Help--removal of HK USP firing pin

H

Hawkeye

New member
I'd like to remove the firing pin from my HK USP and clean the channel. It appears that the retaining piece needs to be depressed and rotated, then removed. Unfortunately, I can't convince the #*&$@ little piece to do so. HK apparently thinks that I'm a blithering idiot (and they may be correct) and doesn't describe this procedure in the manual. Since I have done this with a 1911 about a thousand times, I don't think I'd harm myself or strangers in the process.

Can anybody walk me through the removal and replacement process? Many thanks.
 
Oh are YOU getting ready to have some fun. :D I'll tell you how it goes so you can learn from my mistakes and to save you some grief. First of all, as you know, compared to a 1911, removal is a pain in the a**. Second, since the firing pin hole of the USP is very small, surprisingly little dirt gets in there. When I cleaned mine after 6000+ rounds, it barely dirtied one patch. Your results may vary, of course. Still convinced you want to do it? Okay, here goes (it helps to have three hands for this). I assume you've driven out the pressed in drift pin just in front of the rotating retaining pin? If so, then, 1) Make a detailed note of the position of the firing pin and the retaining pin. I guarantee you will not remember their respective positions (once you have them out you will see why). 2) push in the firing pin with something about 1/3 of the way and hold it there while pushing in the retaining pin and rotating it. Run out of hands yet? The pin should come out, reluctantly, as does the retaining pin, which is also under spring pressure. Installation requires some fidgeting. It helps to have a pair of tweezers in this process as you have to hold the firing pin in again. Work with it. You'll get it eventually. Good luck :D
 
Hmmm. I have to remove the roll pin? And the firing pin recess barely gets dirty? Given that I haven't had any problems, perhaps I should let this just go by...

It seems like HK tends to over-engineer things, perhaps leaving them heavier or stronger than they need to be. I do disassemble the bolt on my HK-91, but I might let this cup pass from my hands. Thanks for the advice.
 
H&K overengineer things? Germans? Nah... :)

It's not quite as bad as it sounds, but the roll pin must be removed, then everything comes out in short order, but it's getting it back together that is a pain. It can be done, but it just takes some fidgeting. I don't have any problem with too strong. Heck, that's why the H&K will even digest .45super rounds no problem (the Mk23 anyhow). If you don't have a punch set, there are substitutes for removing the roll pin. Let me know how it goes of you decide to go ahead. Oh, and the extractor recess gets a lot dirtier a lot faster than does the firing pin recess, so you can practice removing the roll pin there and get a dirty area to boot.

John
 
About 4 years ago I put 12,000 rounds of Winchester USA 180gr .40S&W FMJ ammo through a full size HK40 USP. This ammo has a red colored lacquer around the primer.

After about 4,000 rounds I noticed some light firing pin hits. Careful examination showed a red color around the firing pin hole. I used one of the spray cleaners (QuickClean, I believe) which I sprayed in after first depressing the firing pin. An amazing amount of red gloop came out the firing pin hole. I repeated the process several times until no more red gloop came out. Then I dripped in some Birchwood-Casey's Sheath.

After every subsequent 2,000 rounds I repeated this procedure. There was no problem with the remaining 8,000 rounds.

So there is a reason to be concerned about crud in the firing pin channel. There was no need, however, to remove the firing pin to solve that concern.
 
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