H&K Jamming Problem

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Gahaha

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I just bought an H&K USP Compact new today, did not get a chance to shoot it yet. I have some A-Zoom dummy rounds and loaded 5 in the gun. My first rack attempt resulted in a FTF. 2nd attempt same.

I oiled the ramp and tried again this time a little better but I basically have to let go of the slide at the furthest point possible for maximum momentum. I tried it with FMJ and JHP rounds and same result, if I ride the slide even slightly it jams.

Reason why I am confused is because I do this on my Springfield XDM 3.8 9mm and I can ride the slide all the way (as slow as I want) and the bullet would feed in as smooth as silk.

I thought H&K are known for their quality.

Reason for my concern before shooting the gun is I own a Kimber 1911 and Springfield XDM 3.8, both guns have been through thousands of rounds and I can literally rack a round on both of them in the middle of the night and no one would hear me.

EDIT 12/15/14

Just got back from range, this has got to be the worst gun I've ever fired. The first rack jammed, first 3 shots stove piped. I went through 300 rounds for hope of a break in but it was torture. Out of 10 rounds in each mag I would successfully fire 5-6, the rest would stove pipe, this is ridiculous.

I've had my Kimber for 2 years, Springfield XDM for 1, and a Ruger SR22 for god knows how long...in one range session this HK jams more than the three combined.

I bought this at Gander Mountain on Sunday, am I still able to return it? Is it legal to sell a product this crappy? Sorry for language but I am very angry, spending a grand on a product you expect decent quality, not this. Should I call HK customer support? Should I expect the service support from hell? Honestly this is infuriating.

EDIT 3 - HK CS is pretty top notch, was able to reach someone without any hold time, they sent me a label and offered to take the gun back to inspect it.

EDIT 4 - Got back from the range again, same jamming issues, I rented a USP Compact 9mm and tried it out, not a single jam on 115gr PMC FMJ. There is definitely something off with mine, range's gunsmith thinks its the extractor, casing keeps flying in my face.
 
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P

presspics

New member
HK's are known for their quality. Riding the slide is a no no on any semi-auto and get the oil off the feed ramp!! Go shoot it I guarantee it will be fine and sling shot the slide, never ever ride it forward. Just because a bad habit works on one gun doesn't mean the other gun is bad..
 
A

AustinTX

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I think I'd actually shoot the gun before leaping to conclusions about your particular specimen's reliability. It's not uncommon for semi-autos to hang up when someone tries to chamber a round by riding the slide forward.
 
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ninjarealist

New member
Weird. I have a USP Compact .40 and it eats even trash JHP's like butter even when it hasn't been oiled or cleaned in a while. . Have you tried different magazines?
 
G

Gahaha

New member
I generally don't ride the slide when shooting, but I do so on new guns just to see if they have any feeding problems. My Beretta gave me the same issues and it jammed like crazy at the range, turns out it was the magazine and switching to a new one got rid of problem.

My two most reliable guns: Kimber 1911 and Springfield XDM will feed a round in as smooth as ever no matter how slow you rack the slide (Never a problem after thousands of rounds).
 
T

TunnelRat

New member
Gahaha said:
I generally don't ride the slide when shooting, but I do so on new guns just to see if they have any feeding problems. My Beretta gave me the same issues and it jammed like crazy at the range, turns out it was the magazine and switching to a new one got rid of problem.

My two most reliable guns: Kimber 1911 and Springfield XDM will feed a round in as smooth as ever no matter how slow you rack the slide (Never a problem after thousands of rounds).
Click to expand...
Shoot it and report back.
 
H

Hammerhead

New member
I generally don't ride the slide when shooting, but I do so on new guns just to see if they have any feeding problems
Click to expand...
That's not a reliability test. That means nothing.
Why don't you give it a couple rounds downrange before you declare it unreliable.
And don't oil the chamber or feed ramp.
An oily chamber causes problems when live firing.
 
G

Gahaha

New member
@Hammerhead

Shouldn't racking a slide be easier without the gun jamming up? I've owned a lot of guns over the years but the ones I keep are ones that can feed a round regardless of the situation.
 
H

Hammerhead

New member
No. Guns are designed to feed during a full power return to battery. If you ease it forward, the round has time to go this way or that.

If you want to cycle snap caps, grab the gun firmly with the shooting hand, rip the slide back fast and hard and let it fly forward the moment you feel the slide hit the frame.

You want to simulate live firing as closely as possible.

I've had several HKs and they are the most reliable brand over all IME.
Glocks and Beretta are great too, not ripping that. They are feeding machines to be sure, but you just can't judge a gun by milking the slide.

Now get out there and shoot the heck out of it. I don't think you will be disappointed.
 
T

TunnelRat

New member
Gahaha said:
@Hammerhead

Shouldn't racking a slide be easier without the gun jamming up? I've owned a lot of guns over the years but the ones I keep are ones that can feed a round regardless of the situation.
Click to expand...
Are you going to shoot or just keep racking the slide?
 
B

buckhorn_cortez

New member
If you bought the gun to feed dummy rounds slowly and it won't do that - then you have a problem.

If you bought the gun to actually shoot it - do that instead and you, in all probability, won't have a problem.

What your other guns have done has absolutely no bearing on the HK as the designs are different. Just go shoot the gun and quit screwing with it trying to create problems.

Really - quit attempting to make it not work - go shoot it. If it malfs when you shoot it - THEN you have a problem. Otherwise, you're just making things up to have a problem.

There's better than a 99.9999% chance the gun will work correctly. My HKs run every type and manufacturer of ammunition put in them - including a certain manufacturer's product that would cause a Sig P229 to malfunction.
 
J

Jim Watson

New member
The usual snap cap is not balanced like a cartridge an cannot be counted on to run through the action like a dummy round.
 
L

LockedBreech

New member
My LCP flat out will not feed when I'm just messing around with it. Won't feed FMJs, JHPs, or snap caps. The mags don't seat smooth either.

It has worked without a single jam for about 4 years in actual firing.

The advice you have been given is correct. That test doesn't indicate reliability or lack thereof. Go shoot a few hundred and if you're getting jams on live firing, worry about it then.
 
D

dsk

New member
Not trying to sound like a jerk, but it seems some people need to spend less time playing with their guns and more time shooting them.

Okay, maybe I did sound like a jerk.
 
B

Bart Noir

New member
I would like to welcome the OP to The Firing Line and suggest that this forum is worth coming back to on a daily basis, even if dsk posts here often :D

I also have a very new USP compact, mine in .40. It just drips quality. Yours, Gahaha, will be a great and reliably pistol for you and several generations to follow.

Get ammo, practice shooting, get extra magazines, practice shooting, study the holsters available and get one, practice shooting. I think you get the idea.

OBTW, the Springfield XD(s) is supposed to be loaded using the slide release lever. That is not the plural of XD, that is the new XD(s) model. The spring and slide performance, taken together, will cause unreliable loading even if you use the vigorous slide racking mentioned above. But that is the only gun I know of which requires using the slide release lever.

Bart Noir
 
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