weird spring and hard chrome issues

[Shipwreck]

This is really weird... I got new Wolfe springs for my USPc mags recently - because the mags were not locking back the slide after the last shot (this is fairly common for stock HK mags).

Anyway, 2 of those 4 mags with the new springs worked great on my USPc on my last trip to the range. I had not tried the other 2 yet.

I got my slide hard chromed at Tripp Research and just got the slide back this week.

Today was my 1st trip to the range since getting it back. Shot 100 rounds this morning. Failure to feed and/or failure to eject on EVERY mag - 2-3 times per mag. I got very frustrated.

I came back home and got the 2 mags that I had not changed springs on yet - a last ditch effort.

Went back and shot 150 more rounds. Slide locked back EVERY time, and not a single failure.

I know hard chrome can change tolerances - but that is weird. Luckily, I kept all my original springs - I'll put them back and retry those other 4 mags again. At least for now - I know I have 2 mags that work 100%.

 

[gudel]

did you chrome the springs??

 

[Shipwreck]

Nope - just the slide.

 

[bg226]

Are the new springs the same strength as factory standard?


Perhaps the new springs have not set.

Sometimes brand new springs can do some funky things when they haven't set. I would load the magazines (w/ new springs) and keep it loaded for a few days.

 

[Geno]

I have been told that after a hard chroming a pistol, that one must re-break-in the hard-chromed firearm, because if does have initial friction. The first 100 rounds sounds about right in that regard.

I wonder if they now will function properly. If the slide was running too slowly because of the re-break-in period, the "timing" could have been off. Try them again after you have fired the slide 400 to 500 rounds total.

Doc2005

 

[ftierson]

I have had several handguns hardchromed and have never had a problem like the one that you're taling about...

I have received guns back with parts incorrectly reinstalled after the chroming, and I had to tear the guns down and put them together correctly...

I had a sear stop pin in an Astra A75 that was destroyed by the hardchromers and I had to order a new one and install it...

Was something installed incorrectly or broken by the chromers?

Did they leave some parts out?

Just wondering...

Forrest

 

[Geno]

That's just scary! I have been contemplating having 4 of my pistols hard-chromed. These are my most accurate and reliable pistols, and so the hard-chroming would be intended to extend their service lives.

I was recently alerted by a PM from a THR member that Tripp Research screwed up one of his pistols big-time. The firearm came back with copper-colored spots on it, rough spots, etc. Then, when he sent it for correcting the pistol, that took an additional 6 weeks? According to the gentleman, it still was not correct. Prior to receiving that PM, I had never heard anything negative of Tripp. It gives me serious pause. To send off $5,000.00 of my most prized pistols, further expending $840.00 on the process, and $200.00 on round-trip shipping just to have them come back screwed up...I would be seriously P.O.ed!

Does anyone have any corrective experiences with Tripp? I know most people are willing to step up and say the good. I want to know about how frequent a mishap is, if it was corrected willingly, quickly and professionally. If someone has had a negative experience with Tripp's service (especially hard-chroming), I would appreciate hearing about what happened, and how it was resolved. I understand not wanting to post it in public. If you could PM me the information, I will keep the info to myself.

Doc2005

 

[Shipwreck]

I don't think so. On HKPro - they suggested that the tolerances changed enough that the +10% springs is just too much for now - at least until the gun breaks in again. What is strange, however, is that the old springs are locking the slide back each and every time now - and did not do that before.

As long as the gun works, I am happy. I put all the springs back in my other 4 mags, and will try those again at the next range trip.

As for the internals - I can take apart a P99 slide, but I have no idea how to do an HK slide. So, I can't check.