Slide to Frame play on USP compacts ?

Rvf · September 30, 2009, 08:35 PM

Hello everyone, im new here, but this looked like it might be a good place to ask this question since ive had no luck finding an answer with google.

I recently purchased a used 9mm usp compact. I looked the gun over in the store and it looked like it was in very nice condition overall, just some finish wear on some of the parts like the hammer and a ring wore on the outside of the barrel where it rest inside the slide. Other then that I would of never been able to tell it was used. Gun has the standard sa/da trigger with decocker, night sights, case, manual, 2 holsters, 4 - 13 round mags, and it never even had the factory warrenty information filled out. It was pretty much exectly what I was looking for and couldnt pass it up.

I checked the slide in the store and it seemed to fit snugly there, took it home and put about 50 rounds through it and it worked perfectly. The other day when I was sitting here at home I dissasmbled it and found that only the rear section locks up tightly (it has side play but very minimal), the front has no vertical play, but it can shift side to side about .020".

Looking closer I saw that the steel rail inserts on the frame were actualy narrower then the width of the molded poly frame. Obviously the inserts couldnt have worn down or the poly frame couldnt be wider then them, so Im assuming this is normal ? Are the inserts just for reinforcment, or should they actualy be wider and in contact with the slide ? If so I dont see how they could be worn, maybe a defect ?

This is the first handgun ive owned, and only the second ive shot so im mostly inexperianced with them. I did spend a about a month researching them though, found which fit the best in my hands from local stores, and which were the easiest for me to operate and the USP was my top pick. Because of that I cant tell for sure how good the accuracy is since im still learning to shoot well with it, but it seems to be equal to if not better then my uncles browning BDM 9mm in my hands.

If anyone can help with information on this id appreciate it. Hopefully I explained clearly enough.

Thanks

QBall45 · October 1, 2009, 10:07 AM

Make contact with H&K. Let em know your story. Its likely they'll want to see it back in their shop. If I were you I'd ask if they will issue an ROA shipping tag. This way they cover shipping.

rsxr22 · October 1, 2009, 04:14 PM

a little bit of play is completely normal from a polymer pistol, even steel to be honest, but it sounds to me like you should give HK a call. I would have a gunsmith locally look it over first and see because HK doesnt have the greatest CS out there. Even the HK nuts over at HKPRO.com, talk about how bad their CS is and basically how HK could give a crap less about domestic, civilian sales. I have never had to contact them so i have no first hand experience though

PSP · October 1, 2009, 06:12 PM

It is OK to have a small amount of play. When you assemble the pistol, you are able to see how closely the front inserts fit into the rails, this is about 1 mm or less. In addition, looking straight onto the assembled gun you'll notice a very small gap on both sides between the frame and slide. It sounds to me like your USPc is perfectly normal.

How was the accuracy of those 50 rounds you shot?

zebulonsmith · October 1, 2009, 06:16 PM

Check with HK as recommended, but don't be concerned if they tell you it's not a problem. It won't affect accuracy at all. The important thing there is that the barrel locks up tight with the slide.

PSP · October 2, 2009, 12:50 PM

Here's a comparison shot of my USPc, if it's of any help. This gun has several thousand rounds through it and exhibits virtuallt no wear on the inserts

Rvf · October 6, 2009, 05:21 PM

Been a bit busy, but thanks for the replys everyone. The barrel does lock up tightly with the slide, and from my limited experiance with handguns it does seem to fire accurately.

PSP your inserts look like the poly is flush on the outsides with your inserts. In my picture the poly extends a bit past them. Measuring accross, my inserts are roughly .995"-1.000", while the grooves inside the slide measure 1.040" accross, so it seems even if the poly on mine were to wear down thats right at the 1mm mark you mentioned.

Working in a machine shop I guess I just expected the slides to fit closer to the frames, but an older guy I work with used to be a gunsmith and he said he thinks that sounds normal for these types of guns so that they can operate smoothly. Anyways I'm under the impression this is normal, but ill probably still do a little more research on it and maybe give H&K a call as well.

