bluedevil008 Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 (edited) Hello everyone, I am new to the 2011 world after running limited Glocks for a year. I just bought a CRP Eagle and need to know what to do first. I got a couple 140mm STI tubes + TTI pads,followers, and springs to start off. I have NO idea what I'm doing, so I need to know what to do first to get it running reliably. First problem is the Taran mags I've assembled are tough to load the first initial because the follower seems to sit too far forward in the mag and comes out of the top a little when loading the first two rounds. Somehow the gun loaded a round completely backward in the chamber after running some rounds through (not firing, just racking). I will be using this for USPSA and 3 gun, so I'll be running some really light .40 for 3gun. Currently the slide is a b**** to get pull back compared to my old Glock. Is there an 2011 For Dummies anywhere? What typically needs to be done to stock STI's to get them running fairly reliably off the start? What about a mag built by scratch? I'd rather not spend 10 hours dremeling/polishing, I initially just want it to feed reliably enough to not put rounds backwards haha EDIT: Couple other things. 1) Recommended OAL is 1.180 correct? Rounds I am using to cycle through are basically factory length. 2) TTI magazines are holding slide open with 1 round still in magazine, how do I fix this? (I will probably eventually just disable slide-lock eventually anyways) Thanks! Edited July 28, 2014 by bluedevil008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul-the new guy Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 12.5# recoil spring works for most. I use that shooting major If you load to 1.180 you will have to make sure the throat on your barrel is lomg enough for that Any follower that is thin enough to allow an extra round is going to lock back with a round still in the mag. Stock followers will lock the slide when empty but are not going to add a round to the capicity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandbagger123 Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 get rid of the recoil master if it still has it and replace with a guide rod and 12.5 spring. I have found mines works with factory length or up to 1.20. you can mod followers so they don't lock the slide back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2MoreChains Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 If your mags and springs are brand new it might help to load them up and let sit for a day or so. I have two mags that I sent to TTI for tuning and had some issues with the TTI followers coming out the top thru the feedlips when the gun goes to slide lock. Contacted TTI and they suggested giving the spring at the base of the follower a slight bend to the right (looking at the follower from the rear). That seemed to help, but all my other mags I use Grams followers and 11 coil springs. If the slide is locking back with one round remaining, that is usually the result of the follower making contact with the slide stop pawl. You'll need to grind the ledge on your follower to keep this from happening. I think there is a good article on Brazo's website somewhere on how to do this. The easiest way to visualize what needs to get trimmed is remove the slide and slowly insert a mag with 1 rnd remaining. You should be able to see where the ledge of the follower is making contact with the slide stop and then file/dremel it down a little. If you don't want your slide to go to slide lock, just eliminate the ledge altogether. As far as racking the slide... is the hammer down when you rack it? Its easier if the hammer is back, and also easier if you have a lighter weight recoil spring in the gun. Plus it sounds like the gun is new. I'd shoot it a bunch and see if that helps. Lube it up pretty good as well. If you don't have to clean your shooting glasses after the first mag, add some more oil. I use a 12.5 lb recoil spring in my .40's, but if planning to go for minor PF you might also experiment with 10 or 11 lb springs as well. I load to 1.180" OAL but your gun should be able to feed factory length ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewbeck Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 First thing to do? Shoot it!... A lot!! Then think about changing everything. Regarding mags, check to make sure the fees lips are in spec, I ordered two spare tubes and had to squeeze both of the a little, this will help with the follower issue as well. You can either file the follower or the slide release to make it not lock back. Also try a light recoil master spring before you give up on it, I prefer them to a full length guide rod as of now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcc7x7 Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I'm with Drewbeck. Shoot the dog out of it and then shoot it some more. Get a case full of what ever bullet you're loading through it , THEN you'll know what YOU want to do with it. you'll also know your gun by then so when you start changing springs and shooting drills on a timer you'll be able to feel and know by the timer which spring is for you etc. for me its 13lbs, 12 feels better but the timer says 13 is better. Every STI 40 I've owned will take 1.200 COL, I load to 1.185 based on how smooth the gun runs with that length. Again you have to know by shooting what it should feel like. normally and what load and length feel better. Get a load and stick with it for a long time as long as it makes major. you'll be a lot farther ahead doing that than jumping all around based on what everyone else is doing. Then 5 to 6000 rounds down the barrel you'll have all the experience you need to make changes and know if they do anything for YOU! Though I would go to a standard guide rod and spring Good fortune with it jcc7x7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEH Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I for one don't like to change things on anything new until I have tried it out..I have bought two sti's both still have the recoil master in them,shoot the hang out of it first.I would not buy anything new and rebuild it before it gave me any trouble.My $.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedevil008 Posted July 29, 2014 Author Share Posted July 29, 2014 Awesome, sounds good guys. So, tomorrow I'm going to the range, putting a few hundred through it, followed by heading to the reloading bench and starting to find a good load. Tonight I plan on modifying the slide release and followers to not hold open. The Brazos article is good, but does anyone have a good picture of what exactly I need to do to the follower? The picture and explanation doesn't give me enough to feel confident taking a dremel to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3djedi Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 I wouldn't change anything. It will run good right out of the box with factory length ammo. Dry fire the shit out of it. It will take a bit to get used to the transition going from glock. You might be aiming low off your draw. And more time getting used to the thumb safety... Dry fire it, live fire and compete a few times. After that see if anything needs upgraded or changed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howa4au Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I just used a file on the follower. Just a little off the front left corner. Not need to do anything to the slide stop. Just take a little off and try it. As someone said you may try a lighter spring than 12# for minor loads. Does anybody do this and what weight spring for minor? Or just stay with 12-13# for everything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedevil008 Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 I got it figured out. Filed down the followers, put a dimple in the slide stop and shaved it down a little. Also did a little grip work to allow a higher grip on the gun. Ran 350 rounds through it today and it ran like a king! I'm so excited. Recoil and accuracy is way better than my Glock 35. That said, I have small hands and it was pretty uncomfortable to shoot after the first hundred fifty rounds or so. I think I just need to build up calluses on my hands on those parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2MoreChains Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 File down the checkering on the corners of the front strap. Its amazing what that can do to change the "bulk" of the grip. After all, its plastic and is easy to modify. Where else is it rubbing you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedevil008 Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) The back of the thumb safeties are digging into my hand. Any info on Dawson Tool-Less Guide Rod Disassembly AND whether or not I can use normal recoil springs? Edited July 30, 2014 by bluedevil008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2MoreChains Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Is the beavertail grip safety on your 2011 the stock one that has scalloped relief cuts in the tail? I have the same problem with the corners of the thumb safeties rubbing the web of my hand using the stock STI BTGS. Changing out the STI BTGS for an Ed Brown that doesn't have the relief cuts fixed that for me. The wider tail helps spread the web of your hand out more and it won't rub the backs of the thumb safety anymore (at least for my hand). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedevil008 Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 No, it's just a standard STI grip safety. Here it is: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2MoreChains Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Yep, that's the one. See those relief cuts on the tail? They cause the gun to sit deeper in the hand, which is a good thing, but for me it causes it to sit too deep and I get hot spots from the corners it creates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedevil008 Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Yep, that's the one. See those relief cuts on the tail? They cause the gun to sit deeper in the hand, which is a good thing, but for me it causes it to sit too deep and I get hot spots from the corners it creates. Oh I see what you're saying now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chalkdust21 Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 How is the factory trigger? Worth installing a new trigger group? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedevil008 Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Factory trigger isn't bad. I would compare the performance to my Fulcrum I used on my Glock. It is a little heavier, but smooth and short. That said, there is a lot of room for improvement, just feel a custom 2011 and you'll see what I'm saying. Definitely will be upgrading at some point soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davsco Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 for 40 minor, in my brazos edge, the #10 worked perfectly for me, after also trying 11 and 12#. just to clarify, i was using a separate guide rod and spring, not a recoil master with the minor loads. brazos (and i think others) has a pretty nice drop in match trigger kit (sear, spring, hammer, etc but not the actual trigger) that i installed on two of my sti's. it's frankly not a nice as the trigger job that brazos did on my edge, but a definite improvement over stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedevil008 Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 I ran an 11# spring with my minor loads (3.5gr WST, 180 gr Xtreme jhp) didn't get a chance to chrono but by my estimate, these are shooting around 135pf. 10# felt a little too slow for me, so 11# was about where I need to be with this heavy of a slide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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