Odd BHP Failure to Extract

[royrapoport]

Friend of mine has purchased a BHP (milsurp from Israel); he's not a big pistol guy -- this may be his first pistol. I've owned and shot pistols for 20 years (I'm mentioning my experience for reasons below).

About once every magazine or two, he experiences a failure to extract, resulting in a type-3 malfunction. In other words, the slide seems to go back some ways without actually pulling the spent case out of the chamber; it goes far enough back that it can then when it slides back strip a round off the chamber which then of course jams against the spent case that was not at all extracted.

So in other words, this isn't an issue where the recoil spring is too stiff and as a result the slide doesn't go far enough back -- it's something else.

So here's the weird thing: It only happens to him. Again, he experiences this reliably at least once every two magazines (with various ammunition makes). Me? I just shot five magfuls through his BHP with not a single malfunction.

What possible posture/ergonomic error could be causing this? That's the only thing I can think of that would explain why it's happening to him, but not me.

[Chaos47]

I know you don't think its the springs but:
If its an Israeli milsurp then I would advocate replacing all the springs so you can get a baseline. The Israelis use their equipment hard, who knows when the springs were changed last or what pound springs they were replaced with.

Part of the BHP design is that when the pistol cycles it is not only overcoming the resistance of the recoil spring but also the main spring that cocks the hammer. These two springs have to work in harmony. IE lighter main spring then spec should probably have a heavier recoil spring so the slide isn't moving back too fast. On the same hand if the recoil spring is too heavy then lower power ammo may not feed correctly.

Get a Wolff performance pak and replace the springs.
(If I remember correct it comes with lighter main spring, 2 recoil springs one light one heavy, heavy firing pin spring.)
Know that its not too easy to replace a BHP main spring and will require the use of 3 hands and a vice or 4 hands and channel locks. Make sure to look up how to do it before you attempt it.

The lighter mainspring will also have the effect of making his trigger pull a bit lighter which is an added bonus.
Its a cheap mod for peace of mind and to know it is working how it should.
If theres still an issue then you can rule out the springs for sure.

While you are replacing the firing pin spring I would go ahead and remove the extractor itself make sure the face looks good and then clean the channel in the slide.

[redcliff]

I know you don't think its the springs but:
If its an Israeli milsurp then I would advocate replacing all the springs so you can get a baseline. The Israelis use their equipment hard, who knows when the springs were changed last or what pound springs they were replaced with.

Part of the BHP design is that when the pistol cycles it is not only overcoming the resistance of the recoil spring but also the main spring that cocks the hammer. These two springs have to work in harmony. IE lighter main spring then spec should probably have a heavier recoil spring so the slide isn't moving back too fast. On the same hand if the recoil spring is too heavy then lower power ammo may not feed correctly.

Get a Wolff performance pak and replace the springs.
(If I remember correct it comes with lighter main spring, 2 recoil springs one light one heavy, heavy firing pin spring.)
Know that its not too easy to replace a BHP main spring and will require the use of 3 hands and a vice or 4 hands and channel locks. Make sure to look up how to do it before you attempt it.

The lighter mainspring will also have the effect of making his trigger pull a bit lighter which is an added bonus.
Its a cheap mod for peace of mind and to know it is working how it should.
If theres still an issue then you can rule out the springs for sure.

While you are replacing the firing pin spring I would go ahead and remove the extractor itself make sure the face looks good and then clean the channel in the slide.

Good reasoning imho. That would tend to explain the difference in function between the different holds of the shooter. It does however sound like the extractor tension must be very borderline. Check the extractor hook for any issues also and it would probably behoove the owner to obtain a new extractor spring.

[Fjold]

So here's the weird thing: It only happens to him. Again, he experiences this reliably at least once every two magazines (with various ammunition makes). Me? I just shot five magfuls through his BHP with not a single malfunction.

What possible posture/ergonomic error could be causing this? That's the only thing I can think of that would explain why it's happening to him, but not me.

He's probably weak wristing it. The BHP is recoil operated and since your friend is not an experienced pistol shooter, a limp wrist is probably the cause.

[Ronin2]

My BHP's do not like Winchester White Box ammo. My gunsmith told me that its becuase of the way the rim of the case is made.

[jrwhitt]

I'd agree with the grip aspects - especially as its not happening to other experienced shooters.

Be aware that there have been some issues with Wolff BHP springs being the wrong length/power and you may be better off with Browning springs.

(An example of the conversations - http://forums.1911forum.com/showthre...=wolff+springs)