Hi-Power slide riding forward on frame.

[Jack19]

I just picked up an Inglis Hi-Power made in 1944. Over all the weapon is in very good condition for it's age and it feeds and ejects anything I put in it with ultra reliability. Even hollow points.

But, I noticed today that the slide is riding about 1/16 of an inch forward on the frame. You can see a small portion of the rails at the rear of the slide.

With the safety on, I can push the frame backwards to cover the rails completely, but it moves forward again after pressure is released.

At first, I thought that the slide stop was undersized, but that seems not to be the case. The ring end (for those familiar with Hi-Powers) of the recoil spring guide rod seems worn and slightly thin. Could this be allowing a forward movement?

What would cause the slide to sit forward on the frame? Any ideas?

 

[Jim K]

The BHP slide stops in the battery position for the same reason the M1911 barrel does - the barrel foot hits the slide stop pin. So either the barrel or the pin is out of spec, the gun was not right from the factory, or the slide and frame are mismatched (from different guns).

At the factory, the match between the slide and frame at the rear was considered more a matter of appearance than of functioning, and was usually taken care of by polishing the two parts down together to achieve a match.

If everything else checks out OK, I wouldn't worry.

Jim

 

[Jack19]

Jim, thanks for your reply.

According to the serial numbers the slide, frame and barrel all match. Could be the slide stop pin, but the slide stop itself, fits in the frame fine.

The weapon functions fine; even better than some 70s and 80s HPs I've owned. It feeds everything I put in it.

 

[Jim K]

Just to clarify, when I say slide stop pin, I mean the L part of the slide stop that goes into the frame. If it is not obviously battered or worn, that should not be the problem. The other possibility is the barrel foot; if it is not battered or worn, or out of spec, I doubt there is any problem that can be fixed and wouldn't worry about it.

Jim