JasonS

Hey guys, I'm looking for recommendations on a universal pistol front/rear sight removal and tuning tool. Looking at getting this one: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=163458 But I'm open to suggestions. J

I guess I'm somewhat surprised by these 3. M&P Pro Zero JHP 125 N320 4.00 W/W W/W 1.055 1040 48 16 130.0 5+ Not Accurate in M&P M&P Pro Zero JHP 125 N320 4.20 W/W W/W 1.055 1081 43 13 135.1 9.00 Not Accurate in M&P M&P Pro Zero JHP 125 N320 4.40 W/W W/W 1.055 1094 41 11 136.8 5+ Not Accurate in M&P

Just out of curiosity, why would you need/want a squared trigger guard?

So my first .38 Super gun is on order, and scheduled to be ready in about 2 months (and it has a .355 barrel). Anyway, I'm in the process of getting all the reloading components stocked up, so I'm all ready to go when it gets here. Anyway this leads me to my dumb question. Are the Montana Gold .355 124 gr JHP, that are labeled 9mm the same as those used for .38 super? I just want to make sure I'm not missing any subtle difference between .355 9mm JHP, and .355 .38 super JHP. Thanks, J

I put one of these on order last night, at the recommendation of a buddy who works at my local range. http://www.shop.gimagclip.com/CartGenie/prod-8.htm http://www.gimagclip.com/garrett_industries_003.htm

+1 for this: It is perfectly normal and some times referred to the 'coke bottle' shape. I actually did this exact same post about 6 months ago. Anyway make sure your sizing die is just short of hitting the shell plate when it's fully up, and be sure to double check the loads in a case gauge, and even better funciton check them in your gun, before you load a bunch. J

I did a bunch of research, and settled on an FN SLP MK1, 22 inch 8+1. I'm pretty happy with it.

I guess I'm not in the majority, because I've noticed +/- 0.1 grain variability from my 650 when using Clay's. I haven't been reloading all that long, so maybe that's acceptable when using a digital scale that only has 0.1 digits grn of resolution, but it's worse than the throw accuracy I get when loading N320 for 9mm. I've also tried what I will call the "multi-throw average" technique, and what I found is that while I'd still get the single throw variation, but it averaged out about right, and gets better the more throws you average. Other than that it's a really soft shooting 45 powder, and I've been pretty happy with it. Testing with my chono and a 1911 showed that at 4.0 grains of regular Clays, using 230 grn MG CMJ's loaded to 1.25 with Winchester Primers, to be a pretty light load, <650 fps. Since then I've upped the load to 4.2 grains, but haven't had a chance to chrono it yet. Jason

Pretty sure. Chrono is a CED M2, with IR plates, at an indoor range. As I said earlier metering on the Clays varies a bit more than VV N320, but 10 throw average is pretty close to 4.0 gr. Jason

So I took that load to the range today with my chrono. Just to recap: 230 gr MG CMJ / 4.0 gr of Clays / WLP / 1.250 Shot out of a TRP Operator. Max: 649.4 FPS / 149.34 PF Min: 620.5 FPS / 142.71 PF 25 Round Average: 636.66 PFS / 146.43 PF So I'm well short of major. Unfortunately, I only had the one powder load with me today. Jason

Thanks guys, I'm going to get those books and DVD's on order ASAP. I do have a quick follow up question. I've mostly been looking at doing a .45, simply because it seems like it would be easier to build a .45 due to the availability of after market parts. I don't however really "need" another .45 (I have five already), and I'm thinking about possibly building a .40 1911, maybe even a 2011 instead (I don't currently have a .40 S&W). Would you guys recommend varying from a standard build like that? Or should I stick with the basics for building my first gun? As for how to build it. Wilsons seems to have some nice frame/slide combos I've been looking at. I've also considered buying a STI Sentry and tearing it apart to use as my base, but that just seems like cheating. (On the upside, if I did do it that way, I could easily choose my caliber.) Jason

I don't "need" to make major, as I'm not competing with any .45's. (Though I may decide to someday, so I'd rather practice with the right load now, rather than adjust to it later.) I can say, that 4.0 grains of clays, under a 230gr MG CMJ loaded to 1.250 is very soft shooting, and almost no smoke. In my TRP Operator it felt almost like a 9mm, when compared to .45 UMC production ammo. The only downside I've seen so far is that in my 650 Clays doesn't seem to meter as well as N320. Not horrible, but definately a noticable variation increase from the VV powder. (I didn't get a chance to go to the range and chrono that load today, as I had hoped, but based upon felt recoil I doubt that recipe is too much of hot a load.) I'll post some "real" data when I can get some range time with my chrono. I'd also be interested if anyone has a N320 recipe, to compare the Clays load against, if anyone loads that. Thanks, Jason

So I've been shooting awhile, and lately I've been thinking that it would be fun to build a 1911 from the frame up, as a learning experience. So my question for today, is are there any recommended general 1911 gun smithing books? I'm looking for things like: The pro's and con's of different spring weights. Ejector and Extractor tuning. And the like. Thanks Jason

