Posted: 5/11/2006 1:15:19 PM EDT
| I recently, today, got a memo that went out through my department stating that the Hk USP Compact is no longer authorized due to safety concerns until further notice. Does anyone have any idea what issues, if any, have recently come up concerning the USP Compact? I am trying to get more info from my department but am coming up short right now. |
I am really curious because even with the safety off it shouldn't go bang unless the trigger is pulled. |
It's the holster. I know a particular brand of Kydex that has this problem. The VM-II has never disengaged my safety. But I bet this LE department isn't assuming folks are carrying c&l. |
Exactly 
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| Well I learned what the safety issue was reported to be. Someone had reported that while holding the pistol at a slight angle to the left , as if firing from behind a barricade, a serious problem had occurred. The firing in this position was supposed to cause the slide release to come loose from the weapon and cause a large amount of "play" in the action while firing. They reported that the slide actually pulled away from the frame a noticeable amount while firing. As stated this is only a supposed safety issue that was reported in my department, I do not know the legitimacy of this claim and I have not spoken with anyone to whom this has happened. So if anyone has heard of anything near this please let me know. |
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I shoot my USP compact (.40) in our IDPA matches. I'll fire a little over 120 rounds around and over barracades, weak hand only, strong hand only, both hands sometimes while moving. I realize this isn't definitive testing, but this little bastard takes it and comes back for more. The stresses of an abreviated barrel coupled with the fairly hot .40 should be a recipe for disaster. I've yet to see a malfunction. I don't see how the slide release could "come loose" and cause a "a large amount of play in the action". The slide release is a bearing/pivot point for the barrel and unless that particular pistol was dicked with or faulty from production...this shouldn't happen. in other words this may be B.S., operator error, or one faulty unit, but certainly no fault of the design. |
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I don't have any USPs at present but I have had a couple USP45s, a USP45C and a USP9C in the past. I may get back to the HK line when the HK45s come out. When I shoot one-handed I do cant the gun over to about 45 degrees. That's the training I've had and it works well for me. If you've canted the gun 90 degrees to the left, or are lieing on your left side and are firing. There would be an extremely short split second where the notch in the slide and the slide stop line up. Unless you were pushing on the slide stop from the opposite side (maybe a lefty using a two-hand thumbs-forward hold with one thumb pushing on it?) I doubt that gravity alone would be sufficient to overcome the frame/pin/barrel friction, unless the pin was not inserted properly to begin with -- ie the gun was reassembled and the slide release was pushed in without retracting the slide? That would be kinda nuts but who knows? But maybe on the HK45 they should use a little spring and detent to retain the slide stop/takedown lever and avoid the issue altogether. |
Care to share which kydex hoslter you're referring to? |