Reassembly of Mauser HSC-80

[StephenT]

Hey guys,

I picked up a NIB Mauser HSC-80 (380 cal, 13-shot) last night, and it seems like a nice enough gun. The only problem is that I took it apart to clean the internals, and now I can't get the slide back on.

Have any of you dealt with reassembly of these Mauser pistols? I pull the slide back as far as it will go (which compresses the spring), and then the slide should snap back onto the rail, but doesn't. There's a metal bar which works in tandem with the trigger that is in the way (see photo). That flat piece prevents the slide from going back on.

What am I doing wrong here? The instructions that came with the gun are pretty useless......I'm going to bring back the gun to where I bought it. I'd like to keep the gun, but if they can't figure it out, I'm returning it for something else.....

 

[rcmodel]

You might want to try it with the magazine out.

That is what is pushing the slide stop up in the way.

rc

 

[StephenT]

Thanks, but I've tried reassembling the gun with the magazine in and out. That trigger bar is what's in the way. It prevents the slide from snapping back into place. I'll see if the gun range where I bought it can do something about it.

 

[StephenT]

Got it fixed. The guys at the range were helpful and figured out that the trigger bar was off its perch. I checked the setup under the grips, so now I can fix it myself the next time I run into this problem.

The gun is chambered for 9x18 ultra, a caliber that I'd never heard of until last night (the gun was marked as a 380). Will 380 run ok in this gun? Some places online sell the 9x18 ultra, but it's quite expensive. Where does this 9x18 ultra rank on the power spectrum as compared to 380, 9x18 makarov and 9mm luger?

 

[rcmodel]

Probably not with .380 ACP. (9x17mm)

The 9mm Ultra is longer, and more powerful (9x18mm).

The .380 ACP would have excess headspace, and although it would probably fire if the extractor hook held it close enough for the firing pin to hit it, I doubt it would have enough power to cycle the action reliably.

The 9mm Ultra fires a 100 grain bullet at about 1000 FPS, so it is more powerful then a .380, but not as powerful as a 9mm Luger.
In actual practice, it's about the same power as the 9mm Makarov.

I'd say you got the short end of the stick unless you just want it for an interesting footnote in firearms history.

rc