2011 magazine likes factory ammo but not reloads?

[matteekay]

Hello to the people of the large magwell and pricey magazines! I'm venturing into the 2011 waters for the first time. I'm finishing off a 2011 build in 45 ACP and having some issues with my mag.

 

I'm using a STI 140mm tube with Grams guts right now. It works beautifully with factory ammo; I can empty a magazine's worth of Freedom Munitions 230gr hardball as fast as I can pull the trigger. However, when running my reloads (also 230gr hardball, almost identical OAL), the follower has a tendency to dip and cause the rounds to hang up about half an inch beneath the feed lips. I have to bang the magazine on a table to get the rounds moving again. 

 

All of the rounds I'm shooting are from my "match" pile, meaning they all passed the case gauge without an issue. 

 

Is there something I should be changing in my reloading process? Or is there some sort of mag tuning I can do (like ordering MBX's  )?

 

Thanks!

[Furrly]

Make sure you have the right spring and followers for your set up 

[RangerTrace]

2011 .45 mags are known to be a PITA.  Most mag tuners won't even bother with them......

[jcc7x7]

Is the almost identical oal , longer?

If so it may be rubbing on the front of the magazine

[Hi-Power Jack]

3 hours ago, matteekay said:

 1.  my reloads (almost identical OAL), the rounds hang up 

 

2.  All of the rounds  passed the case gauge  

 

 

1.  As JC7 alluded, "almost" may be the problem.   Identical means much more.

 

      The bullets are all 230 gr FMJ, but are they the same manufacturer ?

       The OAL is "almost the same,"  Why Not Identical ?

 

2.  Passing the case gauge is great, but running The Plunk Test (in Your Gun)

     means so much more.

 

I'd run The Plunk Test on this ammo, in your gun, with your mags     

[matteekay]

6 hours ago, Furrly said:

Make sure you have the right spring and followers for your set up 

 

Yup, freshly ordered from Grams.

 

5 hours ago, RangerTrace said:

2011 .45 mags are known to be a PITA.  Most mag tuners won't even bother with them......

 

This makes sense – I have a tendency to inadvertently choose the most difficult path, lol.

 

5 hours ago, jcc7x7 said:

Is the almost identical oal , longer?

If so it may be rubbing on the front of the magazine

 

4 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

1.  As JC7 alluded, "almost" may be the problem.   Identical means much more.

 

      The bullets are all 230 gr FMJ, but are they the same manufacturer ?

       The OAL is "almost the same,"  Why Not Identical ?

 

2.  Passing the case gauge is great, but running The Plunk Test (in Your Gun)

     means so much more.

 

I'd run The Plunk Test on this ammo, in your gun, with your mags     

 

 

Not the same manufacturer. I'm using Zero, and I believe Freedom uses Xtremes. Difference in OAL is about 1.261" to 1.264" (mine is slightly longer). They're not identical because these loads were initially built and sized for my 1911 while the 2011 was still a frame on the bench . Everything plunks as it should, but how do you plunk test with a magazine, exactly?

 

I bet you're right that it's an OAL issue, though. The nose of the bullet is getting caught and dragging the front of the follower down so shortening things up would hypothetically prevent that. I need to squeeze a little more power from these loads anyhow so I might try dropping to 1.25".

[jcc7x7]

I find 1.250-55 to be a great oal for rn bullets, it's been working for me for about 40+ years

[2011BLDR]

2011 Mag was designed around .38 super in a double stack,  in the 27 years I have been running them in all calibers I have found that you can start having issues with rounds loaded past 1.240".  This is  vary dependant on the bullet shape, example in .45 had 6 magazines that wouldn't feed 230gr RN or JHP ( OAL 1.263") but ran 185 gr  FMJ( OAL) 1.230" .  

