FN Hi Power help

jas321

jas321

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I picked this up on gunbroker fairly cheap. I disassembled, cleaned, and inspected before firing. I fired about 15 rounds of standard 115 gr 9mm and the slide locked up. After finally getting disassembled, I found the barrel lug has fractured. From my research, the fracture was likely the result of worn out springs.

I would like to find a new or used replacment barrel, replace all springs, and I would also like to get the cerekote refinished.

If anyone has any recommendations on someone local to Moore County that could help me out, I would really appreciate it.1000002095.jpg

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jas321 said:
After finally getting disassembled, I found the barrel lug has fractured. From my research, the fracture was likely the result of worn out springs.
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I wonder if @John Travis would comment on this?

If the purpose of the recoil spring is to return the slide to battery, how could it be responsible for fracturing the barrel lug?
 
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MacEntyre said:
I wonder if @John Travis would comment on this?
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Sure.

First off, the guy in the video doesn't understand locked breech/recoil operation, especially with the titling barrel locking system. Either that, or he's trying to sell springs.

While the High Power's mechanism for stopping the barrel's rearward movement is different and somewhat less robust than the 1911's...the notion that a reduction of 10-15% of total loading will cause a High Power to self destruct is rather fanciful. If the pistol were that fragile, there would be a huge market for replacement barrels because they'd be popping like Orville Redenbacker's signature brand.

If I can find the time later, I'll dig mine out of the safe to weigh the slide and barrel and make a calculation of the impact energy when the barrel hits the cross member and stops.

One of the sure fire ways to fracture a lower lug...HP or 1911...is for the barrel timing to be off so that the barrel stops before the upper lugs are completely disengaged from the slide's. Although the author's pictures don't appear to show any obvious sign of that condition, sometimes the indications are very subtle, and I'd have to actually have a look at the pistol to make a call. If this is a drop-in replacement barrel...which we have no way of knowing...this is a distinct possibility.

The other possibility is poor heat treatment or just a poor quality replacement barrel.
 
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John Travis said:
First off, the guy in the video doesn't understand locked breech/recoil operation, especially with the titling barrel locking system. Either that, or he's trying to sell springs.
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Mebbe both, but he makes no attempt to hide the fact that he is selling springs.
 
John Travis said:
If this is a drop-in replacement barrel...which we have no way of knowing...this is a distinct possibility.

The other possibility is poor heat treatment or just a poor quality replacement barrel.
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The barrel is factory original, it has a serial number matching the gun.
 
jas321 said:
The barrel is factory original, it has a serial number matching the gun.
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A good sign, but still not a guarantee.

If it is the OEM barrel...and it probably is...that leaves a timing problem or bad steel.

At any rate, 15 rounds didn't fracture it. The crack was already there. you just didn't notice.

And...the seller probably knew it.
 
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John Travis said:
A good sign, but still not a guarantee.

If it is the OEM barrel...and it probably is...that leaves a timing problem or bad steel.

At any rate, 15 rounds didn't fracture it. The crack was already there. you just didn't notice.

And...the seller probably knew it.
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Thanks for the information. The question now is, how do I fix it?

I have a lead on a new old stock barrel, supposedly from the factory in Belgium... should I try it? Or would I be better off getting a new modern aftermarket barrel? Say BarSto, or similar.

If I do get a new barrel, will it need to be fitted by a gunsmith? Will that solve the timing issue?

Also, should I go ahead and replace all the springs?
 
I'd go with an aftermarket barrel. NOS may drop in and work and it may not. The timing will still need to be tested and verified. If this were my pistol, I think I'd go with an aftermarket barrel and have it fitted.

It's always a good idea to change springs in any used pistol with an unknown history.
 
John Travis said:
One of the sure fire ways to fracture a lower lug...HP or 1911...is for the barrel timing to be off so that the barrel stops before the upper lugs are completely disengaged from the slide's. Although the author's pictures don't appear to show any obvious sign of that condition, sometimes the indications are very subtle...
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That's interesting... you are correct, the upper lugs are shown in two photos, and there is no obvious sign of rounding at the edges.

So, the damage at the barrel lug is not subtle, but the damage at the upper lugs can be. Would it be more likely to show the wear on the slide?

Seems like the lack of signs at the upper lugs would indicate a material defect in the barrel lug.
 
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MacEntyre said:
Seems like the lack of signs at the upper lugs would indicate a material defect in the barrel lug.
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Possibly.


MacEntyre said:
So, the damage at the barrel lug is not subtle, but the damage at the upper lugs can be.
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Also possible. The barrel isn't stopped in the same way that it is in a 1911. There's a good bit of leverage placed on the lower lug before it even hits the stopping point.
MacEntyre said:
Seems like the lack of signs at the upper lugs would indicate a material defect in the barrel lug.
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Again, I'd need to have a closer look at it than the photos can show. Without the gun in front of me, I can't do any more than provide the possible causes.
 
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Zoom in on the OPs photos. Do you see some light peening on the leading edge of the upper lugs?
 
I got a Turkish Regent HP barrel off of Ebay that dropped right into a FEG HP and worked fine. Keep checking there.
 
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