Need help on old gun.

[Guns and more]

Last week my neighbor inherited a HK model 4. To make a long story short, I (and THR) did a lot of research and found it to be a 1971.
We took it to the range (it's a .380) and it seemed to be in fine shape.
It fired twice and the slide jammed. I took it home, cleaned, oiled, pulled prodded and finally got the slide off. A piece fell out. Didn't appear to be broken off. A search of the internet provided an exploded diagram of the gun and the part is called the "Buffer Plate" and appears to be part of the trigger assembly.
#26 if I succeed in adding the diagram.
Does anyone know how to get this back in? Gunsmith time? Forget it?
Nothing appears broken, although removing the slide is not easy on this gun.
View attachment 91490

 

[jsbethel]

Is the piece you're talking about nylon or metal? Looking at the schmatic on the Numrich website, it seems to me that the buffer and buffer plate are switched numerically (26 and 27). (This is the piece I think you are talking about - http://www.e-gunparts.com/DisplayAd.asp?chrProductSKU=75210&chrSuperSKU=&MC= ). I have a copy of a detail strip on the HK4 and it states "removal of the nylon recoil buffer in front of the takedown latch is not recommended". That seems odd for an essentially perishable part. They are meant to be replaced over time. Then again, maybe they are just trying to say don't shoot it without the recoil buffer! If that has never been replaced, do it before trying to shoot it again. I can't imagine that this needs to be done by a gunsmith.

 

[Guns and more]

Is the piece you're talking about nylon or metal? Looking at the schmatic on the Numrich website, it seems to me that the buffer and buffer plate are switched numerically (26 and 27). (This is the piece I think you are talking about - http://www.e-gunparts.com/DisplayAd....rSuperSKU=&MC= ). I have a copy of a detail strip on the HK4 and it states "removal of the nylon recoil buffer in front of the takedown latch is not recommended". That seems odd for an essentially perishable part. They are meant to be replaced over time. Then again, maybe they are just trying to say don't shoot it without the recoil buffer! If that has never been replaced, do it before trying to shoot it again. I can't imagine that this needs to be done by a gunsmith.
Last edited by jsbethel; January 23rd, 2009 at 06:49 PM. Reason: addition

Good source. In my case I found the exploded diagram and the piece that was floating loose was #26 (buffer plate) It was a little piece of metal but I never saw how it went in or where. It looks to match up with the front of the casting in front of #17 while in place.
It appears to match the front casting of the body of the gun, but what holds it in? The buffer itself is fiber or plastic but on mine it has disappeared. If they sit right on the frame under the barrel, I don't get it, but that's where it looks like where it matches up.
What are the two dimples for? Was there a clip or other attachment?

Thanks for the help.

 

[MaterDei]

You might want to ask to have this thread moved to the Gunsmithing and Repairs area. It might get more play there.

Good luck G and M.