HK PSP & Stovepipes

[Ascot500]

First range session with the gun that I read so much about and wanted for a long time.
First mag, no problem.
Second mag, second shot, pull trigger and click.
Regrip, pull again, click again.
Check chamber, the brass from the previous round is still there.
Kept shooting.
About 30% of the time would have a failure.
Stovepipes, slide closing on fired round, failure to lock open on last round.
Basically what you expect if shooting too soft reloads.
Ammo is Norinco 124 gr, barss cased ammo that has been 100% in others.
Checked gun afterwards, not unusally dirty at all.

So what gives, is the recoil spring just too much?
Also, trigger blade ain't steel, is it plastic?

 

[CWL]

Have you checked the gas tube for excessive carbon? New P7s come with a metal scraper & brush for keeping it clean, dunno if your's came with one, but if there is excess carbon gunking-up the gas tube and plugging the piston hole, it could be affecting the operation.

Maybe you need to replace the recoil spring as well.

Maybe the Norinco ammo is loaded out of spec, since this is a gas operated gun, you should try a more reliable brand just to rule this out.

 

[The Mayor]

I would suspect the ammo before the gas retard system, since, I believe it slows the slide until the bullet leaves the barrel, in effect a stronger mainspring. Plugged ports would give the effect of a lighter spring and slam the slide back harder, pitching the brass to the next lane.

Also, the only plastic are the grips. The P7-M8 has a plastic heat shield in the trigger guard.

FWIW, I own a 26yr old P7-PSP and its the best handling gun I have and I've had no glitches at all since I became its custodian five years ago. In fact I love it so much, I'm afraid to carry it anywhere except barbecues, isn't that ridiculous.

WANTED: beater PSP

Steve

 

[Jim Watson]

The Communist Chinese may have been using too fast burning a powder for the Germans. The NRA noted when the P7 was new on the market that it was not reliable with reloads of Bullseye but shot fine with Unique.

 

[Ascot500]

Thanks all, for the suggestions.
I checked the innards and it sure don't look like carbon buildup.
I will try other ammo, but I can tell you Norinco is not low quality.
It has been every bit as reliable and usually more accurate than WWB in a variety of platforms.

As for the trigger, it must be aluminum cause a magnet proves it aint steel.

 

[The Mayor]

I wasn't sure about the trigger so I gave it the magnet test before posting, it passed the test.

Now is the time to join the "Cult of the P7" , they will be able to tell you everything about your model by the serial no., or the date stamp.

http://www.parkcitiestactical.com/

 

[Ascot500]

Further investigation

I thought of a good way to check for the gas piston binding.
I reassembled the gun without the recoil spring.
I thought that if there was carbon build up I would feel it as the slide nears it's end of travel.
As it turns out the opposite is true.
The slide is binding for about the first half inch, then it's OK.
It does the same thing if I reverse the slide and try to assemble slide muzzle to barrel muzzle.
To the naked eye it appears that the barrel is slightly canted downward and not centered in the slide opening.
I suppose I could take some emery to the bottom of the barrel but I'm wondering: does HK warrant these ex-German police guns?

 

[Michael Zeleny]

I'm wondering: does HK warrant these ex-German police guns?

No.

 

[CWL]

The "plastic" trigger. P7s have a steel trigger housed within a plastic outer layer.

 

[Ascot500]

An update

Second trip to the range.
Took some Russian Brown Bear, Silver Bear & Wolf ammo
All of it steel cased.
It ate it all without a hitch.
Switched back to Norinco brass case FMJ and I get short stroking.
So the theory about powder burning rate appears to have merit.
Too bad, I have a bunch of it.

I still don't think the binding is right and I am going to pursue it with HK-USA.

CWL- I question the steel encased plastic trigger theory.
Magnets don't care about plastic.
Why do I care? I once had a plastic plastic trigger snap in half.