[robicon]

Just picked up a LNIB USP tac. to keep my compact and Mk23 company.

Pistol has had less than 50 rounds through it (if I told you what I paid, you wouldn't believe me).

Well, I field stripped it to determine the "newness" of the pistol. No barrel hood markings, slide stop pin groove (on recoil spring ass.) is still black, flashing still present on frame rails, etc. etc. basically a new pistol.

Here's my beef. Empty mags won't drop free if hammer is cocked. I understand this to mean that the slide was racked with the pistol in locked mode.

3 Questions gentlemen. A) Is this the result of the pistol being new and tight? (which I doubt, but remain hopeful) or B) Some imbecile attempted the aforementioned idiot move. And if "B" what kind of wait time am I looking at for a new hammer strut? The opinions vary on HK's CS...guess I've been blessed because I've never needed it until now.

Thanks for the help
rob

 

[Big Bore]

More than likely B. New USPs need no break in. Turn around time is something you are going to have to ask HK about. You can still use it until you are ready to send off.

One check you can make. One of my Tacs did not drop free and I knew the slide had not been racked while the lock-out was on. I pulled the lanyard loop and found the hammer strut spring was not down in the recess but on the ledge around the recess. That apparently caused the spring to bulge out and keep the mag from dropping free. When I put it back together correctly and made sure the spring was in the LL recess it has worked perfectly from that time on.
That is something you can check quickly and you also might try rotating the hammer strut spring 180 degrees in case it has taken on a bend.
Good luck.

I've had nothing but beyond excellent customer service from them. Those who claim otherwise are either very unlucky in which case I would advise them not to buy a lottery ticket, have not used them in years, or are repeating internet gossip trying to sound like they know what they are talking about when they actually have no clue.

 

[robicon]

More than likely B. New USPs need no break in. Turn around time is something you are going to have to ask HK about. You can still use it until you are ready to send off.

One check you can make. One of my Tacs did not drop free and I knew the slide had not been racked while the lock-out was on. I pulled the lanyard loop and found the hammer strut spring was not down in the recess but on the ledge around the recess. That apparently caused the spring to bulge out and keep the mag from dropping free. When I put it back together correctly and made sure the spring was in the LL recess it has worked perfectly from that time on.
That is something you can check quickly and you also might try rotating the hammer strut spring 180 degrees in case it has taken on a bend.
Good luck.

I've had nothing but beyond excellent customer service from them. Those who claim otherwise are either very unlucky in which case I would advise them not to buy a lottery ticket, have not used them in years, or are repeating internet gossip trying to sound like they know what they are talking about when they actually have no clue.

I really appreciate the help BigBore.

Are you saying I'll have to mail the entire pistol for the replacement of the hammer strut? Or can I order the part and do it "in house"?

I can build an AR15, detail strip a SW 686, 1911, P226, etc. so I've got a modicum of mechanical inclination.

How serious is the "operation" I guess is what I'm asking.

Thanks again for the reply,
rob

 

[Big Bore]

Sort of depends on if you want to keep your warranty in tact or not. If you do it yourself you will by the letter void your HK lifetime warranty. What that really means if if you do anything during the replacement that screws things up HK is not going to fix your screw-up under warranty. It is not hard to replace the hammer strut but you do need to tear out the fire control group similar to when you do an LEM conversion. If you feel confident doing it yourself by all means order the part but you will have to pay for it. HK will not send you the part under warranty. If you want them to do the repair under warranty then you will have to send the entire pistol to them for repair.
Depending on how you feel about them doing the repair for free (except for shipping to them) determines on how you should proceed.
I know I would just buy the part and put it in myself because the part is not going to cost near as much as over night UPS shipping. If you have a dealer who will send it for you USPS PM then shipping will only be about $10 so again, you have a decision to make. $10 shipping and a free fix that takes a week or two or $10 for the part and replace it yourself in about an hour.
In the real world if you replace it yourself and do not mess up anything and then later you have a real problem unrelated to anything you did (or even if it is related to it so long as you did not do anything wrong) HK is going to fix it under warranty, they are not that picky. But if you screw something up, HK is going to know it and will not do any repair under warranty because as I said, by the letter, you will have voided the warranty when you replaced that part yourself.
The other issue of doing it yourself is what if you diagnosed the problem wrong? Then you are out the part and you still have the problem. Diagnosing problems over the net is very difficult and while it seems to be the problem, what if it is not? Sending the pistol to HK will skirt that problem entirely. They will find the problem for certain then fix it.

 

[F22_RaptoR]

I would say definatly send it into HK.

As you said, you already have a compact and a mark23, so its not like your losing your primary defence handgun (if thats what you use any of them for)

I know it sucks to have JUST bought a new handgun, and need to send it back - most likely because of some shmuck - but if you got such a good deal on it (as you implied ) then i'd say its worth it. Then, you'll get a complete look over on the gun anyways, and you can be sure its read to rock.

Good luck!

 

[robicon]

I would say definatly send it into HK.

As you said, you already have a compact and a mark23, so its not like your losing your primary defence handgun (if thats what you use any of them for)

I know it sucks to have JUST bought a new handgun, and need to send it back - most likely because of some shmuck - but if you got such a good deal on it (as you implied ) then i'd say its worth it. Then, you'll get a complete look over on the gun anyways, and you can be sure its read to rock.

Good luck!

The warranty card is still in the case and hasn't been filled out by the original owner (remember I bought this pistol "used").

So, is my pistol covered by HK warranty?

FWIW, I paid $700 for my LNIB example. I guess at that price, I have to take my lumps. I just hate to send the pistol off for an extended period...hell, I haven't even had a chance to shoot the thing.

Again gentlemen, I appreciate the replies.

 

[Big Bore]

The warranty card really means nothing and I highly suspect HK never even looks at it.
Call HK and tell them you just got a pistol and you suspect the hammer strut is bent. They will take the SN and issue a RAN and you return it. I would not mention anything about a warranty card being sent in or not. If they ask you tell them you have it but have not sent it in but I doubt they will ask.
It is a known weakness (as in not being idiot proof) and HK is pretty good about fixing dumb-ass dealer mistakes.
Of course it MIGHT help if HK put the part about unlocking the LL on the first page of the manual instead of near the last. But who reads the manual anyway?

 

[robicon]

Thanks again BigBore.

Looks like she'll make a trip back to the factory