I recently dropped six HK pistols off with Bill Springfield for trigger work. I stressed the importance that I placed on reliability, and that far outweighed any reduction in trigger pull weight. Bill assured me that his trigger work would not compromise reliability.



After getting the pistols back, I made a functional check before test-firing them. The first pistol, a P30/S followed when I racked the slide. I then checked the second pistol, another P30/S. When I would lock the slide back, and depress the slide release, this one would follow about two in five times. I next checked an HK 45C with an LEM trigger. Intermittently, the trigger would stay back, and not release, when dry firing. The fourth pistol, an HK 45 with an LEM trigger just felt too light to me. The last two pistols, both HK 45’s with variant nine triggers, did not follow.



I didn’t bother shooting the P30/S pistols, given they were following when racking the slide. The HK 45C functioned on the range, as did the two HK 45 pistols with variant nine triggers. The HK 45 with the LEM trigger failed to ignite the first round, and about one in five rounds thereafter.



Since I happened to be in CO now, I made an appointment to drive two hours over to Colorado Springs this morning and get Bill to correct the problems. I confirmed my visit yesterday, and then about ten minutes out this morning. When I got to the door there was no response to my ringing the bell or knocking on the door. No answer to my phone call to his number. Finally, his wife appeared and said he would be with me shortly.



When I saw Bill, I was startled as he was very red in the face and forehead and looked quite disheveled. It wasn’t clear whether he recognized me, and he seemed to be slurring his words. I asked whether this was a bad time for me to be visiting and he said it was a fine time. I asked whether he wanted me to stand by and give him one pistol at a time, with an explanation of what was wrong, but he said he just wanted me to leave them with him for an hour.



I explained the defects in the two P30/S pistols, the two LEM pistols, and one HK 45 that had a somewhat creepy trigger after his work. I then asked him to repeat to me what was wrong with each pistol, and he didn’t seem to have it straight. I then took a piece of paper, listed each of the five pistols and what was wrong. I then told him that I would be waiting in his driveway, working on my computer, and that he should not hesitate to ask me questions.



As you might imagine, this was not a happy situation for me, but I felt like I owed him the opportunity to make the work right. In about an hour, Bill came out and told me that he had fixed all the pistols. I went to where he had four pistols in a box.



I first grabbed a P30/S, worked the slide vigorously and the hammer followed. Same with the second P30/S. I then grabbed the HK 45C, pulled the LEM trigger, and the trigger stayed to the rear. Bill took the pistol, worked the slide once or twice, where upon the trigger came forward, and said "I can’t replicate that problem.” I was somewhat incredulous, but calmly showed him the malfunction, and he had a puzzled look. I didn’t even discuss the HK 45 with the LEM trigger that was still dangerously light.



At that point, I realized I wanted to leave as quickly as possible, but there was no sign of the HK 45 I had left. Bill said he didn’t know where it was, and questioned whether I had left four or five pistols. I asked him to look at the piece of paper where I listed all five pistols, and their problem, and Bill then disappeared looking for the pistol, and came back saying he couldn’t find it. He then said that I should look around his sofa, which I did without success. He then questioned again whether I had left the pistol with him. A family member then arrived, and I explained that we had a missing pistol. The family member went and found the pistol. The family member and I had a brief conversation, at which point I left.



Since I have at least four pistols with safety issues, I will be sending all six pistols Bill worked on back to HK, to have Travis in Customer Service go through each one, and replace all necessary parts.



I make this report with sadness, but given the seriousness of firearms, out of an obligation to alert anyone presently considering using Bill Springfield for trigger work.