Derek1967 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Hello all, I've been searching around the forum for a while and I have a few questions for all you Tanfo users. I am planning to buy a Witness Limited Elite 40 S&W for use in USPSA Limited devision. During all my research so far it seems like you guys have overcome a lot of obstacles to make this as successful as it is. I read that there were previous feeding & magazine issues. My limited understanding is that all of the mags are 10mm and the 40 utilizes a spacer, being that all of these are large frames. The latest mags are refferred to as a K10 and K40 respectively. I'm still trying to get a cozy with the reloading data as related to the optimum functioning of the gun/magazine. Let me try to ask a few things that you may have some insight into. It appears that there are a few variables at play within bullet weight, oal, magazine function and what the gun itself feeds most reliably. I don't mind being one and done by picking something optimal even if it takes having the gun and magazines "tuned" to a particular load. What is your preference as to your optimum setup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Some guys are obsessed with "loading long" just like the 2011 guys, and so they struggle with K10 bulging issues or 'old style' 10mm mags and their issues with bulged brass but I dont think it's at all necessary; I believe the easiest, most reliable route is K40s with ammo loaded ~1.135". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek1967 Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 Some guys are obsessed with "loading long" just like the 2011 guys, and so they struggle with K10 bulging issues or 'old style' 10mm mags and their issues with bulged brass but I dont think it's at all necessary; I believ'lle the easiest, most reliable route is K40s with ammo loaded ~1.135". So far that's what I'm gathering, although like you said there are a lot of people that probably had to overcome old mags and feeding issues, that got set up to load long and if it's working now for them why change. I still haven't read anything that states what the chamber is cut to but I guess if it feeds and shoots great who cares about the actual dimension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek1967 Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 Some guys are obsessed with "loading long" just like the 2011 guys, and so they struggle with K10 bulging issues or 'old style' 10mm mags and their issues with bulged brass but I dont think it's at all necessary; I believe the easiest, most reliable route is K40s with ammo loaded ~1.135". What is your take on them loading long? Is it a feeding issue or a bullet weight and powder preference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernelofwisdom Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I’ve only got the new style magazines (k9 and k40) but they both work great with factory ammo that I’ve run. I haven’t had any problems with the 40 Limited (haven’t shot it that much though) and I got a 9mm slide for it and haven’t had problems with that either with any magazine (I do play with recoil springs though). K9 on the left and K40 on the right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 From what I hear the first .40 1911s would not cycle unless loaded 1.2"+; I think that's where it came from. Beyond that I think it's largely driven by superstition. Clays is regarded as one of the more volatile fast powders, but this thread seems to contradict the dangers of loading it short: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=205116#entry2312698 Obviously there are no shortcuts and you have to work up your own loads with your own gear, but I dont think there's anything inherently bad about loading close to SAAMI length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richc2048 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I'm in the same boat as OP. Based on what I had I was chasing a method to load long. I tried loading to the longest possible with k40 mags but found the +5 base pads didn't accept them at 1.150 anyway. I could load only 15 then would get caught up at the base pads anyway. I just loaded at 1.135 and called it good. They fed reliably. No need to fix it by tackling the wrong problem. The problem not the 1.180 oal. Once you do this you'll find there's no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek1967 Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 I'm in the same boat as OP. Based on what I had I was chasing a method to load long. I tried loading to the longest possible with k40 mags but found the +5 base pads didn't accept them at 1.150 anyway. I could load only 15 then would get caught up at the base pads anyway. I just loaded at 1.135 and called it good. They fed reliably. No need to fix it by tackling the wrong problem. The problem not the 1.180 oal. Once you do this you'll find there's no problem. Thanks for that advice. Probably a good place to start with a new gun/platform. It's a bit crazy to read all of the issues and variations. With a different platform it is very dialed in as far as what works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 The K40s will make you happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek1967 Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 I did look up what I believe to be the latest information as to the USPSA official match ammo. They have 2 flavors a short 1.125 and a long a 1.180. It doesn't state it that I could find but I'm assuming that they are bot 180 grain. Maybe someone can confirm/deny that. I guess I should pick one to work with to start. If using the long will the new K10 be the ticket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmbaccolyte Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I've fired over 12,000 rounds at 1.23" O.A.L. in .40 S&W with a large frame pistol (Match) and the K-10 mags without a failure to feed, so far its worked for me. Hennings extended magazine base pad and Grams spring and follower give me 19 reloadable. Really nice, but kind of expensive. I'm using 180 grain Bayou and BBI bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffes Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 It seems there are a few things you might be missing. Loading long is not required. If you don't want a heavy bullet, fast powder super load, you can load to 1.135 with a range of bullets and powders. This road is the simplest and only requires you to buy k40 mags and henning basepads and grams guts. If you want to load long you have 2 options. K10 mags or old style mags. K10 mags bulge and you will need to modify your gun to accept them loaded to 20 rds. Old style mags won't fit in a new manufacture gun and you will need to spend hours with files and sandpaper trying to make them fit. Old style mags hold 22 rds but are VERY prone to nosediving and you will need to follow some very specific instructions to load for them. Old style mags also don't work with the basepads out there because they are a different profile. They will need to be modified to work with old style mag tubes. Also the old style tubes don't fit the EGW length gauge and need to be filed at the rear of the feedlips to make them legal. I can guide you through it once you decide what direction you want to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffes Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Oh, the chamber in a limited is cut to accept anything up to about 1.275" oal. Headspace set up for 40 case. Loading long is not a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc88 Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 (edited) Here's my experience with the Elite Limited .40 for what it's worth. I use K40 mags with Henning basepads and Grams springs and followers. I load 180gr at 1.135 OAL. Initially I had a few feeding issues especially with load and make ready. After extensive research on this forum there were 2 things I did to eliminate the issue. First, tune the extractor by radiusing the bottom hook very slightly to allow the the rim of the cartridge to easily come up into the extractor before feeding into the chamber. Second is to keep the feed lips of the mags tuned to between .390 and .395". Most of this information is from forum member CHA-LEE's various posts on these issues. He is the Tanfo Guru and I take no responsibility for figuring these things out on my own. I can just attest that they WORK. Good luck Edited March 4, 2015 by doc88 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebg3 Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 After about 500 rounds through my new Limited in .40, I was getting a few failures to extract. Checking the extractor, it had zero tension and was barely/not touching the brass. In other words, the extractor would not hold a round or piece of fired brass with the slide and barrel removed. I had to remove the extractor and take a little off the pad behind the hook to allow the ext. to move more towards the firing pin hole. Now there is good ext. tension and the gun is extracting and ejecting fine. I did not have any case failures or over pressure rounds, I just think the ext. must have been a little out of spec. from the factory. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now