XD Talk

mousemouse · 09-30-2009, 03:08 AM

I'm planning on detail stripping my HS45 with the thumb safety soon as it is getting all gunky inside. Also, I have a trigger kit coming in so I might as well clean everything if I'm going to install it. I watched the AGI XD a while ago and had a few questions.

1. How do I go on about removing the grip safety? It seems that the pin holding it is blocked by the thumbs safety switch.

2. It looks like that reassembly of the mag release and the grip safety will be the most difficult. If I don't dissasemble this and just wash the frame along with these parts still assembled, do you think i'll experience any problems? Maybe they might rust? I think i'm going to follow what the guy suggested and use simple green.

irish iron · 09-30-2009, 08:10 AM

The mag release is a PITA in the beginning. But you might as well try it and get better at it. It's the only way.

**agalindo** · 09-30-2009, 11:02 AM

The grip safety and mag release don't get that dirty I would just spray it down with cleaner, CLP etc.. then blow it out with compressed air. The grip safety isn't to hard to put back on but the mag release is a bear.

fearless1 · 09-30-2009, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousemouse

I'm planning on detail stripping my HS45 with the thumb safety soon as it is getting all gunky inside. Also, I have a trigger kit coming in so I might as well clean everything if I'm going to install it. I watched the AGI XD a while ago and had a few questions.

1. How do I go on about removing the grip safety? It seems that the pin holding it is blocked by the thumbs safety switch.

2. It looks like that reassembly of the mag release and the grip safety will be the most difficult. If I don't dissasemble this and just wash the frame along with these parts still assembled, do you think i'll experience any problems? Maybe they might rust? I think i'm going to follow what the guy suggested and use simple green.

The shaft that connects and holds the two thumb safties together also serves as the pin that holds the grip safety onto the frame. So, removal of the thumb safties will also result in the immediate release of the grip safety from the frame. If you are performing a complete detail strip just for the purpose of cleaning the gunk out of the frame, one thought comes to mind: REGRET that you will feel at removing parts that will be difficult to reinstall just for the purpose of cleaning the gunk out. Specifically, reinstallation of the grip safety also means reinstallation of the thumb safeties...while also lining up and tensioning the grip safety hole and spring...while also reinstalling the left thumb safety detent ball and spring....almost all at the same time!

For cleaning purposes, removal of just the locking block, slide release, trigger bar, sear, and ejector will give you plenty of access to the frame's inner crevices (i.e., leave the thumb safeties, grip safety, and mag release intact while cleaning). Just use products such as Gun Scrubber along with various shape and sizes of nylon brushes to clean out as much as the frame as you can. Then use something like Breakfree to lube and rust protect the inner parts.

F1

mousemouse · 10-01-2009, 08:07 AM

@irish iron, agalindo and fearless1: thanks for the replys

I was thinking what you were saying fearless1, remove everything but the hard and not so dirty parts (thumb safety, grip safety and mag release). However, I plan on using simple green to scrub the poly frame and wash it with water afterwards. Can this method lead to problems like rusting for the parts i got wet? I'm thinking that the mag release and grip safety have springs and maybe these would rust?

fearless1 · 10-01-2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousemouse

@irish iron, agalindo and fearless1: thanks for the replys

I was thinking what you were saying fearless1, remove everything but the hard and not so dirty parts (thumb safety, grip safety and mag release). However, I plan on using simple green to scrub the poly frame and wash it with water afterwards. Can this method lead to problems like rusting for the parts i got wet? I'm thinking that the mag release and grip safety have springs and maybe these would rust?

You WILL certainly cause rust to appear especially in tight places like parts pin holes if you use any water or water based cleaning products on your gun (and don't use a moisture displacing rust inhibiting lube afterwards). Even if you use a chemical based cleaner that doesn't have any H20 in it, you can still expect rust to form on some parts (XDs like to rust in general)!

Because of XDs propensity to rust, I switched to using automotive axle grease to lube and protect against rust the parts that I have easy access too. I don't let it get grimy when I shoot a lot and unlike regular gun oils, it doesn't evaporate over time leaving the metal parts exposed to moisture. For hard to reach parts, first displace the moisture with something like Breakfree, then follow up with the axle grease using toothpicks and q-tips.

F1