Yeah, I expect you're right, but I wanted to start low. Function checked the Clay's load today, and its a nice soft shooting round, and they cycled well in my TRP Operator. I also didn't have any smoke problems with it, using CMJ's. I'll chrono them tomorrow, and see if I'm short of Major. Thanks for the advice, Jason

Getting ready to due a caliber swap in the 650 and load some 45 acp up for the first time. Anyway, I've been researching through the forum for some recipes using MG 230 gr CMJ's and from that research I think I've found what look like some good/popular 45 acp recipes. (Good because I have those powders and primers already.) 4.0 gr (plain) Clays to 1.25 OAL with WLP 4.3 gr Titegroup to 1.25 OAL with WLP I'm hoping someone can sanity check these two recipes before I load them up. Also there seems to be some debate, as to which powder burns cleaner, but heck I'll try them both and see for myself. I've also got some N320 and Universal sitting around, but those seem less popular (or atleast less used) for .45. However I would be interested if anyone has an opinion/recipe for N320 for .45 since I have a bunch that I use for 9mm. Thanks for the help. Jason

Koenig hammer, EGW hard sear, C&S disconnector, EGW sear spring, EGW Ti strut, EGW Ti MS cap, ISMI 19lb mainspring, ISMI 12.5lb recoil spring, SV trigger with short, curved insert, and SV ambi safeties. For a learning experience, the Koenig hammer might be more of a problem. I'd recommend one of the Brazos trigger job kits...good parts, some additional tweaking done to them by Bob, and all quality parts. R, Sorry, another dumb question, for ya Gman. If you're going to replace most of the internals, why buy the Trojan over the Spartan?

Kind of off subject, if I might ask Gman, what parts did you decide to go with on the replacements for your Trojan? I was considering doing something similar with my new 1911 if for nothing else, the learning experience of tuning it up myself. J

So I'm in the market for a new .45 1911. My first .45 1911 (bought before I discovered the joys of owning STI's) was a aluminum frame Kimber Tactical Custom II. While the light aluminum frame 1911 feels nice when you're carrying it on a belt, or holding it in the gun store, that gun (perceived or not) seems to kick like a mule, when compared to a steel frame Colt 1911 (owned by a buddy). The recoil comparison test has prompted me to look into getting an alternative 1911. Currently I'm looking at the STI Spartan, or an STI Sentry. (I've also been looking at a bull barrel, full rail, SA TRP Operator, but I sort of dismissed it because I wouldn't be able to shoot it in single stack, should I ever decide to.) As far as I can tell from the websites, there are only three apparent things that differentiate a Spartan from a Sentry. 1. Sentry has RecoilMaster 2. Sentry has an Ambi Safety (I'm left handed, so I'd have to add this to a Spartan.) 3. Sentry costs 700 dollars more. From researching this forum, and some fairly obvious math, there's no doubt that an STI Spartan would be the best bang for the buck. What I'm struggling with however is the fact that I'm doing this for less perceived recoil, and I don't have a feel for the recoil mitigation impact of having Recoil-Master. (Especially at a ~700 dollar cost upper.) Can anyone here who has shot both, comment on the felt recoil between the two in .45? Also if I missed any other important differences between the Spartan and the Sentry please point them out. Thanks, Jason

I guess I'm surprised so many people run SC, since it takes a different shellplate than 9mm, and would make the caliber swap between the two that much more annoying.

Awesome, thanks!

I just placed an order for my first 38 super, open gun. I've currently got my Dillion 650 setup for 9mm, additionally I have the caliber conversion kit to also load .45 ACP. (Which means I have both the large caliber, and small caliber pistol loading plate, and primer feed mechanisims for caliber conversions.) I do however have a couple of questions about what I will need to load 38super and 38 supercomp, that I don't currently have. 1. I plan to buy a new set of dies, will I need seperate dies for 38 super and 38 super comp, or will 1 work for both? 2. I've noticed alot of major recipes for 38 super, call for Small Rifle Primers. Will I need a 3rd primer feed mechanism or will the small pistol primer plate work for small rifle primers? (Same question for the pick up tubes.) 3. Will both 38 super and 38 super comp fit on my 9mm shell plate? (I've read that 38 super, will not fit on a .223 shell plate, but 38 super comp will. Does that mean, I need to get a shell plate for each?) Thanks, Jason

I've searched through alot of the older topics, and I understand from that research the differences in the base dimensions, and the interchangability issues with some gun extractors. My question is: Which are you shooting in your open gun, and why? (38 super, 38 supercomp, or heck even 38 TJ) Thanks

Sorry, still trying to get the bent pin out of the die, so I'm somewhat distracted. Yes they are Dillion 9mm dies.

Are the spare pistol decapping pins, interchangeable for all calibers? Thanks, Jason

Sorry another question. Like I said, I spent some time with the documentation and installation DVD to try to make sure I had the dies tuned properly. Make sure your Dillon Sizer die is contacting the shell plate when you adjust it. The manual states, that it should be "almost" touching. The installation DVD recommends, that you should screw it till it touches, then back off 1/2 turn. I did the latter, when I installed mine. So my sizer dies, is "almost" touching, but not actually contacting the shell plate. Did I do it right? I will definately try the barrel trick when I get home tonight. So far I've only tested the rounds cycling (by hand) in a fully assembled gun. Thanks, Jason