Newguy

Gun Geek, I guess I must be lucky since I've loaded 50-60k rounds on a 550B and never had a double charge. Come to think of it, I've never had a squib with a 550. Wish I could say the same for the 650 -- that little blue nut is too loose and the charges are all over the place. I sold my 550 to buy the 650 because I thought it was faster. Yea, it's faster when everything works right, which occurs only some of the time. I miss my 550. Slow, ponderous, etc., but stone cold reliable and when there's a problem it's less than a 5 minute fix. What I'm saying is that 3chux made the right decision on the 550. The 650 is finicky, especially for a new reloader. IMHO, the 550 is the best machine to learn on. Titegroup is my choice for .40 but I never loaded 9 on it.

I just changed from a .38 super to a 9mm. Apart from the barrel you may also want to change the ejector and possibly the extractor -- see if the gun ejects right first. The trickiest part is the mags and the bullets. Some people use SVI mags without a spacer and others use one. STI mags will probably need a spacer (check with Grams Engineering). If you use STI mags with a spacer the OAL will be crucial-- over 1.170 and the bullets get stuck in the tube. Finding the right load may be also a little tricky but there are some good loads on this site -- I use 124 gr. JHP MG with 7.6 gr. Tru Blu at a 1.60 OAL The 9mm can be a little dicey to run right so plan on spending some time working out the bugs. On the other hand, maybe you'll get lucky and you won't have any problems.

Has anyone tried Precision or other moly bullets for major 9mm open? Precision claims no leading up to 2000 fps -- way fast enough to make major. But, I'm concerned about leading in the barrel and especially the comp (I HATE cleaning guns, especially comps). My interest is: (1) less powder for the same velocity (should shoot softer), (2) cheaper, and (3) the possibility of SAFELy going down to 115 gr.

I was having a heck of a time with ejection problems in my open gun -- stovepipes, case not ejecting, etc. Tried a new ejector and tuned the extractor to death. Still problems. Finally, one day I grabbed my hanky and cleaned up the stickiness on the bullets. Voila! Ejection problems ended. I take the stickiness of One-Shot (maybe it was also combined with brass cleaner) seriously now. No more brass cleaner -- straight walnut and I tumble my match rounds. The One-Shot may take less work on the press, but it takes me longer to tumble a second time.

I know this question has been touched on in earlier posts, but it has never really been addressed directly. Anyway, here goes. Most people shooting 9mm use a 124 gr bullet and a smaller range of powders that will fit into the case and make the pf. My understanding is that the 9 has a shorter stroke and in combination with the heavier bullet may require a different comp design. Is there a comp design that's especially good for a 9mm without barrel holes?

Check this link for a diagram http://www.45gunparts.com/parts_diagram.html This will show you where all the parts go on a 1911. What you're wanting to do is the same on a 1911 as a 2011. But, if you want to clean the trigger channel it's a little more difficult since the grips on a 2011 need to be removed from the frame. Not really difficult but different than what the diagram shows. Only 3 screws keep the 2011s grip on the frame -- the two top ones and a small screw at the front of the trigger guard. Don't bother removing the lower screws on the grip frame since they're only cosmetic. You don't really need to buy a book to fgure out how to dismatle the gun. The steps are: 1. Remove the slide 2. Jiggle out the single or ambi thumb safety 3. Remove the pin holding the mainspring housing to the frame/grips 4. Remove the grip safety 5. Slide the mainspring housing out and the sear spring will pop out 6. Push out the two pins on the frame -- the hammer and sear pins You're now ready to clean. When you put everything back remember to have the legs of the sear spring rest on the sear and trigger bow. That's pretty well it.

While taking a class with Max Michel and Travis Tomasie, I noticed that my groups were off -- way off. The gun wouldn't group well at all. Three shots in a group then two flyers -- high and low. The first handcycled shot was way off. I figured it was me, but because I wasn't sure, I asked Travis to try it. It wouldn't group well for him either, especially the first shot. Here's the load and the gun: MG 124 gr. JHP 7.8 gr. Ramshot Tru Blue OAL=1.163 9mm range brass STI frame, slide and barrel Bedell titanium comp I can't load much longer or else it won't work in the STI mag using Bevan's folowers and spacers. I'm hoping it's the load since I don't want to mess with the barrel, which only has less than 5k rounds through it.. Any suggestions on where I might be going wrong?

