Hammerli Xesse Repair tips

I have a Xesse a Larry's Special Circa 2016 gun that Larry did the trigger on and bought it from a Master on this forum. The gun is great but has to have about 35,000 rounds down the pipe and maybe more. As a result some things are starting to go. 

After noticing some creep in the trigger , I decided to take a look and the replace some parts and springs. The trigger return Spring was for sure on its way out and felt like a mattress in a New Orleans Cat House, not that I would know. 

I also tried adjusting the trigger and the plunger barrel was damaged from adjustment and I guess the steel they use for that part is a little soft. So I ordered the parts and mistakenly order a SF plunger in stead of a 208 style plunger. Jim is great he sent me a Xesse sport plunger just in case and that came in handy. The New SF is machined from bar stock and the SF two way adjustable plunger does not work 100% in that frame. It is safe and all but there is a slight difference in geometry and does not adjust to distinct wall stage 2 like I prefer without going to over #3. 

Tip #1 Plunger on the SF may not be compatible for older model Xesse and has a different part number. 

Tip #2 if your plunger is goober'd up the far better way to remove the plunger and the easy way to install the new plunder is to hit it with Kroil , let it sit, remove the trigger, no need to remove the guard but it is a good idea if rebuilding the gun any how, turn the plunger clock wide as it you are tightening it and it will walk out the front of the frame. Then to install the new one you catch the thread and rotate the the screw driver counter clock wise from the back. 

Tip #3 Install the plunger a googly amount and then back it off until the trigger drops, also back off the 1,2,and 3 setting and re set them. 

Question what is the side screw for? Seems to me its purpose is to keep the plunger from backing out.

Yes the litle.side screw on a larry.trigget install is to lock the 2nd stage trigger screw down
Personally I use reusable locktite on the 2nd stage screw and don't worry about the locking screw

Question:. On your trigger guard, is the vertical short leg against the frame or is it spaced out leaving an air gap?
(Can be easily viewed with the slide off)

Being that Larry himself worked yours, I am sure he would have seen it and corrected it. I have two 2021 Xesse's and both have the air gaps behind the short legs which might eventually break off due a poor fit.

It should be solid against the frame..eventually being unsupported will lead to a broken trigger. Often the front piece of the guard will be miss aligned and not easily move up into the frame gap. In have filed some for better fit. Also thought about simply cutting it off but haven't played with that yet

Sc0 wrote:Question:. On your trigger guard, is the vertical short leg against the frame or is it spaced out leaving an air gap?
(Can be easily viewed with the slide off)

Being that Larry himself worked yours, I am sure he would have seen it and corrected it.  I have two 2021 Xesse's and both have the air gaps behind the short legs which might eventually break off due a poor fit.

He fitted it for sure I checked when I had the guard off. You can see if it needs fitted if the front tang sits a little high that is enough to snug up the guard it needs bending , a risky affair . You can also make a buffer and place it behind the recoil spring but you need to be very careful about the thickness , no more than 0.009 of an inch

I think the new ones fit better from the factory but I would make sure the seem from the casting is not protruding from the back.

I think the problem is more from Metallurgy then from than from fitment. On an older Xesse I had , after Umerex bought Walther,  Larry fit a guard and it still broke in about 100 rounds. Then I sent it to Walther and still the same thing.  I put that gun on gun broker and sold it. 

I suspect Umerex used some of the 1st generation trailside guards to save a buck. Since they are apparently investing in the Xesse after simplifying the product line dumping the SSP , SP 22 and the KSP 200 (maybe they can can't get Izzy parts?) I think it makes sense to make that part machined from Bar Stock like the SF frame.