Caution to Hammerli SP20 .32 owners.

[PaulT]

Many thanks for the post and Hammerli contact information Francesco. We have made contact via Roger Geissbühler, but I will write to the direct Hammerli contact after Intershoot regarding the replacement frames. Roger has looked after us very well with grip modifications and Hammerli engineering / support works, especially after the contraction and relocation of the Hammerli factory.

Lapua definitely use N310 in their factory ammunition and their own bullet heads, we have been around the factory! The .32 S&W is on the absolute limit of the blow-back operation mechanism, I would always urge caution and a chronograph when adjusting these loads. We have to use factory as our trips do not have slack time for load development and testing, we need reliability out of the box and for that reason, we use Lapua.

Given a choice, the late model 280 in .32 is better for CICM than the SP20. I only shot it pre-handing in the UK a few times; incidentally, the UK is not in CICM. I did shoot a 5-shot 6 second series with the new Pardini .32 and it was a lot easier with the recoil dampening system. I generally use, when available, Magtech for the Rapid stage and Lapua for precision.

[Steve]

If you get through to Hamerlli, ask them to exchange your SP20 for something else. ie. free,air,rifle... All the replacement parts they will send will crack or break as did the originals. Their pistol design is wrong and cannot be solved by replacing parts forever. My .32/.22 has cracked everything at least twice; grip included. Replacement parts have cracked in the same place as original. I have wrote these guys numerous letters over the past year with no reply. Good Luck and please post your findings.

[Cliff Kidd]

If you don't mind me asking, what are the serial numbers to the guns that keep having these problems? I've had mine for a number of years (.22 and .32), shot tons of rounds, and they've never cracked a frame. My serials are 00021 and 00022.

On the other hand, I have noticed a problem with the safety. If the lever is about halfway between safe and fire and the trigger is pulled, it operates just like a safety should. But the moment you realize you had the safety on and push it back forward it releases the sear causing it to fire the round. Quite dangerous if you're not expecting it. Keep it pointed downrage! :) If you find yourself in this situation simply put the gun on safety, eject the round and start over. The problem is my own error, not the guns fault really. When I release the slide in a bit of a hurry my hand bumps the safety back some...or if I don't push the safety all the way forward etc.

[JamesH]

Paul T,

Why doesn't a team member get a long barelled Thomson Contender (or anything, eg rechambered rook rifle) in 0.32S+WL, then you have a legitimate reason to reload all the ammo you want.

I'm thankful I was able to emigrate, struggling to get my shooting to a reasonable level though.

BTW 0.32S+WL is nowhere near the limit of blowback operation, 9x19mm can be made to work. In theory anything can.
These problems with the SP20 can only relate to design or material defects.

James

[David Levene]

Why doesn't a team member get a long barelled Thomson Contender (or anything, eg rechambered rook rifle) in 0.32S+WL, then you have a legitimate reason to reload all the ammo you want.

That's not the problem James, Paul already has the paperwork covered.

The big problem is loading and transporting enough ammunition for 5 or 6 shooters (or more) for a 4 day training camp.

[PaulT]

A colleague has recently had a broken slide on the .22 SP20. As with the others units, a pitifully low duty cycle, correctly set recoil buffers with regular (and in his case fastidious cleaning).

[Nev C]

I have two SP20s, .22 and .32 both 8 years old and have fired thousands of rounds through them both with no signs of cracking. For the .32 I load 98 gn HBWC with 1.7 gns of 231. On close inspection of the actions on both these guns I note that the slides stop about 4mm short of making contact with the frame while cycling, if the slides do not come into contact with the frame I can't see how cracking can occur. Have a close look at your frame at this thin point and check for percussion marks, mine show none, if there are marks and the slide does touch the frame I can suggest two remedies, one is to extend the buffer forward the other is to remove the slide and grind away a bit of metal from where it is touching the frame.
I hope this can be of help.

[Nev C]

I have two SP20s, .22 and .32 both 8 years old and have fired thousands of rounds through them both with no signs of cracking. For the .32 I load 98 gn HBWC with 1.7 gns of 231. On close inspection of the actions on both these guns I note that the slides stop about 4mm short of making contact with the frame while cycling, if the slides do not come into contact with the frame I can't see how cracking can occur. Have a close look at your frame at this thin point and check for percussion marks, mine show none, if there are marks and the slide does touch the frame I can suggest two remedies, one is to extend the buffer forward the other is to remove the slide and grind away a bit of metal from where it is touching the frame.
I hope this can be of help.