View Full Version : HK45c Safety Problem
I recently purchased a lightly used HK45c from Gunbroker. It is the single action only with no decocker variant and the former owner had installed an ambidextrous safety.
I am used to a 1911 where when I'm ready to fire, I depress the safety with my thumb and when I'm finished I just flip the safety up with my thumb. Simple.
On the 45c, the safety is a little stiff when I depress it. No problem. I don't expect it to be like a 1911. However, when I try to flip the safety up, it's impossible with my strong side thumb (let the weakling jokes begin). I am forced to use my support side thumb to put the safety on.
Is this normal for a 45c? Is it the result of the ambi safety being installed? Will the safety loosen up over time?
Are you sure it's single action ONLY, or did you mean to write DA/SA? I'm far from the most knowledgable HK person here (hopefully others will show up shortly), but I didn't think there was an official HK variant for single action only. I think there are a few HK gunsmiths who can modify the internals to create SA only, but I don't think they come in this configuration from HK.
In any case, the safety on my V9 (DA/SA, control lever on the left, safety only, no decocker) HK45 was rather stiff, but not as bad as you described. Were you told or can you ID the ambi safety in the gun? Do you know if the prior owner is the original owner, and if he/she did the work him/her self or where the work was done? It sounds like you may want to get the gun checked out by a reputable, HK-experienced and -knowledgable gunsmith.
When I picked up my 45c I did alot of just reading around and recall a thread on hkf talking about this situation- adding safety parts and particular the ambi causing a very stiff safety. Try doing some searching and you should be able to find it.
Gary1911A1
02-25-13, 10:32
Ambidextrous Thumb Safety? I don't think HK has ever made any so it must be a hand made part. Be careful.
Gun should be DA/SA and yes H&K makes an ambi kit for the HK45 series guns. The stiffness is caused by the detent plate where the detent pin follows the contour of the part. Take the slide off of the gun and look at the left hand side of the gun where the safety is, you should be able to see the top portion of the plate, if it looks modified (ground or filed upon) and not the factory black finish then replace the part or send the gun to H&K and they will swap it out for you and function test the gun. I'm not sure why everyone recommends a smith for factory work, H&K is perfectly capable of servicing their own pistols. Their CS is 100 times better than it used to be, call them up and they will take care of you. Alternatively if you post up some pics of the detent plate area I will try and help again.
Ok, I should have explained better. It has double action capability, but only safe, no decocker. I'll have to read the manual to see what version that is.
I'll try to take some pics tonight and post them.
DA / SA with safety only, no decocker = V9 / V10, depending on which side the control lever is located.
You may want to check out this thread (and perhaps others on HKPro) (apologies mods if cross-posting is a no-go): http://www.hkpro.com/forum/hk-handgun-talk/141124-hk45-variant-9-10-w-uspc-ambi-safety.html
Here are the promised pictures
Hunter Rose
02-25-13, 19:19
It's probably not broken, just the feel that specific detent plate gives you. I've switched out more than a few HK detent plates to convert to variant 9, and some plates acted exactly as you described. The plate works just fine (i.e. safety moves up and down), but it requires a lot of force to move the safety up with just the thumb. It was usually just the combo of one detent plate in one specific gun. The same detent plate in a different gun worked fine.
I would remove the detent plate, oil it and the pin that retains it, re-install and see if it makes a difference. If not, I'd try a different detent plate (they're cheap), and if that did not fix your issue I'd contact HK Customer Service.
It's probably not broken, just the feel that specific detent plate gives you. I've switched out more than a few HK detent plates to convert to variant 9, and some plates acted exactly as you described. The plate works just fine (i.e. safety moves up and down), but it requires a lot of force to move the safety up with just the thumb. It was usually just the combo of one detent plate in one specific gun. The same detent plate in a different gun worked fine.
I would remove the detent plate, oil it and the pin that retains it, re-install and see if it makes a difference. If not, I'd try a different detent plate (they're cheap), and if that did not fix your issue I'd contact HK Customer Service.
Roger that. I'll give it a try. Can you recommend a video or a book that would show me how to do this? I've never broken a HK down and I don't want to fly by the seat of my pants.
Also, will reinstalling the origional safety help any or affect anything? I don't really feel that I need the ambi and the seller sent the origional with the pistol.
Ambidextrous Thumb Safety? I don't think HK has ever made any so it must be a hand made part. Be careful.
HK makes them. I installed one on one of my dad's 45c's...
http://www.hkparts.net/shop/pc/Ambidextrous-Control-Lever-Kit-HK45-HK45C-p1154.htm
JR1572
Defaultmp3
02-25-13, 22:09
Roger that. I'll give it a try. Can you recommend a video or a book that would show me how to do this? I've never broken a HK down and I don't want to fly by the seat of my pants.
Also, will reinstalling the origional safety help any or affect anything? I don't really feel that I need the ambi and the seller sent the origional with the pistol.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/BiggBore/LEM%20Conversion/LEM-3.jpg
Using a 3/32 punch, lightly tap out the sear axle from left to right with the muzzle of the frame pointed away from you. Watch it because when the detent plate clears it will come out. Remove the detent plate and save because you will use it later.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/BiggBore/LEM%20Conversion/LEM-4.jpg
Source: http://www.hkpro.com/forum/hk-reference-library/63083-usp-c-lem-safety-instructions.html
The original source was for for installing the LEM on a USP-C, but the the part about removing the detent plate is basically dead on. You don't have to push the pin out all the way, just enough to remove the detent plate. It's actually very, very easy, will probably take you longer to read this then to actually do it.
As for reinstalling the old safety, it can certainly be done by yourself, but that would be far more involved then the removal/swapping of a detent plate.
Source: http://www.hkpro.com/forum/hk-reference-library/63083-usp-c-lem-safety-instructions.html
The original source was for for installing the LEM on a USP-C, but the the part about removing the detent plate is basically dead on. You don't have to push the pin out all the way, just enough to remove the detent plate. It's actually very, very easy, will probably take you longer to read this then to actually do it.
As for reinstalling the old safety, it can certainly be done by yourself, but that would be far more involved then the removal/swapping of a detent plate.
Outstanding! Thank you very much! I think I can handle that.
Hunter Rose
02-26-13, 11:01
You don't have to push the pin out all the way, just enough to remove the detent plate. It's actually very, very easy, will probably take you longer to read this then to actually do it.
As for reinstalling the old safety, it can certainly be done by yourself, but that would be far more involved then the removal/swapping of a detent plate.
This. Agree about just removing the detent, as the afety swap is way more involved.
Obviously diagnosing over the internet is only so good, but what you described is exactly what I have experienced with more than one detent plate. Variant 9 detent plates seem to have differing smoothness in the operation of the safety, just depending on the luck of the draw which plate you get. I honestly think if you ordered another detent plate or two and tried them that would fix your problem.
Another potential gotcha is that the detent plate in your gun is for a USP and not an HK45. They are different part numbers. I bet you can guess how I found that out. I have the correct one in my gun with an ambi safety and it works smoothly up and down.
azeriosu85
02-28-13, 02:24
often times when an ambi safety is installed the detent plate and parts need HEAVY lube at first to "wear/break" in. My HK45 was the same way, after playing with for an hour and lubing the shit UNDER/BEHIND the detent plate and contact point int the FCG, its good to go:cool:
I'll try the lube fix first, if that doesn't work, I'll start on the detent plate. Thanks guys
Let us know if it works.
Was playing around with a USP 9 a week or so ago that had this same issue.
azeriosu85
03-04-13, 15:09
lube under, behind, and around ALL contact points for your detent plate. The work it a few hundred times. This should fix the issue.:smile:
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