[Pinning 2011 Hammer in Place]

For me, one of the goals in dry fire is to drop the hammer without disturbing the sight picture. Capturing the hammer would not allow that.

 

Note that the firing pin spring wll take a beating and should be replaced frequently.

 

Also, inspect the firing pin stop as it may crack.

 

[Xtreme Bullet 180 RNFP Grain 40 cal not going full battery]

Do rounds that fail to go into battery show any signs that the bullet contacted the rifling?

 

Are case lengths consistent? If not there may be some variability in the crimp.

 

[SS mag pouches]

I see quite a few Safariland pouches being used.

 

[Budget SS Pistol Upgrades?]

In SS if you are moving, you're trloading, so a mag well is beneficial. Since you also specfying new grips, you might look at the Hogue Extreme grips ttat have the grips extended along with a new mainspring housing that is also extended, making a mag well from the three.

How are the sights?

[Small Primer Stuck in Pick Up Tube]

Water will not "kill" a primer.  It will make it harder to detonate, but a heavy enough blow could be a problem.

 

[Before I get into reloading question(s)]

The club chronograph should serve until you fel any need to have your own.

 

Selecting a press is a balance between price, quantity oof ammunition to be loaded and the time you are willing to invest.

 

 

 

 

[25 year competitor, 1 year of experience]

Dry fire is a great means to improve.

 

[Winchester small pistol primers?]

While you say you are seating them completely, the only time I have been able to document primers firing on a second firing pin strike is when they were not completely seated.  How far below flush with the case are they seated?

 

I would take a sample group of cases, uniform the primer pockets and seat the primers to 0.003 - 0.005" below flush with the case and try them., If they all fire, it may have been a seating problem.  If not, more suspicion on the primers.

[pics from the first Bianchi Cup]

Hi Heidy - how are you doing?

Guy Neill

 

[Velocity calculation at given distance]

Go to the JBM website and use their ballistic calculator.

 

[front sight keeps on shearing off - Why?]

Have you talked to Brazos about it?

 

[Trouble shooting for 45 acp]

It makes me think the slide is not traveling far enough back to lock open.  What weight recoil spring is in the gun? You might try a lighter spring.

Is there a Shok-Buff in the gun? That could limit the rearward movement of the slide as well.

 

[Gimped Primers]

If the primer cup is deformed, it is not able to completely fit the primer pocket.  This will allow gases to escape when fired and will very likely erode the breech face of the gun.

 

Best top not use a deformed primer.

 

 

[Iron sights won’t budge]

It seems you could widen the rear notch or thin the front sight blade to affect an adjustment.  The amount to remove can be calculated.

 

 

 

[230gr Blue Bullets Unique, TG or Sport Pistol]

I believe Bullseye was the original powder used in the 45 ACP

 

[9 minor: Fast vs Slow powder. what to expect]

Since the powder charge is a component of the recoil, whichever powder requires more to obtain the bullet velocity will have more recoil - whether or not you can notice it.

 

Also, whichever uses more powder will give fewer loads per pound of powder.

 

There's nothing wrong with either powder, as it depends on which best meets your needs.

 

[Vihtavuori powders]

On another web forum, it was posted that the importation of many of the Vihtavuori powders would stop.

 

From the Vihtavuori website, it states it is only a rumor.

 

Fact Check - Vihtavuori powders continued support for the reloading community - Vihtavuori

[Book max seems low for N320, plated 124gn 9mm.]

The reloading manuals, at least those I'm personally familiar with are not conservative.  All the maximum loads I hsve developed for manuals have been as close to SAAMI MAP (Maximum Average Pressure) as possible without going over.  That's not being conservative.

 

But, yes, reloading data HAS changed over the years, but not due to being conservative.  In the 1950's or so, none of the manuals (that I'm aware of) for load development.  They used case head expansion measurements - a very poor means of trying to determine pressure. 

[Full length dust cover 1911 frames]

Here's what Baer shows on the website.

 

Les Baer Custom Inc.

 

 

[Full length dust cover 1911 frames]

You might check with Les Baar.  I don't know if he is selling just frames, but he does have a full-length dust cover 1911 the last I knew.

 

[New Springfield double-stack ?]

Brownell's lisfting for Prodigies

 

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY 1911 DS PRODIGY 9MM LUGER HANDGUN | Brownells

 

 

[So now that Win 244 has been out for a while, what are people thinking about it?]

When I originally tested 231 vs 244, the charge weights were the same, but 244 gave higher velocities.

 

Load

Number          231          SD       244          SD

1                      638.5      30.2     972.0       23.2

2                     713.7       240.3    1012.5     17.5

3                     766.6       20.0     1069.5      13.6

4                     794.0       56.5      1123.8      10.8

 

These are 9mm Luger using 124 coated bullets fiured from a SA Loaded pistol.

 

[Best bullet weight for coated 9mm competition]

I've always liked the 124 - 125 grain bullets in the 9mm.

 

[Need help picking out a 1911 in 45acp for single stack USPSA.]

Have you looked at the Springfield Loaded?  Seems to me it only lacks front strap checkering.

 

[Reloading in garage - Need setup tips]

Heat is the enemy for powder and primers.  It likely would take prolonged storage in heat to seriously affect them, but it is known that heat will deteriorate them.

 

Steel, as in dies and presses, are likely most affected by humid conditions.  If you can insulate and AC the garage it would likely be better fdor the tools.