Browning HP question

[Rittmeister]

I picked up an Argentine FM Hi-Power a number of years ago from SOG for a great price and have been modifying it since. The pertinent details for this thread are that I installed a Cylinder and Slide safety and sear about five years ago, and at the same time bobbed the hammer. I hated the tiny stock safety, hence the switch.

This worked great until this past June, when the new, harder sear ate the notch in the hammer to the point where the hammer started following the slide down, landing on the half-cock notch. Having no desire to own a full-auto Hi-Power I secured a C&S hammer and had my gunsmith replace it.

Fast forward to my first range session with the gun since the work. Everything works flawlessly with one exception - the mags no longer drop free, but hang up. At first I thought I had tightened the grips too much (they're rubber and this has happened before) but the mags hang up even with no grips on the gun.

There's a piece of what looks like sheetmetal at the rear of the grip frame on the inside. I don't know what it's called but it seems to be pushing forward on the back of the magazine, preventing it from falling free.

Is there a way I can deal with this issue, or must I take it back to my 'smith? I'm reasonably competent with things but am hesitant (and lack the proper tools) if cutting/fitting is involved.

FYI, the mag safety was chucked long ago, so I know that's not contributing to the issue.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dogtown tom]

Rittmeister:... There's a piece of what looks like sheetmetal at the rear of the grip frame on the inside. I don't know what it's called but it seems to be pushing forward on the back of the magazine, preventing it from falling free...

That would be the sear spring.
Gently bending the sear spring is one method of "fitting" the hammer & sear.

Your smith should be able to fix it easily. Just be sure to tell him you want the mags to drop free.

 

[Rittmeister]

Thanks so far.

I should have been more specific. With the slide forward, and the hammer down, the mags still drop out. With the slide locked open, or with the slide forward but the hammer cocked, the mags hang up. Obviously having the hammer cocked puts tension on the spring, and then on the magazine.

Does this change anything with your above answer?

 

[belus]

Thanks so far.

I should have been more specific. With the slide forward, and the hammer down, the mags still drop out. With the slide locked open, or with the slide forward but the hammer cocked, the mags hang up. Obviously having the hammer cocked puts tension on the spring, and then on the magazine.

Does this change anything with your above answer?

Shouldn't. That description is consistent with the geometry of the sear/sear spring.

With the hammer cocked (slide back) the sear spring is compressed to keep tension pushing forward below the sear pin. This translate to a down pressure on the sear near the hammer hooks. When the hammer is forward the sear rests on top of the hammer hooks with sear spring relaxed and slightly bowed backwards.

Some careful bending under finger pressure should fix your problem.

Stephen A. Camp (google) has a great dissasembly guide which I recommend if you want to adventure in taking the pistol down that far.