected. And definitely try hotter ammo before you start clipping coils. And maybe try different ammo. Sometimes rim thickness varies and a thinner rim will not grip as well as a thicker rim. I'm sure there are a few other things to look at but it's late and I'm too tired to think straight. If you need some empty cases and don't have a reloading press let me know. I can crank a few out in no time. Currently loading .45 ACP but it only takes a few seconds to swap dies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftiv Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 Make sure the upper and lower fit together snugly. A large gap acts like a shorter ejector. to test, get a big tywrap and tie the upper and lower together to reduce the gap and test fire with the tywrap in place. If it works , you have a place to start. Check the ejector after every session of shooting. If it is loose, Even a little wiggle. will cause trouble. Another thing, Get a new neopreen ( or other new plastic) buffer. It has cure some guns cycling problems. Check the extractor spring and extractor. Sometimes they are very weak and do not work well on 9mm. Gun Likes real hot 9mm. Fill case to the top and stuff in bullet. Be sure to work up to this type of load. It will destroy your handguns. No specifics on load are mentioned because you can get in trouble quickly. My gun is an old chinese gun and the russian parts do not fit. I have to use the chinese parts or modify the russian parts. My gun sits in the safe until I feel like messing with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villafuego Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 (edited) Is your PPS a reweld? If so, and it lacks the "dimple" on the (L) side of the receiver, or the dimple is too shallow, then your ejector/recoil spring guide isn't being held in the proper position https://imgur.com/lg5a3m9 Edited May 1 by villafuego 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSE Posted May 1 Author Report Share Posted May 1 Wow, thanks for all the advice. I have to try these out and I will get back to you guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSE Posted May 1 Author Report Share Posted May 1 This is a new Polish that was in 762x25 and it ran great. I put the 9mm barrel in and having problems. I have tried Blazer brass, WRA nato, and South African surplus. Extractor seems to hold cases OK and it uses the end of the recoil spring guide as the ejector so that is fixed I guess. It does have the dimple. Thanks for the offer MP5O but I have plenty. I am going to borrow an actual 9mm mag and see if that makes a difference and load up some hot 9mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT Fish Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 I havent had any issues with my reweld postie and cheap, weaker magtech steel cased 9mm. No modified mags, nothing. Just built it with a 9mm barrel. You have a jam on occasion but its not common. And tapping the mag in the spine before inserting seems to help a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPFiveO Posted May 3 Report Share Posted May 3 On 5/1/2026 at 7:21 AM, gftiv said: Gun Likes real hot 9mm. Fill case to the top and stuff in bullet. Be sure to work up to this type of load. It will destroy your handguns. No specifics on load are mentioned because you can get in trouble quickly. As a seasoned reloader I'm just going to say that this is horrible advice. Working up a load is always recommended but the only time you fill a case up is with black powder. A charge like that of Bullseye or powder with a similar burn rate will be a kaboom in any gun regardless of type. Pistol powder is nothing to F around with, it has the fastest burn rate of the spectrum. Depending on the type of powder a 9mm case can hold a double or triple charge. That would just be BAD. Advice like this is precisely why I pull down all gun show or estate reloads. They're a good deal but all suspect and good for components only. I've seen Bubba's handiwork and don't want his products anywhere near me or my firearms. If one wants hot ammo there are a couple of factory produced rounds that push the limit but are safe to shoot. One is the Hirtenberger L7A1 ammo. It was loaded for Subguns being used in Arctic or filthy environments. It was hot enough they decided not to use it and dumped it into the surplus market. ATF issued a warning on it and it wasn't supposed to be imported into the US but some still found it's way here. It was popular among Subgun shooters but it was noticably hotter. I bought a can and shot a couple of boxes through my Uzi. I decided it was good ammo for doomsday and put it away. My Uzi is much happier digesting 9mm NATO. Another hot round is the Egyptian surplus. It is the nastiest of the nasty. The primers are corrosive, the cases will crack through the neck upon firing but they're Berdan primed anyway. They smell awful when fired and the primers are very hard, enough so that many handguns won't set them off but it runs fine in an open bolt gun like a Sten. Just clean it with hot soapy water like you would a black powder gun. Other than that, if you're going to reload some hotter ammo I would suggest the following... Use only once fired cases. Running super hot loads will deform the brass and potentially cause headspace issues. Pistol brass like 9mm and .45 ACP will actually get shorter with repeated firing. The case head and rim take all the beating. Open bolt guns with generous chambers also take a toll on the brass allowing it to swell more than pistols and resizing repeatedly will work harden the brass causing it to fail. As always, only go up a half grain at a time. Especially when you get to the max load in the manuals. Remember, different powders have different burn rates. Pressures can be drastically different between powders. And for God's sake, if you load up a bunch of it and dump it into an ammo can put a label on it! If you leave this world then you will be the only one who knew what was in that can. If your family, like grandkids, decided to shoot up grandpa's reloads they just might get blown up and think that grandpa was the infamous Bubba! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSE Posted May 4 Author Report Share Posted May 4 Thanks guys, I loaded up some hot ammo, 115 gr FMJ going 1500-1550 ( blazer brass 115 does 1300 ) and with a borrowed 9mm mag it ran good, still jams the m/t case with the 762x25 mags. I will keep messing around to see if I can get the 762x25 mags to work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT Fish Posted May 4 Report Share Posted May 4 55 minutes ago, SSE said: Thanks guys, I loaded up some hot ammo, 115 gr FMJ going 1500-1550 ( blazer brass 115 does 1300 ) and with a borrowed 9mm mag it ran good, still jams the m/t case with the 762x25 mags. I will keep messing around to see if I can get the 762x25 mags to work What 9mm mag are you using? Is it just a modified 7.62tok mag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSE Posted May 5 Author Report Share Posted May 5 Yes, it is the one that came with the semi-auto. They have a spacer in the back of the 762 mag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donwest Posted May 5 Report Share Posted May 5 Try shortening the stroke, reduce the length that the bolt can travel. Make a new buffer with relatively hard polymer, make it 1/2 inch thicker than the original. If that helps you might want to go thicker yet. This will speed up the cyclic rate and probably help the problems you are seeing. I've seen this done a lot on post sample PPS43 subs. Don't make the buffer so thick that the sear cannot engage the bolt. Hope it helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSE Posted May 6 Author Report Share Posted May 6 Thanks guys, I will look around for some buffer stuff, it might help if it does not catch the first empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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