Edited March 14, 2018 by 2011BLDR

[MemphisMechanic]

Quote

I have a rendency to inadvertently choose the hardest path. LOL

 

@matteekay... Out of curiosity, why did you choose to pay more to feed a Limited gun than if you’d built it in .40? I’m guessing you didn’t already own and and did not want to purchase dies / components?

 

Edited March 14, 2018 by MemphisMechanic

[Sarge]

Check Bullet profile and see if they are making hard contact with the Ejector when in mag

[Hi-Power Jack]

3 hours ago, matteekay said:

 

 1.  I'm using Zero, and Freedom uses Xtremes. Difference in OAL is about 1.261" to 1.264" (mine is slightly longer). 

 

2.  Everything plunks as it should,

 

3.  how do you plunk test with a magazine?

 

1.  Whenever you change bullets (Zero's to Xtremes, eg), you have to Plunk them once again      

2.  Did everything plunk in the 1911?  or the 2011 ?

      You have to Plunk them into Your Gun (the 2011) and see what happens.

3.  When you're loading rounds thru your mag, into the chamber, they fit or they don't fit.  You're correct,

      that's not exactly part of The Plunk Test, but pretty important to make sure rounds feed from you

      magazines (all of them, not just one).    (See comments from JCC7 and Sarge, above).   

 

Good luck with it     

[matteekay]

 

2 hours ago, 2011BLDR said:

2011 Mag was designed around .38 super in a double stack,  in the 27 years I have been running them in all calibers I have found that you can start having issues with rounds loaded past 1.240".  This is  vary dependant on the bullet shape, example in .45 had 6 magazines that wouldn't feed 230gr RN or JHP ( OAL 1.263") but ran 185 gr  FMJ( OAL) 1.230" .  

 

That makes perfect sense, actually. I still have plenty of room in terms of pressure on this load, so I'll try setting the bullet back a little. 

 

 

2 hours ago, MemphisMechanic said:

 

@matteekay... Out of curiosity, why did you choose to pay more to feed a Limited gun than if you’d built it in .40? I’m guessing you didn’t already own and and did not want to purchase dies / components?

 

 

Great question! As best as I can tell, it's because I'm the second of five children so I'm constantly doing things for attention.

 

(But you're mostly right. I'm already loading .45 and didn't want to add another caliber. I also just like .45 for some reason)

 

 

2 hours ago, Sarge said:

Check Bullet profile and see if they are making hard contact with the Ejector when in mag

 

All good, but thanks. I hadn't thought to check that!

 

 

2 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

1.  Whenever you change bullets (Zero's to Xtremes, eg), you have to Plunk them once again      

2.  Did everything plunk in the 1911?  or the 2011 ?

      You have to Plunk them into Your Gun (the 2011) and see what happens.

3.  When you're loading rounds thru your mag, into the chamber, they fit or they don't fit.  You're correct,

      that's not exactly part of The Plunk Test, but pretty important to make sure rounds feed from you

      magazines (all of them, not just one).    (See comments from JCC7 and Sarge, above).   

 

Good luck with it     

 

Yeah... I'm not the brightest, but I do know to test with the gun that I'll be shooting  . Everything cleared in the 2011.

 

And I only have one mag! This was my test/tune mag and I'll be ordering more soon.

[Hi-Power Jack]

Did you plunk the Xtremes ?  or the Zero's ?

[Talon75]

Does the "dip" happen at the same time always? Like halfway through, or with just a couple left?

[matteekay]

Did you plunk the Xtremes ?  or the Zero's ?

Both, no problems with either.

[matteekay]

Does the "dip" happen at the same time always? Like halfway through, or with just a couple left?

That's a really good question. I honestly don't remember. When I was loading 5 or less in the mag there weren't any issues. With 15, as far as I remember, the first few shots were fine, and then the mag was jamming through the middle, and the last few shots were fine.

That was with my reloads. The Freedom ammo ran straight through, even double and triple taps.

I shot all of the reloads I have on-hand so I'm going to shorten the OAL and give it another go. I'll track where the mag freezes this time.