Split Casings on HK USP 9mm

logik1

logik1

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Hi HK guys. Not long ago I picked up a brand new HK USP stainless in 9mm, and though I've had it for a few months, I hadn't shot it until last monday. I put about 3 boxes of 9mm through it - some 123 gr round nose, some 115 gr hollow points, and some lighter round nose target loads (with which the casings consistently got jammed while being ejected, I HOPE this is because the gun is new and the spring hasn't had a chance to loosen up).

Anyway, to cut to the chase, I was collecting the brass to give to a friend for reloading, and I noticed that some of the casings had been split open - starting from the rim of the casing, to about half way down. It was only happening on the 115 gr hollow points, made by Fiocchi. I'm really hoping it's not the gun, and just a case of a bad batch of brass. Has anybody else had this problem, either with the same ammunition or firearm?
 
yeah, it's a 9x19 - and I called Italian Sporting Goods in Vancouver, the place I bought it, and they offered to go over it for free. No WAY am I putting any more rounds through it until it's been checked out.
 
Before you panic............

What did the other brass look like? If the other brands came out of the gun looking fine, than you may just have a batch of weak brass.

The big concern is a blown chamber. If the other brass comes out relatively the same as factory brass going in, than you are probably ok.

If the other brass is bulged, distorted, asymetrical, than absolutely stop shooting until it's checked.

If the Fiochi cases are simply split in one simple line from the case mouth to the midpoint of the case, it sounds like overly britle brass. If they are split from the extractor groove upwards, it sounds like an overly fast powder at too high a pressure. Are the cracks clean, or ragged?
 
the cracks are a little ragged, with an inverted 'v' shaped burn at the base of the split midway up the casing. I checked the target load casings, made by Winchester, and none of them seemed to have the cracks (although like I said earlier, the casings were getting jammed on the way out of the firearm, presumably because the target load wasn't sufficient enough to throw the slide back far enough). That said, I'm hoping it was just a bad batch of brass, but I'm going to get it checked out before firing it again.
 
I would say it is the brass.
If could cause the jamming if it expands whilst in the chamber.....

I have a new USP stainless. From the moment it was new until now (3000+rds), I have not one FTF, FTE, or any hang ups what so-ever!
 
yep, I have around 1750 rds left out of my second 5000rds order. Just placed another order which should last me until well into December/January, as my handgun shooting slows down after August.
 
yeah I got another 1k for mine.. This weekend I get to try out my new set of Galco stuff...
 
It's not the gun, it's the ammo!!

I have a Hk USP 9mm...
I remember the very first time I shot it...
it did have a couple of extraction failures.
I remember exactly 2 and 2 only.
That was because it was brand new.... very new.
After that... I have NEVER had ANY problems with it!!!

I am apprehensive about FIOCCI's.... My Walther P99 hated them!!!

I use Remington 147grn FMJ's...
or Winchester 147grn FMJ's and my HK USP 9mm eats them up
like cake!!!

Don't panic, you got yourself an excellent firearm!!!
It's most likely just the ammo!!!
 
It just cannot be that fine firearm you have there logik. It is geneally understood, of course, that God hates any handgun caliber that does not begin with a "4". :)
 
hkusp9mm said:
I have a Hk USP 9mm...
I remember the very first time I shot it...
it did have a couple of extraction failures.
I remember exactly 2 and 2 only.
That was because it was brand new.... very new.
After that... I have NEVER had ANY problems with it!!!

I am apprehensive about FIOCCI's.... My Walther P99 hated them!!!

I use Remington 147grn FMJ's...
or Winchester 147grn FMJ's and my HK USP 9mm eats them up
like cake!!!

Don't panic, you got yourself an excellent firearm!!!
It's most likely just the ammo!!!
Click to expand...


A weak hand stage with the infamous "white " mags from Germany is when I experienced one of my 4 malfunctions with my old USP.

Once at the NB provincials on a stage called the "Cloverleaf", I almost flinched myself out of the box:redface:
than at an outdoor match at the AMA outdoor in 2005 during rain, I think same mag!
then once in Kentville when I ran it dry (slide lock)and SLAMMED a mag in with 147gr which threw the round nose first up.
Another match in Kentville, I had around almost 10,000 rds thru it, and I had never cleaned the firing pin chamber, so it just basically seized because of all the crap in there!!! 160pts stage down the drain.:mad:

Ny own fault for not cleaning it.
With this new Hk Stainless, NO Malfunctions of any kind.
I just had it apart, cleaned firing pin channel.
Firing pin is different in new USP's, as is the firing pin block and spring!!!!
 
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