Help me understand! - The Firearms Forum

BlackGun · 10-12-2003, 05:44 PM

I have been building custom 45's now for a couple of years. My guns group pretty well for starting off with the prototype "Frankenstrein" as some of you will remember! I'm now dealing with a magnaported slide/barrel combo on a Colt 70 series frame. The barrel and frame are mirror polished. I went to the range, getting ready for recertification through Texas D.P.S this comming Monday, today and burned a few rounds. I won't go into the ammo I used, ya'll laugh at me. I'm surrering stove pipeing and fail to feed and fail to eject problems, intermittedently. We will be shooting against the clock weith tuerning targets and any malfunction must be cleared and gotten off before times runs out and the target turns or you will suffer penelalitys which , in my case, I can't afford. I hear that some 45's like some ammo and not others. I have fed this beast, El Cheap'o ammo, like wolf, American Eaggle and PMC. I tried my reloads, which are crap. Any last minute suggestions as to what to do before driving 250 miles and facing failure, besides taking the same gun I took last year, which is the ole faithfull Mod. 39 Smith! Any Match ammo that may fit my bill. At this point, money is no object! Failure to requaify may cost me in the neighborhood of $30,000.00 this next physical year! Sam! Overnight me a no foul race gun!

gamachinist · 10-12-2003, 09:14 PM

If you aren't limited to carring the gun you qualified with,I go with one you can rely on.If you are under pressure,the last thing you need to do is wonder if the gun will act up!
Robert.

bigboom338 · 10-12-2003, 11:00 PM

yep what he said.

Shooter45 · 10-13-2003, 04:31 AM

Steve,

It will take a little time to fix your pistol as several things are wrong. Auto's with ported barrels or comps need hot ammo to cycle. Your problems are due to springs, extractor, and ammo.

The recertification is important so I'd suggest shooting something very reliable.

Your 1911 problems can be fixed but will be a bit time consuming.

Xracer · 10-13-2003, 08:05 AM

I agree with Shooter......sounds like mainly a recoil spring/ammo mismatch to me. A standard spring with lightly loaded target ammo will do exactly as you describe.

Try using fullpower factory loads.....or use a gun that you can rely on for qualifying.

BlackGun · 10-13-2003, 09:57 AM

Ok, I'm using all wolff Springs with an 18lb recoil spring and a wilson combat extractor. with this set up what would be a suggested ammo? Your also righ, I'll take the 39, it's never failed me and it shoots anything and with 1000's u[pon thousands of rounds fired through it, it still groups very well.

BlackGun · 10-13-2003, 10:03 AM

magnaported

10-13-2003, 11:53 AM

230gr +P. Hold FIRM.

Shooter45 · 10-13-2003, 12:03 PM

Blackgun,

Try some Blazer, PMC, or other hot ammo. Then start lightning the recoil spring a little at a time.

The only factory ammo that would shoot in my .40 cal. race gun was 165 gr. PMC along with an 8 lb. [ i think] recoil spring.

Xracer · 10-14-2003, 08:47 AM

With a Wolff 18, you'll want at least a fullpower factory load. Trying to shoot light/target loads with a Wolff 18 is a guarantee of stovepipes, FTF, and ejection problems.

Generally speaking, with .45ACP:

+P Loads: 18 to 20 lb. recoil spring.

Standard Factory Load: 16 lb. (the normally supplied spring)

Light/Target/Match Loads: 10 to 14 lb. (depending on the load)

For general shooting, you're probably better off with a standard 16 lb. spring.

Also, IMO, Wolff springs tend to run a tad stronger than advertised.

