Grand Power X-Calibur: range reports

[NicVerAZ]

I own two xcal and both work great with my recipe and the lighter spring:

135gr Bayou RN

3.3gr Tite Group

1.120" OAL

Fed primers (you know why)

Lighter spring, changed only once on one

1.75# trigger, almost too light

I rarely have issue. Last one was a squib. Before that a feeding malfunction after I went somethin like 5 matches with a cleanup (TG is dirty).

Shorter OAL is better. CZ short.

Hope this helps.

[Avenida]

I find the CCI primers are the worst on this gun, S&B seems fine 99.9 of the time, one light strike in the XTRIM with S&B....

Valerko, did you install a XCAL firing pin in the Xtrim?

Going to order one if you did

Edited May 24, 2016 by Avenida

[Avenida]

I own two xcal and both work great with my recipe and the lighter spring:

135gr Bayou RN

3.3gr Tite Group

1.120" OAL

Fed primers (you know why)

Lighter spring, changed only once on one

1.75# trigger, almost too light

I rarely have issue. Last one was a squib. Before that a feeding malfunction after I went somethin like 5 matches with a cleanup (TG is dirty).

Shorter OAL is better. CZ short.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for the info,

I am loading 147 with 3.4 and it is not cycling properly in the Xtrim (got one stove pipe). First FTE in 200 rounds, much better than the xcal but still not good.

Going to check my loads now, and going to bump it up to 3.6 for a while.

OAL is 1120 in my rounds (1118 to be exact).

Seems to feed just fine, so far.

[NicVerAZ]

I own two xcal and both work great with my recipe and the lighter spring:

135gr Bayou RN

3.3gr Tite Group

1.120" OAL

Fed primers (you know why)

Lighter spring, changed only once on one

1.75# trigger, almost too light

I rarely have issue. Last one was a squib. Before that a feeding malfunction after I went somethin like 5 matches with a cleanup (TG is dirty).

Shorter OAL is better. CZ short.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for the info,

I am loading 147 with 3.4 and it is not cycling properly in the Xtrim (got one stove pipe). First FTE in 200 rounds, much better than the xcal but still not good.

Going to check my loads now, and going to bump it up to 3.6 for a while.

OAL is 1120 in my rounds (1118 to be exact).

Seems to feed just fine, so far.

I never liked the 147 in the grand powers. They need a bit of snappiness.

[Avenida]

I agree with you, too much slide for 147 I think, it just does not seem to flow as it should... I refuse to load 124 just for this gun though, so it will have to work with 147...

[NicVerAZ]

Trust me and order a test bag of 135gr bullets from Bayou or others.

[JBBoise]

It tracks as close to an open gun as you can get a non comped pistol I believe.

Agreed, it was VERY popular at the safety table at my first match. Yesterday I had more people ask me to see it because they heard about it from the first match.

[Avenida]

Reporting back, after 700 rounds the gun runs ok, only FTE I am having is by improper grip (completely my fault - and can be easily avoided if the grip is right, which requires nothing special, just keeps your thumbs off the slide to avoid slowing it down during cycling).

The new ball detent system used for the rear sight has not move one click (which amazes me).

I did find that 147 GR are no very accurate in this pistol, it was grouping to the left at 12 yards with 147 (at least my bullets), tried 115 and 124 and it is dead center, seems to prefer 115 and 124.

For those OCD like me, I did bench rest the gun for this test.

Going to switch to these bullet weights after I am done with the 5K I currently have to shoot.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Avenida

[valerko]

My XTrim slide glides on the frame like its on ball bearings , but my Xcalibur goes into battery little hard. Even when I take barrel and recoil spring out and just slap the slide on the frame , last half inch I can feel resistance. Even when I oil heck out of it. When I swap the frames and put XTrim slide on its silky smooth. What gives ?

[Kingman]

Xcal are hand fitted the final step. The others are not. That will impact the feel of lock up like a 1911.

[valerko]

Gives me occasional hick up shooting lighter loads , just above PF. Might even been cause of my initial problems in the begging ,being to tigh. I guess I'll put another 1-2k rounds thru it and see if it loosens up.

Thanks.

[Qbert]

My X-Cal is the opposite. The slide and frame fit is very smooth and locking and unlocking occurs with no resistance whatsoever. If anything, my X-Cal is looser than I prefer - however, it shoots like a house on fire so I can't complain.

My MK7 K100s, on the other hand, have slide to frame fits that are tight like a custom 1911. No wiggle at all. One K100 won't go into battery/lock up unless it has some momentum going. If I ease the slide forward, it gets hung up the last 1/4" of travel. The other K100 locks and unlocks as easy as the X-Cal, but the slide to frame fit is much tighter. Both my K100s, as tight as they are, shoot about the same - and can't group anywhere close to as tight as the X-Cal.

No complaints here, just observations. But I'm curious why my guns are like that.

[Avenida]

Both my xcal would kind of have some sort of 'grit/grind' feeling when the barrel turns/thrust against the slide.

In both cases, this went away after 700-1000 rounds. My current xcal is very tight on lockup and the action is very smooth.

For what is worth, and upon recommendation from a different shooter, I have been using 'gun butter' which I find to be very good in the Xcal.

