At What Point/Round Count Should an HK45C be Detail Stripped/Cleaned?

[entropy]

Late to the party, but I’ll toss my two cents in along with what already has been said. The HK USP and direct offspring are (IMHO) perhaps THE most robust pistols ever made. I was issued 2 over the course of nearly 20 years. Ran the absolute snot out of both. The first (before the firing pin was redesigned around 2006) had an HONEST 50K thru it. The second (newer model circa 2012) likely an honest half of that. I had 2 firing pins fracture on the first prior to the redesigned radius cut for the firing pin safety. After the new pin was installed (and subsequently the second pistol for its entire life) never had another breakage. The Flat Spring broke once in the first gun, rendering the LEM inoperative, although the long-stroke full DA pull was still available. Never had a SINGLE ISSUE with the second gun. From what I’m told, most of the time the Armorer’s sloshed the frames around in cleaner and blew them dry. The design using the friction plates ( for lack of a better term) is absolutely genius. I have a personally purchased USPc and USP 45FS that will never get sold off and will always be counted on to go bang. I would think that complete disassembly would cause more risks than it’s worth.

Edit to add: I think the first was simply replaced do to age/round count although it was working fine. Went thru training once. They asked me how many rounds I had thru it. (Probably looked at serial number and issue date.) They simply said “OK, we’ll get you a new one.” Signed out the old one, signed in the new one...done. 🤷*♂️

[SwampDweller]

SD, how much a month do you: dryfire (triggerpull count)
train (round count)
practice (round count)
compete (round count)

These counts should be actual or reasonably projectible.

Best, Jon

Honestly, I haven't kept track enough to be able to answer that accurately. I think a reasonable projection might be for 10 minutes a day, and considering the hammer has to be reset each trigger press, maybe like 200 a day?

What would be a good count to maintain proficiency?

[P30]

Anyone have a part number for the roll pin for the trigger?

Don't know what you mean by "roll pin for the trigger"? The trigger axle? You can look up the part numbers there:

hk-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/HK45-HK45Compact-Operators-Manual-05252012.pdf

PS:
Operator's manual from HK Germany:
heckler-koch.com/Downloads/Bedienungsanleitungen Jagd und Sport/Pistolen/DE/HK45_HK45 Compact OM (DE-EN) 968047 001.0320.pdf

[Sig_Fiend]

Good to know. I am getting close to that with dry fire.

Anyone have a part number for the roll pin for the trigger? Or is it the same as the roll pin for the backstrap?

For the HK45C, #214154 also listed as 50214154, which is the same thing. It's the same exact trigger axle used across all the USP and newer hammer guns.

Most of the springs for the HK45C and a few miscellaneous parts:

• 215822: Firing pin spring
• 209296: Firing pin block spring
• 218315: Extractor spring
• 234250: Recoil spring (Doesn't show on HK site, but might be able to call in and order direct)
• 214164: Trigger return spring
• 214166: Trigger bar spring
• 215691: Sear spring (aka flat spring)
• 234479: Hammer spring
• 219444: Cocking piece spring. For the LEM hammer. It's not listed on HK's site or most other places. Same part for all USP and HK45 variants.
• 214212: 8rd magazine spring
• 215938: Magazine follower
• 215929: Magazine release spring
• 988891: Slide roll pins (x2)

Of those parts, the only ones I'd honestly bother with having a few spares for are what Todd found in his P30 test (I simplified the numbers):

Trigger return spring: 12K
Magazine spring and follower: 24K
Sear spring: 35K
Firing pin spring: 50K

For the number of those spares from Todd's list, for the "life" of say a theoretical 100K round gun, that would equate to about $99 in spares, so less than $1 per case of ammo to maintain. Pretty impressive considering even a Glock 17 would need about 20x RSA replacements (~$160) by 100K rounds if sticking to the proper 5K interval, not to mention anything else needing replacement.

[SwampDweller]

For the HK45C, #214154 also listed as 50214154, which is the same thing. It's the same exact trigger axle used across all the USP and newer hammer guns.

Most of the springs for the HK45C and a few miscellaneous parts:

• 215822: Firing pin spring
• 209296: Firing pin block spring
• 218315: Extractor spring
• 234250: Recoil spring (Doesn't show on HK site, but might be able to call in and order direct)
• 214164: Trigger return spring
• 214166: Trigger bar spring
• 215691: Sear spring (aka flat spring)
• 234479: Hammer spring
• 219444: Cocking piece spring. For the LEM hammer. It's not listed on HK's site or most other places. Same part for all USP and HK45 variants.
• 214212: 8rd magazine spring
• 215938: Magazine follower
• 215929: Magazine release spring
• 988891: Slide roll pins (x2)

Of those parts, the only ones I'd honestly bother with having a few spares for are what Todd found in his P30 test (I simplified the numbers):

Trigger return spring: 12K
Magazine spring and follower: 24K
Sear spring: 35K
Firing pin spring: 50K

For the number of those spares from Todd's list, for the "life" of say a theoretical 100K round gun, that would equate to about $99 in spares, so less than $1 per case of ammo to maintain. Pretty impressive considering even a Glock 17 would need about 20x RSA replacements (~$160) by 100K rounds if sticking to the proper 5K interval, not to mention anything else needing replacement.

Thanks for this, that's a big help. In addition to getting at least 1 more HK45C, I do want to get at least a few each of those parts.

[breakingtime91]

For the HK45C, #214154 also listed as 50214154, which is the same thing. It's the same exact trigger axle used across all the USP and newer hammer guns.

