P30SK keeps dropping mags.. advice?

[Singh]

Sorry to bother you all, but I've had this problem for a few months and online searching is not coming up with much, so I figured the cognoscenti here would have some good advice.

I got a P30sk and every now and then it drops the mag on recoil.

Magazines? It happens with all my magazines, so it's likely not a mag issue.

Thumbs hitting the release paddle on recoil? Nope. My thumbs are definitely out of the way, so it's not that.

Trigger finger hitting the paddle on recoil? I've played around with the gun trying to find a position where my finger could hit the mag release when the trigger is pulled all the way back, but I can't make it happen. But maybe it's somehow happening?

Possible Theory: If the trigger finger is hitting the mag release paddle on recoil.. maybe it happens when my grip slips down a bit? It's possble my grip could be slipping.. the gun is small.

Possible Solution?: make sure my high crush grip isn't slipping, which would then keep the fingers of my shooting hand firmly under the release mag release paddle. Would that prevent the paddle from being activated inadvertently ?

I'm stumped and about a hair away from selling this thing. None of my other TDA guns have this issue, but they also have mag release buttons and not fiddly paddles, as gawd intended.

Advice?

[Joe in PNG]

Could be a broken spring. Could be a worn or broken mag catch. Check both.

[Singh]

Could be a broken spring. Could be a worn or broken mag catch. Check both.

The gun is new, but I checked. Everything is fine. Mage catch is pristine, spring is whole.

Update: Even with my grip choked up as high as possible and my fingers mashed under the trigger guard, the mag paddle can still be activated, so that's not a solution if my trigger finger is somehow hitting the paddle on recoil.

I am now just about ready to get rid of this fiddly teutonic terror of a pistol. Who in their right mind uses a trigger guard paddle as a mag release??

[Hambo]

Who in their right mind uses a trigger guard paddle as a mag release??

Fiddly Teutonic gunmakers. ;)

Welcome to the world of "it works for everyone but you." The first thing I do on a Langdon Beretta is swap the oversize mag release for a standard one. Otherwise, as I'm breaking the first shot I also dump the mag. I could lessen it to some extent, but never completely. You can't change a P30, but you can move on.

[MD7305]

I've encountered this with a few P30s I had in the past. I finally determined it was being caused by the index finger on my support hand. When my support (left) hand wrapped around my stong hand my left index finger was occasionally getting positioned between my strong hand index and middle fingers and literally on top of the mag release paddle. Depending on how tight I was gripping the gun or if my support hand grip loosened it would activate the mag release on recoil. When shooting the P30 I had to be very deliberate with my grip to avoid this happening. It's no fault of the gun but instead my grip. Your situation may be different but this is what I've experienced.

[TheNewbie]

The mag release on the P30 keeps me from picking one up as much as anything else does. Maybe if you could swap it out for one the size of the USP I would.


From what I remember, the Walter release was more difficult to use, but also more difficult to accidentally drop.


Since the chances of needing to reload in a fight in order to survive are small, even smaller with a higher capacity gun, and even if you do, it probably doesn’t have to be top 1% shooter fast, I prefer a more secure release.

[Singh]

Fiddly Teutonic gunmakers. ;)

Welcome to the world of "it works for everyone but you." The first thing I do on a Langdon Beretta is swap the oversize mag release for a standard one. Otherwise, as I'm breaking the first shot I also dump the mag. I could lessen it to some extent, but never completely. You can't change a P30, but you can move on.

I could Bubba the thing and go at the paddle release with a dremel tool.


I've encountered this with a few P30s I had in the past. I finally determined it was being caused by the index finger on my support hand. When my support (left) hand wrapped around my strong hand my left index finger was occasionally getting positioned between my strong hand index and middle fingers and literally on top of the mag release paddle.... It's no fault of the gun but instead my grip. Your situation may be different but this is what I've experienced.

Hmm, I just checked my grip and I'm pretty sure that's not it, unless my hand and the gun are twisting like pretzels in recoil.. and I'm sure that's not happening.

The gun is mechanically fine. It has to be me. And frankly I'm too old to adopt a specific grip for just one gun when my normal grip works in all my other guns. Sorry HK, you're not that special.

The dremel tool is looking pretty tempting right now..

[TheNewbie]

Maybe LTT could offer some reduced sized levers.

[JAH 3rd]

I have an HK P2000 and USP 45 full-size. Neither have magazine retention issues. On both of these pistols I can get a full-fingered purchase on the grip area. I've often thought of getting a P2000SK, since it might be a bit more concealable than the P2000. But the lack, for me, of a full-fingered grip gives me pause. That dangling pinky. To give perspective, on my Glock 26 I prefer the 12-round factory magazine because it gives my pinky something to wrap around. I might give up a bit of concealability with the longer magazine, but my pinky likes that 12-rounder.

As far as your P30SK, I would humbly suggest sending it down the road. I say this due to the fact I've had firearms that have had reliability issues, so I wouldn't carry them for self-defense. So range shooting would be an option or it could become a safe queen. If you are ok with shooting it occasionally at the range, then keep it. But if it becomes a safe queen, then it isn't doing you any good. Also, the P30SK suggests to me that you bought it for concealment/self-defense. Buy something else that you can vet and trust. Lament the passing of the P30SK, but move on with a firearm that is reliable and satisfying.

[Jim Watson]

The gun is mechanically fine. It has to be me. And frankly I'm too old to adopt a specific grip for just one gun when my normal grip works in all my other guns. Sorry HK, you're not that special.