Brian, although I voted yes, I actually made the roller handle myself. I prefer the roller handle because after loading several hundred rounds with the ball the web between my fingers would be raw to the point of bleeding. The roller handle eliminated that problem. I do have a "real Dillon" roller handle on 650.

I'm also shooting 124 gr. but at a slightly lower pf. My 5" gun works best with an 8 lb spring and a Sprinco. At tis point, I'm more concerned with reliability than feel. I figure I can always get used to feel but not unreliability. I'd start with 8 then 9 then 10 and 11. I use the lowest spring weight that keeps the gun reliable.

Dry-firing is a great way to develop gun good skills but it isn't very effective in getting rid of a flinch. If you dry fire enough you won't flinch, but as soon as you start live fire the sound and recoil will bring it back. I've heard other suggestions about going to a .22 to get rid of the flinch as then going back up to a major caliber. I've found that it makes the flinch worse since the recoil of the major caliber feels even more ferocious after shooting a .22 for a while. A couple of questions. First, what kind of gun and ammo are you using? Second, are you doubling up on ear protection (a lot of flinch results from sound)? Focusing on a flinch will lead nowhere since it's an almost involuntary response. Instead, focus on keeping your eyes open through recoil without blinking and don't worry about flinching. If your eyes are open and not blinking the flinch will fix itself. Besides, I've found I have more control over my eyes than my flinch. Shooting at an empty berm is a good suggestion since you're not worrying about your hits, only watching the gun through recoil. Jutting your chin out or slightly opening your mouth also makes it a little harder to blink. I've even seen some shooters biting down on empty cases (presumably clean) to keep from blinking. Second, focus on pulling the trigger straight back. Press, feel the reset, and then press again.

8 lb Wolff with Sprinco. Works more reliably with 8 lb compared to 9 lb or higher.

Bob, sorry I must have been unclear. The gun is open in 9mm and I'm loading to major pf.

Although I agree with Alan about comparing the round to factory ammo, you may be disappointed. 9 loaded to major will flatten out the primer much more than factory ammo. The amount of flattening that's acceptable is the question. I generally look at the outer rim of the primer hole to see if there's still some curvature left. But, I guess everyone has their own method and their own tolerance for risk.

I recently worked up a load using Hornady 147 gr., 6.6 gr. Ramshot Tru Blue, OAL 1.150. The load just makes major out of my 5" STI, STI comp, no barel porting. The first load was 6.2 gr. of Tru Blue and it was nice. Only problem it was a 161 pf. You could really feel the difference when the load was upped to 165. The heavier bullets made the gun feel like it was less snappy and recoiling more straight back (probably an illusion). It may have flipped a little more than the 124 gr. But, the dot was consistent and came right down. It was also less squiggly than the 124 gr. Some of that may be related to the softness of the load and my grip being somewhat more neutral in response. It was definitely more pleasant to shoot than the lighter bullets. Since there's a lot of room left in the case, I may try a slower powder. Anyway, I'm still experimenting and haven't loaded enough to know whether I prefer it over the 124 gr.

Because of what I read here (and Saul Kirsch's recommendation), I decided to waste more money and try a thumb rest. Since I'm left-handed my only choice was the Rescomp. But, the Rescomp is designed to fit on a double-sided mount with a 3-hole C-More pattern. I had a double sided Weigand mount which I cut down to a single side. Anyway, I used the discarded side to make a plate and then drilled and tapped both into the frame. Like most of the stuff on my gun it ain't pretty but it works. Having small hands and a short index finger makes a solid grip a problem on a double-stack, even with grip modifications. If the gun sits in the web of my hand my trigger finger touches the frame (using the shortest trigger possible) if I use the middle pad of my finger. Anyway, my shots have tended to drift right in transitions and longer strings of fire. My grip also felt uneven. My verdict: I was initally concerned that I'd use it as a lever to push my second shot lower. It didn't happen. The thumb rest has helped make my grip feel firmer and more stable. Even when the gun is not exactly in the web of my hand, the additional brace of the thumb rest provides a more solid shooting platform. My grip just feels more solid and neutral. The lateral drift is not as pronounced. I also don't have to grip as tight, which helps relax my trigger finger. In short, I think it's helped a LOT. OTOH, I can see why some people hate them since they're just aother gadget to get in the way. I guess it all boils down to individual physiology.

