kneelingatlas

Yes! The weight of the comp makes a huge difference, once you've shot an aluminum or Ti comp, even the lightest steel comp feels like a turd on a stick!

I've only ever shot two 10mms: 5" 1911 and 6" Tanfo, I prefer the Tanfo

The problem with using a 1911/2011 comp on a Tanfoglio is that the bore axis and the top of the slide are not parallel so the comp will point down relative to the top edge of the slide. I know first hand: Eric Grauffel stocks factory three port comps in his webstore and depending on exchange rates they are ~$160 US. Combined with ports in the barrel these work very well and drop right into a Limited slide: Two things you should know about converting from 9 to 38: the base of a 9mm case is 0.391" whereas the base of a 38 case is 0.384" so a 9mm chamber is going to be a little loose at the base and will bulge cases a little more than normal. Also if you start with a 9mm slide, the breech face is too small for 38 Super rims and will only run 38 Supercomp. There's lots more to consider, but I don't have time to recap my last three years of experiments at the moment

Yes!

The Limited is a great shooter in 9mm (that would be my choice for a pure range toy), best resale value will be .40 because it is a competition pistol and that is the caliber for the intended division; 9mm will be a close second in resale with 45, 10mm and 38 super dwindling behind. It's SAO so it would not be my first choice for home defense. To fill that role you can get a Witness steel DA/SA in addition for a very reasonable price.

I get that the front of the peanut hits the pin as the slide comes out of battery, but the rearward motion of the slide is stopped by the frame, not the pin.

If I can push a 115gr to 181 PF in a 9mm, I'm sure you can make 216 with a 40, same approach: a whole case full of slow powder. I imagine Longshot will work, but the slower you go the safer it will be, I would use 3N38, N105, AA9, True Blue or something in that range. There's plenty of 10mm book loads which get you where you want to be, just pick one and back off the charge as you shorten the case. Like Noy said 40 brass is a little thinner but as long as you're using a supported chamber and new brass it shouldn't be an issue. I'll bet Longshot at 216PF produces less chamber pressure than Titegroup at 180

Matt, your experience supports the idea that slide stop breakage has nothing to do with PF and happens on the slide's return to battery. I think it's a matter of barrel fitment and recoil spring choice, which would explain why some pistols never break slide stops and others break them frequently. I've been shooting CZs, most of which are custom Open guns of my own design for over three years and have never broken a slide stop.

Do they plunk test OK?

It sounds like your chamber is shorter than your case gauge, I plunk test all my ammo in the barrel of my pistol. In my 9mm Tanfo I had to load JHPs down to ~1.13" until I reamed the throat. How long are your rounds?

I have two 38s, many more 9s, I'm very close to selling off the 38s altogether.

I got you mixed up with gennaro and now that I reread his comments, they're much more bullish on 9 than I remembered

The plunk test doesn't tell you anything about the mags.

With round nosed bullets you should be able to load out to ~1.170-1.180 I shot a match with RN bullets loaded to 1.189" and had the occasional long round hag up.

Is your TS a 40? If so I definitely suggest a TS 40 for a back up. You don't really want to carry double ammo, belt, mags, etc do you?

Garmil, I own 9s and 38s, although no two set up exactly the same for a direct comparison, but I keep going back and forth on 38. I hate keeping track of the brass, but at least in theory, 38 should produce more gas with a bigger charge keeping the gun flatter. The trouble is when I see load data like yours, I have a Tanfo very similar to yours in 9mm, and I make I can also make ~170 PF with the loads you posted under a 115gr bullet. So with an identical charge of the same powder, I would imagine the gas volume to be the same and just from my experience comparing 100gr bullets to 115s I imagine it would be softer in the hand given the same comp/ports. Now that EAA has some reasonably priced 6" barrels I'm really temped to build one identical to my 9 for comparison, but I'm changing to a 1050 and thinking of selling my 38 guns/dies/brass altogether. You recently said the 38 is better than the 9, what types of comparisons have you done?

Thanks for the heads up

I empty it every time.

That's fantastic! I've been dreaming of something similar

That looks great arkadi? Is that your pistol? Did you make the cone comp yourself?

If you're going to build a race car, you won't be happy running pump gas.

Step one: buy reloading press Step two: build Open gun Step three: smile

Wow! I just looked up the barrel for you on the EAA website and they're down to $191 from 321! http://eaacorp.com/gun_accessories/index.php/parts/tanfoglio/witness/barrels/6-match-grade-barrel-9mm-302331.html

Making major in a 9mm V12 is possible with all but the slowest popular Open powders, although it is pretty hard on the gun and hard in the hand. Now that Eric is carrying the V8 three port comp its pretty easy to turn a Limited into a custom Open gun.

This one is 9 major and it chronos faster than my 2011 with a 5.4" barrel and no holes.