Anyone with a full size .45 USP

[bigmike82]

I'd like to see if something is bent out of place, or if it's normal.

After removing the slide from the frame, there's a vertical metal piece just forward of the hammer, past the safety mechanism. It hooks forward a little bit.

Is this piece supposed to be slightly bent to the right, or is it supposed to be perfectly vertical? I don't have my camera at the moment, but if anyone's willing to take a picture for me to compare, I'd much appreciate it.

Thanks!

[The SoCal Gunner]

The black tab right above the decocker? It's bent at an angle.

[bigmike82]

Yeah, that little black one at the end of the vertical metal piece above the safety selector. Is that thing bent inwards on yours?

[The SoCal Gunner]

Yeah, that little black one at the end of the vertical metal piece above the safety selector. Is that thing bent inwards on yours?

Yep, it's normal.

[bigmike82]

Thanks.

I just got back from the range and noticed it for the first time.

[siliconphreak]

that would be the ejector

[SchooBaka]

I'd like to see if something is bent out of place, or if it's normal.

After removing the slide from the frame, there's a vertical metal piece just forward of the hammer, past the safety mechanism. It hooks forward a little bit.

Is this piece supposed to be slightly bent to the right, or is it supposed to be perfectly vertical? I don't have my camera at the moment, but if anyone's willing to take a picture for me to compare, I'd much appreciate it.

Thanks!

Did you have any malfunctions at the range?
I can confirm that mine has that same bend.

[bigmike82]

"that would ejector"
Ahhh. Good to know. Thanks!

"Did you have any malfunctions at the range?"
Kind of. The slide refused to lock back after the magazine was empty, which is why I started going over it in detail and noticed the little bend. Of course, after cleaning it, it locks back if I've got an empty mag inside and rack the slide. Actually...even before I cleaned it, an empty mag would lock the slide after I racked it.

[Josh]

"that would ejector"
Ahhh. Good to know. Thanks!

"Did you have any malfunctions at the range?"
Kind of. The slide refused to lock back after the magazine was empty, which is why I started going over it in detail and noticed the little bend. Of course, after cleaning it, it locks back if I've got an empty mag inside and rack the slide. Actually...even before I cleaned it, an empty mag would lock the slide after I racked it.

Are you shooting reloads?

[scewper]

"that would ejector"
Ahhh. Good to know. Thanks!

"Did you have any malfunctions at the range?"
Kind of. The slide refused to lock back after the magazine was empty, which is why I started going over it in detail and noticed the little bend. Of course, after cleaning it, it locks back if I've got an empty mag inside and rack the slide. Actually...even before I cleaned it, an empty mag would lock the slide after I racked it.

Maybe you're shooting with one or both of your thumbs on the slide release?

[bigmike82]

"Are you shooting reloads?"
Not on the last trip. It was Winchester ammo.

I'm pretty sure I wasn't shooting with my thumb on the release, though as I've got big hands, it's entirely possible. It happened to my girlfriend too, though, and her hands are smaller so there's no reason her thumb would do it.

[Stormfeather]

"Are you shooting reloads?"
Not on the last trip. It was Winchester ammo.

I'm pretty sure I wasn't shooting with my thumb on the release, though as I've got big hands, it's entirely possible. It happened to my girlfriend too, though, and her hands are smaller so there's no reason her thumb would do it.

There are several factors that may lead to this, limp-wristing, reloads, thumbs on the slide release, plus many others. Evaluate your shooting grip next time you go out and see if any of these could be the issue. Plus try different types of ammo as well.

[Rivers]

If you have a few magazines, next time you're at the range, use a felt marker to mark any mags used when the slide doesn't lock back on the last shot. See if this is repeatable with other reloads of that magazine. If so, the culprit is the mag spring.

I had this happen with a few USPf mag springs. Replace them with the +10% Wolf magazine springs. This is a common issue with these magazines. Oddly, my P2000sk using USP Compact 10-round magazines work very nicely with stock springs.

Even HK personal will (quietly, without witnesses) admit to using Wolf springs on their personal USPf handguns.

[bigmike82]

Good to know.

Thanks for the tips. I'll test of them out next time I'm at the range.

[IceMan711]

This is a fairly common issue with the USP 45 and 10 round magazines. For some reason the springs start to get weak and the slide fails to lock back on the last round. You'll probably notice that the mag catch doesn't go up all the way, or is very weak when you insert an empty mag. The mag catch return spring can actually start to over power the magazine spring over time.

I have a USPc that is still as strong as the day I bought her, and never happens with the standard capacity USP mags.