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Maximus
03-18-2008, 11:53 PM
How critical of a component is the o-ring? I wanted to know if it broke in an 'emergency' what would happen.


Can the o-ring barrels be used without the o-ring or would that cause a malfunction or damage?

For example I have a USPCT .45. Is there a good source for getting a factory non threaded barrel?
Scooter
03-19-2008, 12:07 AM
The o-ring is not required for the gun to function properly. You probably won't even see a decrease in accuracy.
ripley16
03-19-2008, 02:46 AM
The expected life of an O-ring is 20,000 rounds. While they do break, they are quite robust.
mjsemtex
03-19-2008, 01:55 PM
so, my mark23 came with a few extra o-rings in the case... does that mean, i'm set for some 60,000 or so rounds?

can't argue with that.
RaptorMike
03-19-2008, 01:57 PM
Does anyone have a source for spare o-rings? My HK45 didn't come with extras and I'd like to have a few on hand. Thanks
harrydog
03-19-2008, 02:03 PM
Does anyone have a source for spare o-rings? My HK45 didn't come with extras and I'd like to have a few on hand. Thanks
Did you purchase it new? If so, I'd contact H&K about it. Mine came with 4 extra O-rings.
mjsemtex
03-19-2008, 03:47 PM
i believe mine came with at least 4 extra o-rings.
RaptorMike
03-19-2008, 06:26 PM
No o-rings or extra backstrap were included. I emailed HK about this and they quickly replied and let me know that they would supply them.
Scooter
03-19-2008, 06:36 PM
Order from McMaster Carr. Viton 1mm wide, 14 mm ID for the 45's. 12 mm ID for 40's.
F22_RaptoR
03-20-2008, 12:10 AM
you really shouldn't fire the gun without the O-ring. While it wont really damage the gun or affect it from cycling properly, if you fire too many (mabey several hundred, mabey several thousand) rounds, the o-ring groove and the barrel opening MAY develop burrs from the cycling.

If you tried to put an O-ring on afterwords, it would eat it for breakfast.


But if the o-ring breaks, it should be fine for a few magazines worth of shooting anyways. They do last for quite a while, just put some lube on the o-rings and they'll last for 20,000 rounds or so :)
SauceNJ
03-20-2008, 12:20 AM
"ma man, ma man, w-w-w-whats dis thing wit' all dese numbas?"

Fifth Element?
harrydog
03-20-2008, 12:49 AM
No o-rings or extra backstrap were included. I emailed HK about this and they quickly replied and let me know that they would supply them.
Excellent!
Americanhandgunner01
03-20-2008, 04:41 AM
Well, the USP 9 SD does not have an o ring, but I dont think the barrel has the groove for the o ring.
AviatorDave
03-20-2008, 04:49 AM
"ma man, ma man, w-w-w-whats dis thing wit' all dese numbas?"

Fifth Element?

Yup. An entertaining, if not somewhat quirky flick.
Jason R
03-20-2008, 05:39 AM
you really shouldn't fire the gun without the O-ring. While it wont really damage the gun or affect it from cycling properly, if you fire too many (mabey several hundred, mabey several thousand) rounds, the o-ring groove and the barrel opening MAY develop burrs from the cycling.

If you tried to put an O-ring on afterwords, it would eat it for breakfast.


But if the o-ring breaks, it should be fine for a few magazines worth of shooting anyways. They do last for quite a while, just put some lube on the o-rings and they'll last for 20,000 rounds or so :)

I don't think it'd cause any burring. Besides, you don't need the freakin' o-rings!
F22_RaptoR
03-21-2008, 10:18 AM
Yep, thats my favortie line in the whole movie :D



I don't think it'd cause any burring. Besides, you don't need the freakin' o-rings!

well the o-rings dont really do a whole lot (in real life anyways) but having the 90 degree corner rubbing on the barrel opening could cause any little "bumps" to get ripped up.

The O-ring doesn't do anything bad, so you might as well just keep it on :) . The gun was designed to use an o-ring, may as well use it, even if it "may not" hurt the gun, over time it could.
Scooter
03-21-2008, 01:45 PM
You don't have 90 degree corners. The corners get deburred during manufacturing or else the burrs formed during cutting would be chewing up o-rings left and right.
F22_RaptoR
03-21-2008, 09:41 PM
You don't have 90 degree corners. The corners get deburred during manufacturing or else the burrs formed during cutting would be chewing up o-rings left and right.

well i know its not a sharp corner :p

but (looking at my mark23's o-ring groove) its not really that much of a bullnose on the corner.
Scooter
03-21-2008, 10:07 PM
It's still about 5 thou radius which is typical for deburring corners. It's also running against a flat surface so nothing is really going to touch the corners.
Stellar Rigs
03-22-2008, 01:07 AM
I thought the O ring was all about using a suppressor without any special modifications - sort of a loose lock up on the barrel after the round is fired. I was told that's why 1911s have so much trouble working with suppressors - too tight on the lock up .....
Scooter
03-22-2008, 01:56 AM
Pretty much all Browning style actions require a recoil booster to make suppressors work. Even putting compensators on the barrel will cause issues with unlocking. It mainly has to do with the weight and force at the end of the barrel not allowing the barrel to tilt upward to unlock.

The o-ring is "designed" to seal the barrel within the slide. Well when the barrel is locked up in the slide, the barrel is already making metal to metal contact with the slide. A soft o-ring isn't going to put much if any pressure to help the gun lock up. If you take the o-ring out of the barrel, it's not going to make a difference. On the Expert and Elite, the barrels are hand fitted. Hand fitting an oversized barrel makes a much more significant difference in accuracy than some soft o-ring. Bar-sto when they were still making barrels for the USP did some tests with Bruce Gray. They ended up dumping the whole o-ring idea because it didn't make a difference. What they did do is oversize the end of the barrel by a few thou to help tighten the lock up.

You gotta ask if throwing on a simple o-ring will make the gun more accurate, why isn't everyone else doing it? HK, CCFA, and Jarvis are the only people that do barrels with o-rings. CCFA was the only company that did them for other guns.
eddyfinster
03-22-2008, 08:13 AM
I am a new HK usp 40 variant 1 owner. First HK I have ever had. My father got it at a gun show ten years ago and only put 200 rounds through it. Anyways when I broke it down I noticed it didnt have on o ring and it also didnt have a front recoil spring retainer.is that common on older usp. Is it harmful to fire it in this condition.
Scooter
03-22-2008, 03:47 PM
USP's don't come with an o-ring barrel. First generation USP9/40 also didn't come with captive recoil springs.
eddyfinster
03-22-2008, 06:41 PM
Thanks Scooter, its been bugging me lately and none of the local shops knew what I was talking about. Is it possible to put a new captive recoil spring in an older model.
F22_RaptoR
03-23-2008, 12:02 AM
Thanks Scooter, its been bugging me lately and none of the local shops knew what I was talking about. Is it possible to put a new captive recoil spring in an older model.

I dont think so, it doesn't have the cutout for the C-clip to lock onto. You could most likely get a newer recoil rod assembally, but it would be pricey.

You'll like the non captive recoil spring system when you have to change springs, its a trillion times easier ;)
Stellar Rigs
04-13-2008, 10:01 PM
I just got a HK (brand) threaded 9mm barrel that has no "O ring." I heard all the extended/threaded barrels had the "O-ring" in it. One less thing to worry about I guess. It is a factory barrel but has no serial number (I guess since it is meant as a replacement barrel). Lock up seems good so I think I'll take it out to the range to see how well it shoots.