True.
How often have I read and heard, "Just change your grip and trigger finger, that will keep you from punching your Glock low left."
Since I don't punch my Colt, Smith, CZ, SIG low left, I am not changing the way I hold a pistol. The next time I am at the range, my Glock will have a for sale sign on it. (I have moved the sights to suit ME, but it still barks my knuckle. Sayonara, Gaston.)

[Singh]

I'm going to try one more thing: change the grips.

Currently I have the medium backstrap and side plates. I'll switch 'em out with size large and see what that does. Maybe also try a combo of large backstrap and medium sideplates

For the record, I wear XL-XXL gloves, but my hands are long and skinny, not fat.

[M1Garand]

I'm going to try one more thing: change the grips.

Currently I have the medium backstrap and side plates. I'll switch 'em out with size large and see what that does. Maybe also try a combo of large backstrap and medium sideplates

For the record, I wear XL-XXL gloves, but my hands are long and skinny, not fat.

Long fingers - my guess is trigger finger hits the release on trigger break.

[DMCutter]

I could JCN the thing and go at the paddle release with a dremel tool.


The dremel tool is looking pretty tempting right now..
FIFY

[Sero Sed Serio]

I regularly (usually at least once a mag) had the same issue with the P30 I briefly had, and any HK with long paddles. The USP/P2000 nub paddle causes no problems. I was unwilling to completely relearn my grip/risk it happening with an imperfect grip, and accepted that I’m limited to nub paddles or button releases in the HK realm.

[Squib308]

Trigger finger likely contacting the mag release during recoil. I had this issue with the HK45. Install the large back strap to help pull your finger away from the trigger. Fire the pistol using the distal phalanx. Avoid wrapping finger around trigger. Willing to bet mag doesn’t drop under these conditions.

[Singh]

I'll try medium sideplates and the large backstrap. Will report later this week.

[Singh]

UPDATE: sorry for the late response, but it took me a few weeks to get back to the range.

I kept the medium side plates on and installed the large backstrap.

200 rounds fired in under an hour. I wanted to get fatigued so it would increase the possibility of inducing the mag-drop error.

Result: no errors so far. The mag did not drop.

Question: how many total rounds should I put through the gun to consider the issue resolved? 500..1,000...2,000?

[Velo Dog]

Question: how many total rounds should I put through the gun to consider the issue resolved? 500..1,000...2,000?

In general, 200 trouble-free rounds is a reasonable minimum.

You've already achieved that, but the real answer is however many rounds it takes for you to have confidence in that pistol in your hands.

There are no perfect firearms that never break or malfunction, however, one size does not fit all.

Be honest with yourself and carry on.

[Velo Dog]

I kept the medium side plates on and installed the large backstrap.

In this 10mm field pistol thread by GJM a larger backstrap was the solution to premature slide lock on Gen 5 Glocks for some shooters large hands

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?55968-10mm-field-pistol-FN-and-G5-20/page22

[TheNewbie]

How difficult would it be to use a dremel to reduce the mag release size without breaking the release?

[Sig_Fiend]

How difficult would it be to use a dremel to reduce the mag release size without breaking the release?

I don't have pics but, there is room to take a little off of them. If someone really wanted to, they could even dremel off the entire side they don't use so it's single-sided. Not saying you should, just that it's easily done.

There's more meat on the rear portion of each lever. Depending on hand size, the rear portion could definitely benefit from some radius or relief cuts for anyone that has larger hands. I wear size XL gloves and find that particular area to irritate my gun hand middle finger. Because of how the rear portion of the levers flares out, I think I could see how that flare combined with too much movement of the gun in your hands might cause your gun hand middle finger to catch the rear edge of the release and depress it slightly under recoil.

[Singh]

How difficult would it be to use a dremel to reduce the mag release size without breaking the release?


In case I needed to go that route, I bought a spare mag release and cut off one of the paddles (below). The plan is to swap it in if I need it. But 200 trouble-free rounds is reassuring. Once I hit 500, I'll consider the issue settled.

103791

[hufnagel]

The gun is mechanically fine. It has to be me. And frankly I'm too old to adopt a specific grip for just one gun when my normal grip works in all my other guns. Sorry HK, you're not that special.

I'm a lover of most things HK, but even I had to send one along (P2000 LEM) after spending sufficient time trying to get the relationship to work. I'm not a LEM guy, and mag bite blisters were getting REALLY annoying. It's not you, it's me, we need to see other people. :D

[TheNewbie]

I don't have pics but, there is room to take a little off of them. If someone really wanted to, they could even dremel off the entire side they don't use so it's single-sided. Not saying you should, just that it's easily done.

There's more meat on the rear portion of each lever. Depending on hand size, the rear portion could definitely benefit from some radius or relief cuts for anyone that has larger hands. I wear size XL gloves and find that particular area to irritate my gun hand middle finger. Because of how the rear portion of the levers flares out, I think I could see how that flare combined with too much movement of the gun in your hands might cause your gun hand middle finger to catch the rear edge of the release and depress it slightly under recoil.



I would prefer the "nub" paddles from the USP/P2000 line. My first priority with a magazine release is protection against accidental activation, more so than fast magazine changes.

[Singh]

Update: 300 more rounds and no problems yet.

That makes for a total of 500 trouble-free rounds, so I'll consider the issue resolved.

[Singh]

200 more rounds today, so 700 total trouble-free rounds. Yay!