[Burke888]

Hey guys. I just installed an HK LEM trigger on my Variant 9 HK45. The hammer is loose when I put pressure on the trigger. As you can see in the video when pressure is applied to the trigger, the hammer falls freely and is completly loose. It is very annoying to hear the hammer clink and clank when I shake the pistol as I have the pressure on the trigger. It makes the pistol feel cheap and poorly built. I also took a photo the inards of the pistol. I was wondering if this is normal and if not, what can I do to correct this issue?
Thank you!

VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tifrZtNuIbs

VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tifrZtNuIbs

Once again thank you for helping me with this issue!

 

[III The Chad III]

By what I'm seeing, when you start to pull the trigger, you can move the hammer freely up and down about 1/2 inch or so. I just tried that on my LEM P2000 and got the same results. I was able to move it about 1/2 inch up and then it would fall back down. I'm not sure if this is supposed to happen or just due to the fact that there is no spring tension on it at this time, though. Either way, mine does the same thing.

On a side note, you shouldn't dry fire with the slide off, you can crack your frame doing that.

 

[harkamus]

It's fine. This is how the LEM is. I emailed HK customer service about it a long time ago. They said this is how the LEM design is. It's nothing to worry about. I could dig up the email, but I'm too lazy. Just take my word on it. They explained why this happens in the email.

EDIT: Okay, I got unlazy. Here is a copy and paste of the email response.

-------------------
Hello,

The movement you are experiencing is completely normal with the LEM trigger
system.

You will notice the LEM hammer is a two-piece hammer accompanied by a
spring between the sear and the front edge of the hammer. This is the
cocking piece spring or hammer spring. The "outer" hammer is actuated by
the "inner" cocking piece. The cocking piece spring or hammer return spring
is there to ensure that the hammer always remains in the "up" position, but
as the trigger is pulled the hammer is floating between the pull of the
trigger bar and the tension provided by the cocking piece spring. The
hammer "floats" until the travel limit is reached by the movement of the
trigger bar and the cocking piece inside the hammer is released from
engagement with the sear. Both pieces then fall in unison to the strike of
the firing pin.
A detailed description of the LEM trigger system can be found in your
Owner's Manual for your further consideration.

Respectfully

(Embedded image moved to file: pic30303.jpg)
Samuel Colt; The inventor of the first 'point and click' interface.

 

[chuck s]

Thanks for the video. Worth more than 1000 words!

I suspect this is normal. Other HK45 owners will can easily confirm.

My HK45C hammer moves not half as much as your hammer. But it's a different pistol. The P2000SK and USP9C also move but even less.

-- Chuck

 

[ptoemmes]

I think for the most part my HK45c LEM is acting like yours. I repeated what you did - slide removed and all. Maybe you can clarify a few things.

When using my thumb to move the hammer forward, while it moves much like yours it is clearly resisting a spring. I believe that may be the LEM Cocking Piece Spring providing the very minimal resistance, but I may be wrong on that.

The end distance/position I can move the hammer forward seems directly related to how much I have depressed the trigger up until the break point. I did not force it, but it seems as if the hammer stops at a "moving hard stop". In other words, the more I depress the trigger, the less I can manually move the hammer forward.

I am probably going to hork this all up, but the LEM hammer is, as you probably know, two piece. The external, or bobbed hammer, seems to "float" a bit. The internal hammer, once the trigger breaks, engages and moves the external hammer forward to strike the firing pin. Kind of lame explanation, possibly/probably wrong, so corrections are welcome.

My hunch as well is you are fine. Does it go bang, recock, and reset OK?

Pete

 

[fifthward]

mine does the same thing...goes bang every trigger pull too.

 

[mag]

It looks like your gun is set up and working properly. I think you are being hyper critical of this 'clinking and clanking', most of which is caused by you poking at it.

 

[amstaffHK]

It looks like your gun is set up and working properly. I think you are being hyper critical of this 'clinking and clanking', most of which is caused by you poking at it.

That's a little harsh.. this is obviously his first time installing the LEM setup and had no idea what to look for exactly.

 

[robert14]

Thats exactly how it is with my LEM, looks like you did a great job on the install, congrats!

 

[TooSixy]

this is obviously his first time installing the LEM setup and had no idea what to look for exactly.

For a 7-year old, I'd say he'd done a pretty darn good job. :biggrin:

 

[gtmtnbiker98]

For a 7-year old, I'd say he'd done a pretty darn good job. :biggrin:

LOL

 

[amstaffHK]

Hahaha

 

[megillet]

I might not be an HK expert, but I don't think that everything is installed correctly. When I did my P30 LEM conversion, my hammer had lots of movement like yours also. I didn't think that it was correct. Upon further inspection, I had installed the "Elbow Spring for Hammer" incorrectly. Originally, I had one leg on each side of the hammer. To install correctly, and fix the sloppy hammer, I took it all apart, and ensured that both legs of the hammer were on the sear side, not the outside, of the hammer. It would still go bang every time installed incorrectly, but in my opinion, it shouldn't be that sloppy. Also, I looked at a P2000 at a LGS to confirm the spring's placement. You also have a different LEM compared to the P series, so this might not apply.

 

[harkamus]

It wobbles. The elbow spring installed correctly or not has nothing to do with it. I emailed HK directly about this a few months ago. The reply was included in one of my earlier replies here, on the first page.

EDIT: Leaving my original reply up there for posterity, but I now realize I misunderstood what was being said.

 

[megillet]

It wobbles. The elbow spring installed correctly or not has nothing to do with it. I emailed HK directly about this a few months ago. The reply was included in one of my earlier replies here, on the first page.

Yeah, I saw your reply with the email, but I still disagree. I don't think it's correct. Even HK's response that you posted says that it "floats", but doesn't mention "wobble" or extreme play. It even confirms the spring's placement: "accompanied by a spring between the sear and the front edge of the hammer."

 

[chuck s]

I have three (3) HK LEM pistols and the hammers all do this. Two are factory guns, one converted by me. All the same.

Install the cocking piece (elbow) spring wrong and the hammer flops around which is not the case here. I got it right the second time. :wink:

-- Chuck

 

[Burke888]

Okay guys thanks for the input. It was installed incorrectly. I had the LEM spring installed incorrectly. It needed to be pushed up against the sear and it was not. It wasn't providing any tension. Now the hammer wobbles a little bit, but doesn't fall freely. Thanks for the input!