Nimitz Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 anyone shooting a Steelmaster with really light loads? if so what is your spring configuration? my Steelmaster currently has stock springs and shooting a mtach yeserday with a 105 PF load i was getting a stovepipe every stage. i know i can up the load some and probably make this problem go away but I was wondering if changing springs could work as well ...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Try a 7lb spring......If that wont work bump up your load.... DougC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 ok, thx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHMSA15151 Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Are you getting an actual stove pipe or is the round getting caught between the sight mount and the slide? I had issue with light loads in my Steelmaster jamming between the slide and the mount. Went with a 90 deg. version and it runs like a scalded dog now. Just make sure your load is strong enough to lock the slide back. Put one round in a mag & fire, check it several times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 yeah, the case is getting stuck between the slide & the mount ... I tried someone's 90 deg mount and didn't like it, of course I didn't shoot a ton of rds but still .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 If you go too light on the recoil spring (<6-7 pounds) it will become fussy about stripping rounds off the mag and going into full battery. The smallest amount of thumb drag, crud buildup, ammo anomaly, etc. will cause a problem. Also, if you want to go real light on the spring you might need to consider cutting your slide weight down to the 8 oz range and messing with your mainspring weight/firing pin radius. . Doug's advice is what i would follow unless you are committed to modifying your gun to run that low. Lastly, trying different bullets might help. Some like the light/fast feel while some like the feel of heavy/slow ammo. If you want some 95 grain SNS bullets to try I have some ($32/500) if you want a box. They seem to work pretty good in my gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Having had that problem it was fixed by a smith that adjusted my ejector and extractor. I have not had the problem in many years....It wasn't a power factor or impulse issue... DougC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 (edited) thx for the offer but i'm already using 115g bullets vice my normal 147g for Production which i like. i don't really want to mess with the gun if i don't have to. since changing the load to 4.0g 700X vice the 3.4 i was using i'm having only the occassional case trapped. part of my issue may be the metering of 700X. I'm used to WST for my Production loads which meters like water but with 700X I have noticed the ocassional light powder drop. its possible its just those less than 4.0 g loads that are the issue. i need to be a lot more attentive when making my match ammo if that's the case. i also don't plan on using 700X as a permenant powder, it was just something i was able to get 2 lbs of a while back ... Edited January 10, 2015 by Nimitz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Besides the normal polishing of the Dillon powder measure, using the extra small charge bar Dillon sells helps a lot with metering small charges of flake powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 cool, thx. didn't know that. what you use to polish the powder measure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZackJones Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 cool, thx. didn't know that. what you use to polish the powder measure? Duh, with metal polish . Pull the powder assembly and take it apart. Get some Flitz or other metal polish and polish the inside until it shines. It's an easy mod you can do while watching TV. Put some polish on, let it draw, wipe it off, repeat as needed. I think it took 4 or 5 applications. I did the one on my 550 and it meters e3 like a champ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olemiss Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I have a single stack open steel gun similar to the hi cap steel master. It has a 4.5 inch slide (with a lot of lightening cuts) with a three port comp. For comparison, I ran 120 PF loads and 160 PF loads through it, both with 115 g bullets. The 120 PF load was using N310 and the 160 PF load was using AutoComp. The recoil was actually less with the 160 PF load since the gas was working the comp, and the gun cycled a lot faster which made shooting steel easier for me. The comp not only reduces muzzle flip but the gas hits the flat baffles in the comp and pushes the gun forward, reducing rearward movement, as well. It just took a little while to get used to the increased noise from the comp. However, each person has their personal preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 look, I'm a rocket scientist not a mechanic ... yeah, I keep forgetting this is an open gun. When I first started shooting SC I was using my Production gun so I was trying to decrease PF to the min. I will probably try some 4.2g loads as well but I think when I actually get a 4.0g load it works fine. I may be on the ragged edge of reliable so another .2 is probably good as a safety margin ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truborshooter Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Played around with light loads for the SteelMaster and found 98 MG JHP, 4.8/Zip 1.040, FC cases, WSPP about 106 pf ran in my SteelMaster. Ran with std STI Recoil Master Lite spring. No comp action at all but shot like a 22 95 MH JHP 5.2/#2, 1.075, FC cases, WSPP ran around 114pf out of my Springfield SS Loaded with a lite 7-8 # Wolff variable recoil spring. 9# spring slowed the slide Also shot like a 22 Guns must be kept really clean and well lubed. Now I'm play with heavier high gas loads with WAC and Silhouette over the winter and will decide which I'll shoot for next spring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 thx for the load info. I'm going to take the scope off and see if I still have issues to try and isolate what is the real problem. My load may be fine and I need to have my extractor tuned ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 If you are getting full stroke of the slide and are getting "bounce back" type jams you probably need to tune your ejector along with checking tension on your extractor. If your ejection port is stock, you also may want to open it up some more (lower it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 its a stock ejection port. i'll make up some loads from around 105 PF and up to test to see if it works without the C-more, then go from there .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photoracer Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I sometimes load light 9x23mm rounds to shoot steel. Something like 5.1g of Unique (about 1080 FPS w/115g). Out of my old limited gun I can get by with a 10 lb variable rate spring. My Open gun hardly ever likes anything below 1300 FPS in which case I use a 9 lb variable spring just to get below 150 PF. If I tried to use the rounds for the limited gun in the open gun I agree the spring would need to be around 7 lbs at most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etaz Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) I had nothing but stovepipes in my steelmaster. Sent it to STI and they said it was fine. Jammed on the 4th round once I got it back. Kept jamming. Removed the c-more mount and replaced it with a RTS2 sight and mount. 1000+ rounds and not one jam. Using 124 MG @ 130PF Edited February 19, 2015 by etaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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