[Snort]

I really want to like this gun. I really do. It keeps trying to make me hate it.

I've got 700 rounds through it now, and mechanical problems are setting in. First and foremost, it won't chamber a round unless the slide's locked back. If you try to rack the slide to chamber, in other words, it'll fail to return to battery, the round getting caught by...something. I don't know. Clean gun, dirty gun, doesn't matter. I can replicate this sitting here right now with snap caps, hollow points, and standard ball rounds. Put a round in the magazine, insert the magazine, rack the slide...and watch it jam. Same for all three of the magazines. Clean magazines, dirty magazines, doesn't matter. In order to actually load the gun at this point, you need to have the slide locked back, and slingshotting it won't work - do that, and it FTRB.

It'll also occasionally fail to return to battery during actual shooting. The range master at the place I normally shoot thought I was just limpwristing it, but I let him run a few rounds through and it did it to him as well. Interestingly, it always seems to be the last round in the magazine. All three magazines.

And, speaking of magazines, it threw in another neat trick today - dropping the mag during firing. Fingers were nowhere near the mag release. Squeeze off the first round, out pops the magazine. Happened twice in 200 rounds.

If all of this is me, I'm more than happy to be called an idiot who doesn't know his gun, 'cause then at least it's me and not the gun. At the moment, though, I'm pretty sure it's the gun, and the wish that I'd just bought something else is pretty strong.

 

[Cosmo M3]

post videos on how you rack the slide

post videos on how you're shooting

it can be anything, but let's take the shooter out of the equation first before we blame mechanical parts of the gun

 

[H7K]

If you think its the gun contact HK customer service and have them fix it. This is not normal behavior for a 45c.

 

[gtmtnbiker98]

Sounds a lot like hand placement, too many unrelated issues being described.

 

[Watarski]

If you think its the gun contact HK customer service and have them fix it. This is not normal behavior for a 45c.

this...

 

[williamthewolf]

I hope you work it all out. Send the gun in and have them take a look. Hopefully it will run much better when you get it back.

 

[TooSixy]

Did you overlube the gun?

 

[Snort]

Did you overlube the gun?

Been wondering that myself, honestly. Would that cause this vast string of unrelated issues?

 

[orfeo]

When you say FTRB (failure to return to battery), exactly what is happening?

Is the round in the chamber, but just not quite all the way in? (as if you just need to push the back of the slide a little) Or is the slide stopped against the out-of-position round?

 

[Elijah]

I can identify with the OP's problem but not in the HK...in the Colt XSE Commander. It was doing the same thing he describes. I don't know about HK but with the 1911 an issue of FTRTB is 90% a spring and/or follower issue. Maybe someone got the springs turned around during assembly. It happens. I had three that came from S&W for my 4506 that were not only installed upside down, but backwards!

 

[Snort]

When you say FTRB (failure to return to battery), exactly what is happening?

Is the round in the chamber, but just not quite all the way in? (as if you just need to push the back of the slide a little) Or is the slide stopped against the out-of-position round?

The slide's stopped against the out of position round. Comes right out when you rack the slide, but there's not a chance giving the slide a nudge would seat it with the round in the chamber.

I'm starting to think it may be magazine-related, as it's pretty reliably the last round in the mag that does it. For example, I just loaded up a magazine and racked all seven rounds through without issue - the eighth stopped the slide. Same is true for both of the other mags I own. What are the chances I picked up three magazines that have something wonky going on with them?

And, for what it's worth, the problem's been replicated with four different people now who I've had try it out. 1911s are starting to look awfully good.

 

[TooSixy]

Are these magazines new, or used? If used, did they all come from the same seller?

 

[Snort]

Are these magazines new, or used? If used, did they all come from the same seller?

Brand new.

 

[Bentonville]

Go ahead and call HK. Talk to Sam or Travis. They will give you a return authorization and they will check it out. Better to just get it right and then you can go ahead and fall in love with the pistol. I sent my .45C to them for a trigger switch to LEM. I got it back on day three from when I sent the pistol. Travis just emailed me to see if I was taken care of (love the new trigger by the way). He was out for a day or two and he was just checking on the progress with my pistol. HK makes me feel like I am their only customer. All of the guys there are really professional.Be sure to send the magazines with the pistol. They advised me to be sure to wrap them so as not to get the pistol scratched when the gorilla throws it around on the Fedex trucks. Good luck.

 

[gtbigup]

Well that sucks, but i totally think you should send it off to get repair before you call it quits. If it comes back with the same issues (like my first 1911) I would get rid of it, and buy something else that you think will suit your needs reliably.

BTW my POS first 1911 is the reason I now have a 45C. In all fairness it was a 3" nonetheless POS $1K Para Warthog. I pick up my second attempt at a 1911 tmwr. This time it's a RIA 5" Match

 

[legomaheggroll]

Your experience definitely sounds like a rare one. I would contact hk customer service and see what they can do. I think the number of glowing reviews of the 45c On these boards speak for themselves.

 

[Darebear]

1911s are starting to look awfully good.

Can I just say something to that statement. I'm young and new into the gun world and am very blessed to be able to own a HK. But I didn't know how blessed I was to be able to own a HK in .45 acp until surfing the forums and having the chance to talk to some of the well known folks in the gun world (internet wise). I never got the greenlight that I should give up on HK for the 1911... as a matter of fact I sometimes get yelled at for even thinking about trading a HK45 for a 1911. The 1911 can be a great gun, but it's going to take a 2000+ dollar 1911 to do what a 1000 dollar HK can do.

 

[DesertD]

Can I just say something to that statement. I'm young and new into the gun world and am very blessed to be able to own a HK. But I didn't know how blessed I was to be able to own a HK in .45 acp until surfing the forums and having the chance to talk to some of the well known folks in the gun world (internet wise). I never got the greenlight that I should give up on HK for the 1911... as a matter of fact I sometimes get yelled at for even thinking about trading a HK45 for a 1911. The 1911 can be a great gun, but it's going to take a 2000+ dollar 1911 to do what a 1000 dollar HK can do.

'Nough said about the 1911's...send the 45C back and it will run like a top!

Good Luck!

 

[gtbigup]

The 1911 can be a great gun, but it's going to take a 2000+ dollar 1911 to do what a 1000 dollar HK can do.

Far from the truth. Most people that buy 1911 however like the to buy the high end ones with the expectations that it'll be great (me included). I'm not here to promote 1911, just wanted to correct you on your statement. FYI the same could be said for folks that buy HK. What do HKs do different/better than a cheaper plastic like Glock? Absolutely nothing, it's just a personal preference that we like HKs for individual reasons.

 

[TooSixy]

@Snort- While waiting to send it back, why don't you take a couple of pics of the feeding ramp, frame, and inside of the slide? Post them here and maybe one of these experts might be able to see what's wrong. Picture is worth a thousand words.