[Avenida]

Another Quick Update:

I have shot 3 matches in the last little while, my x cal has performed flawlessly.

I am in love with the platform once again.

Edited June 21, 2016 by Avenida

[Avenida]

Quick range report.

500+ rounds through without cleanings, just added more lube without wiping anything down.

Everything works as it should.

[P.E. Kelley]

Not sure this link will work...I am really digging the Xcal!

https://www.facebook.com/patrick.e.kelley/videos/1134259689929991/?l=615543331272737594

Edited June 27, 2016 by P.E. Kelley

[Avenida]

sweet, they are freaking accurate.

[valerko]

So I went on a little rant about GP noticing me after winning few competitions , in my 1 year review of my Xcalibur.

Yesterday , I got package from Eagle imports with shirt , hat , cleaning mat and sore mag. All free of charge. Not sure how they linked my YouTube account and my actuall name and address ( did order from them before , so maybe email address ??? ) , but I sure do appreciate it. :)

[Shaky Dave]

 Just got an Xcaliber.Went to range to shoot for first time.Shot 3 different loads,gun ran on every one.Has very good feel,amazingly accurate.will do part 52 after complete break in.Really impressed so far.Usually shoot custom built STI,so this is great.

[NicVerAZ]

14 hours ago, Shaky Dave said:

 Just got an Xcaliber.Went to range to shoot for first time.Shot 3 different loads,gun ran on every one.Has very good feel,amazingly accurate.will do part 52 after complete break in.Really impressed so far.Usually shoot custom built STI,so this is great.

Welcome to the GP family. As I've said many times, the X-Cal is a great gun that is ready to race in production with ZERO modifications at 3/4 or 1/2 of the price of what's used in production. I'm just a solid A shooter, but I've won a few local matches and manage to beat an army of Limited and Open shooters with it.

Removing part 52 has two draw backs:

1. You are stuck with Federal primers, which are harder to find these days.
2. The hammer strike is slower. Which may or not translate into ACs instead of AAs, as your second shot comes as you are already transitioning to the next target in an array.This depends on how fast you transition, obviously.

I would shoot it as is for the moment and, when you have a bit of time, take it apart and gently smooth the trigger assembly at contact points. By doing this alone, I dropped 3/4 lbs from trigger pull.

This is a "no need to eff around with" kind of gun. For the tinkerer, it may indeed be frustrating. There is NOTHING to do to it to make it competitive except swap for the lighter recoil spring when using competition loads.

Edited October 10, 2016 by NicVerAZ

[fbzero]

Love my X-Cal...surprised they don't have a larger following.  Haven't shot a more accurate polymer framed handgun and it handles recoil very well, not that the 9mm has much in the first place.  Doesn't seem to like heavier bullets in my experience, but that's OK, because I like the way it shoots with light rounds more anyway.  Strangely, that isthe opposite of my preference with most other handguns...probably has something to do with the rotating barrel.  First polymer I've ever bought that was so good stock that I haven't really felt the need to tinker with anything...

 

People may complain about it being slightly more expensive than a G34 or XDm 5.25, but once you factor in all of the parts that most people seem to change out on those, it's far cheaper in the long run.  The most I can complain about is the expensive magazines and lack of available mag well.  The latter doesn't matter for production, of course, but I threw some base plates on it and have been shooting it in Limited Minor while I work on my RIA Pro Match 40.

[NicVerAZ]

I am also frustrated that they don't have a larger following either. I am asked constantly if what I shoot is a CZ. And when I try to educate about my X-Calibur, I get all sorts of reactions, from "never heard" to "I've read a few good things about them" but rarely do people want to try them or even dry fire them at the safety area.

My guess for the lack of following (without being too political):

1. Saturated market for polymer 9mm pistols in general
2. Still very new on the market
3. The CZ75, Tanfo, XD and Glock rule the class already
4. A catch 22 of a lack of followers meaning less followers are likely to be made
5. Very few aftermarket parts besides DAA (race holsters), RHT (kydex holsters), Henning (base pads), Springer Precision (base pads and grip tape)... Yeah, that's about it.

It's also had a chaotic history in the US, but I said I don't want to be too political.

[mig1]

Frankly the name sounds cheesy. Eagle should sell them under their own brand.

"Eagle X-Caliber" sounds better.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[NicVerAZ]

15 hours ago, mig1 said:

Frankly the name sounds cheesy. Eagle should sell them under their own brand.

"Eagle X-Caliber" sounds better.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
 

I don't disagree either. It's also a looong name. Or maybe just go by "GP".

It reminds me of the story behind the WP brand of motorcycle suspension springs. It actually stands for "White Power". But not because the owners are white nationalists or supremacists, but because the only paint they found which would resist high wear and stress was white paint used for hospital beds and they just added the term "power" to the color. Being a bunch of young Europeans, they completely missed the issue behind the name.

Now they just go as "WP".

Sooooo... Maybe Grand Power could do business as GP and save us a few syllables when we try to convert new shooters.

Edited November 22, 2016 by NicVerAZ

[mig1]

The good news is if you took their survey, it was clear that the brand name issue was something they understand. Several questions in the survey were about the name.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk