Open Glock - steel challenge - flat vs reduced recoil

[jimbullet]

I have built an open glock from a G17 and wanting to use it for a steel challenge match.

I have the option of either

1. shoot lower power 9mm ammo - which resembles factory ammo and cycles in the gun with the spent cases almost just dropping out 3 inches off to the side, with the change in recoil spring. This however I experience a muzzle rise with the dot getting off the plates entirely then back; Or

2. crank up the load which increases the perceived recoil but making the gun shoot flatter with the dot still moving out but almost instantly gets back into a target.

Obviously I dont need to shoot the steel twice (hopefully if I dont miss) and would have needed the next shot anyway on the next target however between the two, what would you choose for a steel match?

[Henry625]

I too have an Open Glock G17 and shoot steel with it....one statement,.....load down, any muzzle flip is minimal compared to the "pop" of a major load for Steel Challenge. I could not get my Glock as flat shooting as a STI gun. I am of the belief that ANY muzzle gas has to have some effect on the comp, agreed not as much as major P/F ammo, but that blast from even minor loads has to impact the chambers of the comp somehow and the reduced load with the right weight spring will help.

I have gone to a faster burning powder for my minor P/F loads which I perceive to be softer feeling.

Just my perspective....

[peterthefish]

I'm assuming you have a comp if it's an open gun. Shoot 90 or 100 grain bullets. I shoot Berrys 100 GR HBRN bullets at 1300 FPS using AA7, HS-6, or something else that makes a good amount of gas to run the comp and keep it shooting flat.

[Rick88]

Shooting steel matches allows you to use bunny fart loads I would suggest getting rid of the comp. Reduce your spring, bullet and power weight to the lowest point that the bullet stabilizes and you get proper ejection and you will have no recoil. If at this point you think that your still getting movement a ported barrel could be useful, of course this is just an opinion... :-)

[hornetx40]

Light loads are best if they run the gun properly. When you get into colder weather for the 1 or 2 months that it cools off in LA. Your current load may not eject completely. Just get it going so the brass clears better or you will have jams. Then run that load all the time and you won't notice it after a bit of practice. If the brass is just dribbling out you may still have to heavy of a recoil spring. But make sure the gun always goes back into battery with a lighter spring.

[jimbullet]

Thanks for the inputs.

Peter, your load suggests a pf of 130, which is almost identical to the load I have, although I use 124 gr projectiles, HS6 powder that produced pf of 127.

Currently running this with a 3 port comp, using 11 lb recoil spring, the casings just about ejects to the side barely

Edited May 5, 2014 by jimbullet

[peterthefish]

Thanks for the inputs.

Peter, your load suggests a pf of 130, which is almost identical to the load I have, although I use 124 gr projectiles, HS6 powder that produced pf of 127.

Currently running this with a 3 port comp, using 11 lb recoil spring, the casings just about ejects to the side barely

Keep in mind that while the momentum (Power Factor) of our loads may be nearly the same, energy (1/2 mv^2) is not. The higher energy (I.e. Lighter and faster) load generates more free recoil and thus cycles the slide more energetically. As an example, I accidentally loaded some of my stock revolver rounds (147 gr 9mm at about 875 FPS) into my open auto mag this weekend (don't ask how).

Although the PF is nearly identical, the revolver rounds barely ejected trickling only 3" from the gun. The RO initially thought I squibbed and almost called a ceasefire except he saw the plates still falling.

On the flip side, the open rounds cycle my 9mm slide almost too energetically even though it is a heavier gun.

So if you have to load to a minimum PF (and are going for minor PF) and run a comp, I think a 100 GR bullet is best. But I just bought some 90 GR XTPs I plan to drive to 1450 FPS with N350 and HS-6 to see how they perform. Unless you are looking for Major PF I think lighter is better.

[Retread1911]

Thanks for the inputs.

Peter, your load suggests a pf of 130, which is almost identical to the load I have, although I use 124 gr projectiles, HS6 powder that produced pf of 127.

Currently running this with a 3 port comp, using 11 lb recoil spring, the casings just about ejects to the side barely

I am running 6.1 grains of HS-6 over a Montana gold 124 JHP at an OAL of 1.10. Power factor is a little higher. I had to run it up a little higher to get 100% function out of my gun.

How much HS-6 are you running to get 127 PF

[Nimitz]

I run an STI Steelmaster as my open SC gun with a 101 PF load. I like the lowest PF you can get away with the reliably cycles the gun ...

[jimbullet]

Thanks for the inputs.

Peter, your load suggests a pf of 130, which is almost identical to the load I have, although I use 124 gr projectiles, HS6 powder that produced pf of 127.

Currently running this with a 3 port comp, using 11 lb recoil spring, the casings just about ejects to the side barely

I am running 6.1 grains of HS-6 over a Montana gold 124 JHP at an OAL of 1.10. Power factor is a little higher. I had to run it up a little higher to get 100% function out of my gun.

How much HS-6 are you running to get 127 PF

Do you run your load on a comp'd gun? My load is 6.0 gr on HS6; used on a 3 port comp. OAL 1.130. Chrono was on a cloudy day.

Edited May 8, 2014 by jimbullet

[Retread1911]

Thanks for the inputs.

Peter, your load suggests a pf of 130, which is almost identical to the load I have, although I use 124 gr projectiles, HS6 powder that produced pf of 127.

Currently running this with a 3 port comp, using 11 lb recoil spring, the casings just about ejects to the side barely

I am running 6.1 grains of HS-6 over a Montana gold 124 JHP at an OAL of 1.10. Power factor is a little higher. I had to run it up a little higher to get 100% function out of my gun.

How much HS-6 are you running to get 127 PF

Do you run your load on a comp'd gun? My load is 6.0 gr on HS6; used on a 3 port comp. OAL 1.130. Chrono was on a cloudy day.

That is out as long as my major load. My gun runs either length just fine so I will leave my minor load where it is at.

Thanks for the verification.

Retread.