[fvf]

I have read on the expected durability and parts requiring replacement on Beretta's & Glock's.

Can you give me an idea on the service life of a BHP and what parts need replacement at what round count.

Thanks

[Longbow]

I've read frames and/or slides starts developing cracks at around 18K rounds.
I use 18.5 recoil spring on mine just to be cautious.

[Car Knocker]

I've read frames and/or slides starts developing cracks at around 18K rounds.

Hadn't heard that one. Mine is way overdue, then.

[10-Ring]

Even if you figure the avg. shooter shoots 100 or so rounds per visit, 1 or 2 times a month or roughly 2400 rounds a year, you're still looking at around 9+ years before you have any frame or slide issues :scrutiny: Me, I would have bought a couple more guns in that time frame anyway and still enjoyed my BHP! ;)

[fvf]

I already have a Glock19, together with the BHP Mk3s and would like to know what spares I should keep in stock.

For my G19, I have bought a spare trigger spring, firing pin plunger spring, firing pin caps, firing pin channel and a magazine ejector. I bought them because they seem to be the parts with the highest probability of failure.

In a BHP, which parts should I be aware of which would need replacement at a certain round count?

Thanks

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Man, I couldn't say for sure. I'm still on original parts in my Hi Powers but I keep a spare firing pin retaining plate or two around as well as spare extractors
and change springs about every 2K rounds. The only Hi Powers I've seen that have really shown significant wearing of barrel lugs and frame battering had very noticeably weak recoil springs. I asked one fellow when he'd last replaced it and he said that he didn't know he had to so I then asked how long he'd been shooting the gun and he said for six years.

Best.

[fvf]

Thanks for the info. I'll make a note of that and try to secure a firing pin retaining plate and extractor to keep as spares.

Thanks again.

BTW when should the magazine springs be also replaced?

[mcmoyer]

Just out of curiosity, what is the stock recoil spring weight?

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. In 9mm, the factory recoil spring is 17-lbs. In forty, it is twenty pounds.

Best.

[Longbow]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=196744&highlight=Browning+warranty


Quote:
I've read frames and/or slides starts developing cracks at around 18K rounds.


Hadn't heard that one. Mine is way overdue, then

I have read that info from a gun magazine some years ago. It stated that the British SAS who used BHP's during WWII and Cold war had experienced frame and slide cracking at around 18-20K rounds, IIRC. Of course the metallurgy then might not be as good as in the BHP's now.

[Harold Mayo]

I keep hearing how BHP's are only "good" for 20,000 rounds. This is based, apparently, on comments from a gunwriter and from a gunsmith. The former has it as anecdotal "evidence" from seeing "bins" full of cracked hi-power slides and frames and I have no idea where the latter gets it, despite his being a relatively well-known gunsmith.

My own view as a non-published guy with only a few gunsmithing skills?;)

I automatically discount anything that anyone says about the military and/or police and their use of firearms and the condition of said firearms. While there are notable exceptions, some of the worst gun-handlers and maintainers out there are police of one stripe or another and the military, no matter what branch or specialty, is no better and may, in fact, be worse. People can talk about the SAS or Navy SEALs or CAG all they want but the fact is that handguns aren't the weapon of choice for these people and they don't maintain their own weapons, anyway. That's the job of unit armorers who might not, themselves, be very well trained. Flame away, if you wish, because I disrespected your favorite fantasy military unit but the facts are the facts.:neener:

As for gunsmiths? Same thing. Knowledge varies WIDELY, even among the "big name" gunsmiths. Some are pretty good because they think while others work off of what they've been taught or what has worked for them in the past, regardless of whether it is right or not. There are less than a handful of gunsmiths out there who I would allow to touch my guns for anything other than straight parts replacement (and with OEM parts, at that).

Don't worry about longevity on your hi-power. You can keep some small parts that ARE prone to wearing out on hand but, properly sprung, you should never have to worry about your frame and slide unless you are an INCREDIBLY high-volume shooter.

[Pilot]

In 9mm, the factory recoil spring is 17-lbs. In forty, it is twenty pounds.

And, like Stephen, many of us use the 18.5 lb srping for 9MM and it works great even with standard pressure target loads.

[JohnBT]

"It stated that the British SAS who used BHP's during WWII and Cold war..."

Did it say if they were shooting standard 9mm ammo or some kind of hot 1500 fps subgun ammo?

John