10-12-2003, 05:44 PM	#1
BlackGun Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 4,512	Help me understand! I have been building custom 45's now for a couple of years. My guns group pretty well for starting off with the prototype "Frankenstrein" as some of you will remember! I'm now dealing with a magnaported slide/barrel combo on a Colt 70 series frame. The barrel and frame are mirror polished. I went to the range, getting ready for recertification through Texas D.P.S this comming Monday, today and burned a few rounds. I won't go into the ammo I used, ya'll laugh at me. I'm surrering stove pipeing and fail to feed and fail to eject problems, intermittedently. We will be shooting against the clock weith tuerning targets and any malfunction must be cleared and gotten off before times runs out and the target turns or you will suffer penelalitys which , in my case, I can't afford. I hear that some 45's like some ammo and not others. I have fed this beast, El Cheap'o ammo, like wolf, American Eaggle and PMC. I tried my reloads, which are crap. Any last minute suggestions as to what to do before driving 250 miles and facing failure, besides taking the same gun I took last year, which is the ole faithfull Mod. 39 Smith! Any Match ammo that may fit my bill. At this point, money is no object! Failure to requaify may cost me in the neighborhood of $30,000.00 this next physical year! Sam! Overnight me a no foul race gun! __________________ He who angers you, controls you! an armed man is a citizen an unarmed man is a subject a disarmed man is a slave --> Last edited by BlackGun; 10-12-2003 at 05:50 PM..

10-12-2003, 11:00 PM	#3
bigboom338 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: South Dakota Posts: 399	yep what he said. __________________ "Aim Small Miss Small"

10-13-2003, 09:57 AM	#6
BlackGun Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 4,512	Ok, I'm using all wolff Springs with an 18lb recoil spring and a wilson combat extractor. with this set up what would be a suggested ammo? Your also righ, I'll take the 39, it's never failed me and it shoots anything and with 1000's u[pon thousands of rounds fired through it, it still groups very well. __________________ He who angers you, controls you! an armed man is a citizen an unarmed man is a subject a disarmed man is a slave Last edited by BlackGun; 10-13-2003 at 10:00 AM..

10-13-2003, 10:03 AM	#7
BlackGun Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Texas Posts: 4,512	magnaported Attached Images __________________ He who angers you, controls you! an armed man is a citizen an unarmed man is a subject a disarmed man is a slave

10-12-2003, 09:14 PM	#2
gamachinist V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Locust Grove GA Posts: 213	If you aren't limited to carring the gun you qualified with,I go with one you can rely on.If you are under pressure,the last thing you need to do is wonder if the gun will act up! Robert.

10-13-2003, 04:31 AM	#4
Shooter45 Administrator Join Date: Feb 2001 Contributor Posts: 8,747	Steve, It will take a little time to fix your pistol as several things are wrong. Auto's with ported barrels or comps need hot ammo to cycle. Your problems are due to springs, extractor, and ammo. The recertification is important so I'd suggest shooting something very reliable. Your 1911 problems can be fixed but will be a bit time consuming.

10-13-2003, 08:05 AM	#5
Xracer TFF Admin Staff Mediator Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Minn-eeee-sota, ya, sure, you bet! Posts: 9,144	I agree with Shooter......sounds like mainly a recoil spring/ammo mismatch to me. A standard spring with lightly loaded target ammo will do exactly as you describe. Try using fullpower factory loads.....or use a gun that you can rely on for qualifying.

10-13-2003, 11:53 AM	#8
CountryGunsmith_X Adnanced Senior Member Posts: n/a	230gr +P. Hold FIRM.

10-13-2003, 12:03 PM	#9
Shooter45 Administrator Join Date: Feb 2001 Contributor Posts: 8,747	Blackgun, Try some Blazer, PMC, or other hot ammo. Then start lightning the recoil spring a little at a time. The only factory ammo that would shoot in my .40 cal. race gun was 165 gr. PMC along with an 8 lb. [ i think] recoil spring.

10-14-2003, 08:47 AM	#10
Xracer TFF Admin Staff Mediator Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Minn-eeee-sota, ya, sure, you bet! Posts: 9,144	With a Wolff 18, you'll want at least a fullpower factory load. Trying to shoot light/target loads with a Wolff 18 is a guarantee of stovepipes, FTF, and ejection problems. Generally speaking, with .45ACP: +P Loads: 18 to 20 lb. recoil spring. Standard Factory Load: 16 lb. (the normally supplied spring) Light/Target/Match Loads: 10 to 14 lb. (depending on the load) For general shooting, you're probably better off with a standard 16 lb. spring. Also, IMO, Wolff springs tend to run a tad stronger than advertised.