I went from a C-More to an Aimpoint. For whatever reason, I find it's easier to pick up the dot on the Aimpoint. It's not only because the Aimpoint dot is brighter but also because the the tube helps me index. I don't think my times are better with the Aimpoint or that my transitions are faster, but my confidence level is higher. I'm not as worried about losing the dot on a stage as I was with the C-More which makes me more relaxed on the shooting line. OTOH, the lighter weight the C-More probably makes it more competitive in the right hands. I underline _in the right hands_.

With the Swenson ambi I couldn't rack the slide without tearing up my hands. But, I had already flattened the rear of the slide so there was no material left to cut a Bomar-style groove for a slide racker. So, I found a piece of thin steel and then shaped it using a bench grinder. I then had it welded to the top of slide bending to the right side (I'm a lefty). On top of that I welded a hex nut. While the gun won't win the Gucci prize for fashion I can now rack it now without tearing up my hands.

I'm surprised to see anyone mention JMB's orginal design on this forum. Most of the guns here have been so bastardized -- comps, Bomars, red dots, double stack, wide ambi thumb safeties, recoil reducers, tungsten and bull barrels, etc. -- that they little in common with the original 1911 design. These guns are about reliability, accuracy and speed not "purity."

My apologies beforehand for taking the post a little off. But, which comp would people suggest for a 9mm open. Is there a difference in the shorter 9mm case in the way that gas is expelled that would make one comp perform better than another?

Short round, you're right that finding the dot has to do with index. Getting a good index isn't too hard in leisurely practice, but it's definitely harder under match pressure or when shooting in a weird position. Or, when you're just off that day or when your draw isn't exactly right. Or ......

I've noticed that the top shooters who don't regularly shoot open (Leatham, Munson and I'm sure others) seem to prefer the Aimpoint. It also seems that European shooters like Grauffel and Kirsch wouldn't go with Aimpoint -- even if they were sponsored -- if it was inferior. At their level, they can't afford to compromise on equipment even if they're sponsored. I've gone back and forth between the Tasco (similar to the Aimpoint) and the C-More. For whatever reason, I'm more comfortable with a tube sight. Mmaybe it's the security of the tube or as Brian says it's just more similar to how I (we) see and do things. Despite the extra weight, my draw times and transitions are similar. What I lose in the weight I seem to make up for in faster sight acquisition. On the other hand, I think in the right hands and with the right practice the C-More is probably more competitive. But, that's relative to the shooter. Some people have no problem finding the C-More dot (or with the parallax) while others struggle with it. In the end, it's what works best for you in terms of your physiology and how you see things.

A lot of guys are debating whether to build or convert their open guns to 9 major. Some of us with 9's are pulling our hair out over ejection and feeding problems. It would be great to have a column that compares the 9 to .38 super. The column could also include potential problems with the 9 and some solutions (e.g., ejection, magazines, extractors, possible differences in extractor tension between a 9mm and .38 super, etc.), and the best comp (or at least what to look for in a 9mm comp). It could also include mag modifications for the 9mm and some suggestions for slide lightening in the 9mm compared to the .38 super. The column(s) would accomplish two things: (1) help people decide whether it's worth going to a 9mm, and (2) help those of us with 9's to resolve some problems.

I haven't checked the crimp on my loaded rounds -- including 9mm open rounds -- in years. I just run my finger between the bullet and the case mouth to see if it feels smooth. The shiny spot on the case mouth where it meets the bullet should be about the width (thickness) of a fingernail. Rick is right -- it's the sizing die that determines case tension and whether the bullet will be held in tight. All the crimp should do is remove the bell from the case. I think there was an article in Frontsight a few years ago about not crimping at all. BTW, apart from the sizing die, you might want to make sure you're not belling out the case mouth too much.

Reloading 9mm for production isn't cost-effective and not worth the hassles. By the time you buy a good press, tumbler, calipers, dies, primers, powder, bullets, reloading books, etc., the cost is probably close to $1,000. Plus the dozens of hours spent in learning reloading and the time it takes to get the press running right. It would take a long time to make that up when 9mm ammo costs $5 a box. Try to find a local reloader and tell them what you want -- lower pf ammo. If you buy it in batches of 1,000 or more the price should be decent.

This is one of the downsides of the 9mm -- less choice in bullet weight and powders. The 9mm loaded to major power factor is always on the edge of high pressure and I don't think it's prudent to choose a bullet lighter than 124 gr. It's one of the compromises you have to make to shoot 9mm major. BTW, I also shoot 9 major.