Rvf · October 6, 2009, 05:22 PM

Oh, btw is that greese on your inserts ? The gunshop I purchased the gun from said to lightly oil mine, should I greese them instead ?

Thanks again

September 30, 2009, 08:35 PM	#1
Rvf Junior Member Join Date: September 30, 2009 Posts: 6	Slide to Frame play on USP compacts ? Hello everyone, im new here, but this looked like it might be a good place to ask this question since ive had no luck finding an answer with google. I recently purchased a used 9mm usp compact. I looked the gun over in the store and it looked like it was in very nice condition overall, just some finish wear on some of the parts like the hammer and a ring wore on the outside of the barrel where it rest inside the slide. Other then that I would of never been able to tell it was used. Gun has the standard sa/da trigger with decocker, night sights, case, manual, 2 holsters, 4 - 13 round mags, and it never even had the factory warrenty information filled out. It was pretty much exectly what I was looking for and couldnt pass it up. I checked the slide in the store and it seemed to fit snugly there, took it home and put about 50 rounds through it and it worked perfectly. The other day when I was sitting here at home I dissasmbled it and found that only the rear section locks up tightly (it has side play but very minimal), the front has no vertical play, but it can shift side to side about .020". Looking closer I saw that the steel rail inserts on the frame were actualy narrower then the width of the molded poly frame. Obviously the inserts couldnt have worn down or the poly frame couldnt be wider then them, so Im assuming this is normal ? Are the inserts just for reinforcment, or should they actualy be wider and in contact with the slide ? If so I dont see how they could be worn, maybe a defect ? This is the first handgun ive owned, and only the second ive shot so im mostly inexperianced with them. I did spend a about a month researching them though, found which fit the best in my hands from local stores, and which were the easiest for me to operate and the USP was my top pick. Because of that I cant tell for sure how good the accuracy is since im still learning to shoot well with it, but it seems to be equal to if not better then my uncles browning BDM 9mm in my hands. If anyone can help with information on this id appreciate it. Hopefully I explained clearly enough. Thanks

October 1, 2009, 06:16 PM	#5
zebulonsmith Senior Member Join Date: October 27, 2007 Posts: 307	Check with HK as recommended, but don't be concerned if they tell you it's not a problem. It won't affect accuracy at all. The important thing there is that the barrel locks up tight with the slide. __________________ "If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." - The Dalai Lama

October 1, 2009, 10:07 AM	#2
QBall45 Senior Member Join Date: April 5, 2008 Location: South Central Minnesota Posts: 584	Make contact with H&K. Let em know your story. Its likely they'll want to see it back in their shop. If I were you I'd ask if they will issue an ROA shipping tag. This way they cover shipping.

October 1, 2009, 04:14 PM	#3
rsxr22 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Youngstown, OH Posts: 1,825	a little bit of play is completely normal from a polymer pistol, even steel to be honest, but it sounds to me like you should give HK a call. I would have a gunsmith locally look it over first and see because HK doesnt have the greatest CS out there. Even the HK nuts over at HKPRO.com, talk about how bad their CS is and basically how HK could give a crap less about domestic, civilian sales. I have never had to contact them so i have no first hand experience though

October 1, 2009, 06:12 PM	#4
PSP Senior Member Join Date: June 2, 2006 Location: Bowling Green Virginia Posts: 4,487	It is OK to have a small amount of play. When you assemble the pistol, you are able to see how closely the front inserts fit into the rails, this is about 1 mm or less. In addition, looking straight onto the assembled gun you'll notice a very small gap on both sides between the frame and slide. It sounds to me like your USPc is perfectly normal. How was the accuracy of those 50 rounds you shot?

October 2, 2009, 12:50 PM	#6
PSP Senior Member Join Date: June 2, 2006 Location: Bowling Green Virginia Posts: 4,487	Here's a comparison shot of my USPc, if it's of any help. This gun has several thousand rounds through it and exhibits virtuallt no wear on the inserts

October 6, 2009, 05:22 PM	#8
Rvf Junior Member Join Date: September 30, 2009 Posts: 6	Oh, btw is that greese on your inserts ? The gunshop I purchased the gun from said to lightly oil mine, should I greese them instead ? Thanks again