P30 9mm Ejection Woes

Some...not all...but some P30's will need a recoil spring "break in" period. Run some quality 124 gr or some NATO rounds through it for the first 100 round or so. You can also try leaving the slide locked back overnight...maybe longer.

The event you described can also be caused by limp-wristing. Has he had somebody else try the pistol to see if it does the same thing? Because this can rule out limp-wristing.

Regardless, HK already said it isnt the guns fault...So, it's either the shooter or the ammo.

The search function will help you realize that your friend isn't the first to have this issue. Give it a try...the search function, that is.

Good Luck!

Nevermind, poster above beat me to it.

Yep, they have a recoil spring that doesn't play well with weak ammo till it's been "softened up" some with use.

He is probably limp wristing and not realizing it.

Hard_Harry said:

He is probably limp wristing and not realizing it.

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No, he's probably not. The issue reported is very common with P30's and P30L's. Unfortunately it doesn't like 115 grain ammo until the recoil spring softens up.

I never had this issue with my P30, however, my buddy who has a 9mm P2K has this issue with weaker ammo. My Glock 19 does this, although not as much any longer, since i changed out the extractor to a 2nd Gen .40 S&W extractor

The P30(L) can be very sensitive to mild "limp wristing" w/ 115 gr ammo. Even though my 'L is broken in, while working one-on-one w/ a trainer a few sessions ago, the weapon had several FTFs and FTEs while I was running through draw drills. When I did plain old grip and stance, no problems. Evidently I wasn't getting a tight and secure enough grip after quick drawing. Subsequent sessions have had no problems. The ammo is Federal f/ WM.

My guess is that for these weapons to be as reliable as expected under all conditions, they need 124 gr, or even NATO/+P, which are the PD loads I keep for them. I have no such issues w/ the .45 USP(c)s. There are a number of things that the 'L seems more sensitive to than the USP(c)s, but I very much enjoy shooting it.

user426 said:

A friend of mine has a new P30 and has been having an issue of the rounds ejecting out of the top of the pistol and hitting him in the face. The brass is ejecting with practically no force at all, and has done this since the gun was new......it happens with all types of ammo. He sent it back to HK and they returned it saying that there is nothing wrong with the gun.... Has anyone else experienced this?????

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Very common. . . and it is caused by a new, stiff, heavy recoil spring. As others have said, it will need some time to soften up. Shooting hot 124 gr loads will help break it in. Another thing to try is leaving the slide locked back when not in use.

Buy a case of some +P or 124 gr Nato and I bet after that it will run like a champ.

orfeo said:

Very common. . . and it is caused by a new, stiff, heavy recoil spring. As others have said, it will need some time to soften up. Shooting hot 124 gr loads will help break it in. Another thing to try is leaving the slide locked back when not in use.

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Great post. Agreed.

Run 300 rds. of hot ammo through your P30, after that it will devour anything you feed it. That was my experience, FWIW.

my experience was the same as orfeo and Pistol Shooter. I used Fiocchi for my " break in". Worked like a charm.

I remember having a few issues early on with 115gr loads. I use only 124 FMJ and 147 JHP now and have no problems. Also, I clean new guns after each shooting session during break-in rounds.

italia said:

I use [...] 124 FMJ

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That's what I use, too. Zero problems with ca. 4500 rounds, from round 1 on.

When my 9mm P30 was new, it would fill my shirt pockets with 115 g brass. After reading here that I needed to break it in, I ran a box of 124 through it and no more problems. I haven't had trouble with my .40 P30.