I grew up around Milford and got to tour the production facility with Larry and my FFL who had a few 32s on order around 1993/94. I actually got to watch the 32 I own be made. Back then Larry was recommending the use of EEZOX for lube. He went on and on about the reasons and to this day it’s the only lube I use on any of my Seecamp guns. A little goes a long way and I have never run them wet.

quote:

Originally posted by cee_Kamp:
The spring loaded plunger that retains the slide on a Seecamp is on the left rear on the frame of the pistol.
That plunger has a protruding male rectangular section the physically rides in the female interior groove in the slide.
Excessive lubrication in the left side slide/frame rail groove is scraped off the groove as the slide reciprocates during operation.
Since fluids are non compressible, the resultant hydraulic pressure from the excessive lubrication depresses the plunger like a piston in a hydraulic cylinder.
Then your Seecamp slide launches downrange.
That's why Eezox is the recommended lubricant. Apply, let it dry, wipe off the excess.
Seecamp pistols work exactly as advertised when run virtually dry.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2R7LGDqCU95jhDfL6

I can’t imagine putting less oil on it. It was bone dry and I added barely enough to see the color change on the metal. Certainly not enough to scrape off. When I shoot a new gun, I like it to almost be dry. Then I’ll take it apart to see the new wear marks so I know whats actually touching where. Oddly enough when researching, Seecamp doesn’t mention the slide flys off if you get a drop of sweat or oil or a raindrop on the gun. Im sure that wouldn’t help sales.

For those of you that have a Seecamp .32ACP, you can get your range practice using "relatively" inexpensive Winchester White Box FMJ Q4255.
Larry Seecamp gave that WWB Q4255 ammo his blessing for range use.
It uses a truncated cone flat point projectile, and is close enough to hollow point self defense ammo projectile shape and length it works just fine for range duty.
Seecamp .32ACP pistols have a "filler" at the rear of the magazines which prevents using round nose FMJ ammo, due to the possibility of "rimlock" failures.

I've taken my Seecamp .32ACP to the range and shot at a full sized steel IPSC target at 50 yards.
As most know, Seecamp pistols are not equipped with sights.
I can hit that 50 yard steel IPSC target with every shot, you just have to "sight" across the top of the slide.
I carry my Seecamp .32ACP every day.
We all know .32ACP isn't a traditional "fight stopper" cartridge, but I've never found a volunteer that wanted two to the body, and one to the face.

Send your Seecamp back to the Factory and have them look at it. I have zero personal experience with the new Massachusetts based owners, but I have heard their Customer Service is responsive.

Mine is an older Milford 32, back when you could even get a custom serial number. I have only used Eezox on it along with their recommended ammo and have never had an issue. Can’t vouch for the new guns, but the older Milford guns were very reliable. Sucks to hear about your new one, hope they make it right.

I did get mine with the $35 upgrade for the custom serial number.
My initials and the caliber is my Seecamp serial number.
IIRC, maximum of eight characters due to space limitations.

quote:

Originally posted by cee_Kamp:
For those of you that have a Seecamp .32ACP, you can get your range practice using "relatively" inexpensive Winchester White Box FMJ Q4255.
Larry Seecamp gave that WWB Q4255 ammo his blessing for range use.
It uses a truncated cone flat point projectile, and is close enough to hollow point self defense ammo projectile shape and length it works just fine for range duty.
<snip>

Might be a worthy self defense round too. Good penetration, and a a truncated cone flat point projectile would probably be a bit more disruptive than a round nose bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by cee_Kamp:
The spring loaded plunger that retains the slide on a Seecamp is on the left rear on the frame of the pistol.
That plunger has a protruding male rectangular section the physically rides in the female interior groove in the slide.
Excessive lubrication in the left side slide/frame rail groove is scraped off the groove as the slide reciprocates during operation.
Since fluids are non compressible, the resultant hydraulic pressure from the excessive lubrication depresses the plunger like a piston in a hydraulic cylinder.
Then your Seecamp slide launches downrange.
That's why Eezox is the recommended lubricant. Apply, let it dry, wipe off the excess.
Seecamp pistols work exactly as advertised when run virtually dry.

Thanks for the explanation...that really is a viable explanation for what happened to the OP. Even if it wasn't excessive lube, I could see a small burr, piece of dirt, or even inertia doing the same thing. I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be relying on that design.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I have a crappy Jennings 22 that did the whole unintended and unexpected slide ejection thing on the range the other day. The Jennings is a pot-metal POS...nothing like the finely crafted Seecamp. The slide is retained by a rearward-facing J-hook at the bottom of the striker spring retaining cap...the spring pressure from the striker spring pressed it rearward and engages a cross-pin in the frame. To remove the slide, you push that plunger forward to disengage the hook from the pin, and lift up.

My first time out shooting it, I tired my go-to Federal Automatch and some Federal Champion, neither of which would reliably cycle the slide. The guy who gave it to me also gave me a box of CCI Stingers and told me it would work with those. He was right...it ran flawlessly with the Stingers. Then I tried some Aguila Super-Extra that I had in my range bag. I got two clean shots and then the slide flew off and the disassembled all of its internals all over then range. I found them all, put it back together, and like an idiot, tried it again. On the next mag it blew apart again. Miraculously, I found the parts again, put it back together, and switched back to the CCI Stingers. It finished the box of those without an issue.

Apparently, the inertia of the Stingers was just right to match the "tune" of this little piece of garbage. The Federal ammo wasn't hot enough to cycle the slide, but the Aguila hit some sweet spot that bounced that plunger just right to allow it to unhook under recoil and "dynamically dissassemble" the gun. I wonder if something similar is happening with the detent on the OP's Seecamp?