Pistol ejected spent case AND live round...

[william_munny]

Had this happen to me on Saturday at the range.

I was shooting my USP, and after I fired the second to last round, the gun went *click* when I pulled the trigger. The slide was in full battery. I kept the gun pointed down range and waited, in case of hang fire, and then I cleared the gun, only to have the slide lock back and discover it was empty. On the bench, I found a live .40 S&W round that was originally in the gun. The round was ejected with the spent case from the round before it. I'm almost positive of this.

Now, I'm not sure how this could even happen. Has anyone ever experienced this before? Should I be on the phone with HK? Should I be worried about firing this gun? (It's my carry gun). Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mr Weebles]

Hmmm.

If this happened like you think it did I'd be more inclined to think it was a magazine problem, not a problem with the gun per se.

Is there a lot of play in the mag? Is it easy to load/unload or is it still tight?

 

[Keystone]

Is it at ALL possible that maybe you dropped this round while loading, and you were short 1 in the mag?

 

[william_munny]

Hmmm.

If this happened like you think it did I'd be more inclined to think it was a magazine problem, not a problem with the gun per se.

Is there a lot of play in the mag? Is it easy to load/unload or is it still tight?

Interesting you should ask that. I had just bought a new magazine about an hour before this. I'm not 100% sure, but this may have been the new magazine that I was using. As far as tightness goes, there didn't seem to be a notice-able difference between the new mag and the others I've been using. Granted, I wasn't really looking for that, so I'll have to check it out when I get home. The old mags are a little loose in comparison to the Sig, Glock, and M&P mags I have loaded in the past, but they didn't seem dangerously loose.

Then again, I'm not about to pretend I have loads of experience with firearms, so I may not really know what I'm talking about with regards to magazine tightness.

 

[william_munny]

Is it at ALL possible that maybe you dropped this round while loading, and you were short 1 in the mag?

No, this I'm sure of. I know how to load a mag. (inside joke)

 

[ochmude]

Did you insert the mag with the shiny brass thingys pointed up and forward ?

 

[45collector]

Yep that sounds like a problem with the mag feed lips. It's only happened with that new mag you bought, correct?

 

[william_munny]

Yep that sounds like a problem with the mag feed lips. It's only happened with that new mag you bought, correct?

That might be the case, but I don't remember which mag I was using when this happened. I do know that it's never happened with the other 2 I already have, and I've put about 1000 rounds through the gun with those. I also probably put approximately 30 or so rounds through it with the new mag that day and this was the only failure. I'm going to have to prove this out at the range again soon.

Not that I really need an excuse to go back to the range.

ETA: Is there anything I should look for when I get home and have a chance to compare the mags?

 

[Keystone]

No, this I'm sure of. I know how to load a mag. (inside joke)

I figured, but best to eliminate the easy things first, we all do less-than-brilliant things sometime.

 

[45collector]

ETA: Is there anything I should look for when I get home and have a chance to compare the mags?

Check the feed lips of the new mag against the two mags you already had. If the lips are even slightly further apart on the new one than on the other two, your problem is most likely there. I'm assuming the spring in that new mag is freshy-tight.

 

[william_munny]

Check the feed lips of the new mag against the two mags you already had. If the lips are even slightly further apart on the new one than on the other two, your problem is most likely there. I'm assuming the spring in that new mag is freshy-tight.

Ok, cool. I'll give that a look. Thanks!

As far as the spring goes, I'm not sure. The mag is used (it's a pre-ban). I didn't notice a difference on Saturday, but I wasn't looking for one either. I'll check that out too.

 

[Jasper]

one of my brand new Chip McCormick 1911 mags does that too (fires second to last and ejects last live round, although mine tends to lock the slide back most of the time).

it's a mag issue. as stated above, double check the magazine lips, and if need be GENTLY tweak them inwards (or just return the mag as defective, your call)

 

[kingson]

I have had that happen with my Cobray SMG, the plastic mags that come with it the lips wear out and it double feeds. That sounds like what is happening with yours. Maybe the new mag wasn't built right and the lips are to far apart and allows it to double feed.

 

[KMaurer]

Definitely the mag. I've got a couple of old magazines for my Hi-Power that routinely feed everything perfectly, except the last round which gets tossed with the preceding cartridge case.

Ken

 

[DanK]

Did you insert the mag with the shiny brass thingys pointed up and forward ?

 

[groundscrapers]

Did you insert the mag with the shiny brass thingys pointed up and forward ?

...well if you do like they do at H&K...

shiny parts point the other way lol

 

[Mike_Diako]

I would check the feed lips on the mag as well.

 

[william_munny]

Checked the magazines. One of them has some small nicks on the feed lips, while the other one and my older 10 rounder are pristine. Major bum out. I can't seem to find the receipt at this point either. Oh man....

Well, lesson learned. I want to thank everyone for their input. NES has once again proven to be a vital resource!

 

[2 Bear Arms]

Do you do the magazine tap after loading it up? I would think it is more likely to happen if the cartridges have crept to the front and are not set back where they should be.