Most of the springs for the HK45C and a few miscellaneous parts:

• 215822: Firing pin spring
• 209296: Firing pin block spring
• 218315: Extractor spring
• 234250: Recoil spring (Doesn't show on HK site, but might be able to call in and order direct)
• 214164: Trigger return spring
• 214166: Trigger bar spring
• 215691: Sear spring (aka flat spring)
• 234479: Hammer spring
• 219444: Cocking piece spring. For the LEM hammer. It's not listed on HK's site or most other places. Same part for all USP and HK45 variants.
• 214212: 8rd magazine spring
• 215938: Magazine follower
• 215929: Magazine release spring
• 988891: Slide roll pins (x2)

Of those parts, the only ones I'd honestly bother with having a few spares for are what Todd found in his P30 test (I simplified the numbers):

Trigger return spring: 12K
Magazine spring and follower: 24K
Sear spring: 35K
Firing pin spring: 50K

For the number of those spares from Todd's list, for the "life" of say a theoretical 100K round gun, that would equate to about $99 in spares, so less than $1 per case of ammo to maintain. Pretty impressive considering even a Glock 17 would need about 20x RSA replacements (~$160) by 100K rounds if sticking to the proper 5K interval, not to mention anything else needing replacement.

Do a p2000 next

[P30]

Of those parts, the only ones I'd honestly bother with having a few spares for are what Todd found in his P30 test (I simplified the numbers):

Trigger return spring: 12K
Magazine spring and follower: 24K
Sear spring: 35K
Firing pin spring: 50K

Todd wrote in the PT article about the 25k maintenance of his P30:

The day before that photo was taken, the P30 got its 25k maintenance performed. Parts replaced were:

• trigger return spring
• hammer spring
• hammer strut
• firing pin spring
• recoil spring & guide rod assembly

That’s it. With that, HK expects the gun to make it to 50,000 rounds. I’ve never owned a pistol that required so little in the way of upkeep. Changing the recoil spring just once every 25k … that’s unbelievable.

So in order to preserve the frame, I would replace the recoil spring assembly not later than @ 25k. Also the firing pin spring.

[JonInWA]

Honestly, I haven't kept track enough to be able to answer that accurately. I think a reasonable projection might be for 10 minutes a day, and considering the hammer has to be reset each trigger press, maybe like 200 a day?

What would be a good count to maintain proficiency?

My advice is to stop obsessing over "what might happen" in terms of spare parts and multiples of the same gun. Start with 1 gun, empirically determine what backstrap/side panel set-up works best for you, and practice (dry- and live-fire), train, compete and carry with it.

You can go overboard thinking over "worst case" situations into analysis paralysis. Just choose a gun, spend at least 6 months on it, and then get back to us if necessary.

HK's are incredibly well built and reliable, and HK Tech Support is very responsive should you need any support (and you probably won't).

There are some good dryfire program books, and probably resources here and on pistol-training.com.

Shooting in training and IDPA are good things to do.

Best, Jon

[Sig_Fiend]

Do a p2000 next

Sure :

• 215822: Firing pin spring
• 209296: V1/V3 standard firing pin block spring
• 209962: V2 heavy firing pin block spring
• 218315: Extractor spring
• 215852: Recoil spring
• 209266: V1/V3 light LEM trigger return spring
• 219441: V2 heavy LEM trigger return spring
• 209270: Trigger bar spring
• 214167: Stock sear spring
• 215691: Nickel sear spring
• 214300: V1/V3 standard hammer spring
• 214695: V2 Heavy hammer spring
• 209275: Cocking piece spring
• 214212: 13rd magazine spring
• 215836: Magazine follower
• 215929: Magazine release spring
• 980838: Slide roll pins (x2)

In terms of weights for the various P2K configs, here's the ones most care about (in order, Hammer Spring, TRS, Firing Pin Block Spring):
V1 = 214300, 209266, 209296
V3 = 214300, 209266, 209296
TLG = 214300, 219441, 209296

[SwampDweller]

My advice is to stop obsessing over "what might happen" in terms of spare parts and multiples of the same gun. Start with 1 gun, empirically determine what backstrap/side panel set-up works best for you, and practice (dry- and live-fire), train, compete and carry with it.

You can go overboard thinking over "worst case" situations into analysis paralysis. Just choose a gun, spend at least 6 months on it, and then get back to us if necessary.

HK's are incredibly well built and reliable, and HK Tech Support is very responsive should you need any support (and you probably won't).

There are some good dryfire program books, and probably resources here and on pistol-training.com.

Shooting in training and IDPA are good things to do.

Best, Jon

I do believe you are correct, though I'm not worried about parts breakage, I just like having spare parts on hand for any gun I like to carry/keep for defensive use, especially if I like to shoot it a lot. I (hopefully) have a long life ahead of me and simply like the peace of mind rather than a fear that something is actually going to break sometime in the foreseeable future.

As far as owning multiples, I've always subscribed to the "one is none, two is one, three is two," etc. The whole "one for carry, one for training, one in the safe as backup" is something I first read DocGKR post as advice years ago, and I thought it was a smart idea. At the very least, if I ever did have to actually use an HK45C in a defensive shooting and it was subsequently taken as evidence, in such a tumultuous time I'd like to have an exact duplicate to replace it for familiarity.

Are there any of those dryfire program books in particular you would recommend?
I do want to get into IDPA and I've started talking to someone local to me who competes in them. I have no expectation of actually winning or being high up on the list, but competing against myself would be beneficial I think. So far the only competition I do with pistols is GSSF, which is great, but I want to expand.