9mm short oal function...more about mags or gun?

[TobyJ]

I'm borrowing a 9mm springfield RO for an upcoming match (considering buying it, or one like it).  My other 9mm is a shadow 2, and my load for it is 147 rn blue bullet, loaded very short (1.09) due to short chamber. 

 

Anyway, I did a lot of reading, and found lots of posts about ftf's and fte's in 9mm 1911s, and the common solution seemed to be 'load longer'.  So, I loaded up some 1.145s and hit the range with some new wilson etm 10rd mags. 

 

As expected, it ate the 1.145s up without issue. Just to check, I then loaded up some 1.09s, and it ate them as well. Went on to run 2 matches with the 1.09s, without a single hiccup. 

 

It would be nice to only have to load one 9mm round for both guns. I've also read that after oal, mags seem to be the next place folks go to fix issues. This gun / mag / ammo combo runs good...is it safe to think that there's a good chance another RO would run with this mag / ammo combo?  How far would I be stretching this theory if I expanded to another ramped 9, like a Kimber khx?

 

I realize there are a lot if variables, but I'd appreciate input from folks with more 9mm 1911 experience than me...which is pretty much anyone...

 

Toby J

 

[ezra650]

I load 1.100 with blue 125gr round nose. I can't remember what the front to back dimension is of a typical 1911 9mm mag, but looking at the space left I don't think it would be worth the extra OAL. I've never had an issue with my 1911 feeding that short. 

 

After a match recently I shot/plinked with a friends shadow 2 with my ammo. When I chambered some of them the slide would have to be pushed all the way into battery. I'd stick with 1.09 Not worth screwing with your dies, just adjust powder for different guns/loads if need be and go shoot.

[MemphisMechanic]

 The solution is to have your shadow 2 barrel throated. There’s absolutely no reason it can’t take Emma out past 1.150 with a couple of turns of a hardened reamer.

 

I’ve cut some for friends and they’re very happy they did it. My Walthers had crazy short chambers too, and they run on 1.150ish long 147s now just fine.

 

Edited February 18, 2019 by MemphisMechanic

[robertg5322]

1 hour ago, MemphisMechanic said:

 The solution is to have your shadow 2 barrel throated. There’s absolutely no reason it can’t take Emma out past 1.150 with a couple of turns of a hardened reamer.

 

I’ve cut some for friends and they’re very happy they did it. My Walthers had crazy short chambers too, and they run on 1.150ish long 147s now just fine.

 

 

But why bother if his current load works in both his guns?

 

Same question for .40 S&W. I have a Caspian High Cap Limited gun and a Kimber I turned into a .40 S&W Single Stack. Both run on factory length .40 S&W ammo, I see no need to throat the barrels.

 

Is there some reason other than function to run longer than normal ammo?

[Hi-Power Jack]

2 hours ago, MemphisMechanic said:

 The solution is to have your shadow 2 barrel throated.  

 

^^^   This   ^^^^

[zzt]

3 hours ago, robertg5322 said:

 

But why bother if his current load works in both his guns?

 

Same question for .40 S&W. I have a Caspian High Cap Limited gun and a Kimber I turned into a .40 S&W Single Stack. Both run on factory length .40 S&W ammo, I see no need to throat the barrels.

 

Is there some reason other than function to run longer than normal ammo?

 

Because European guns run stupid short leades and loading short ups the pressure a lot.  Take a look at the SAAMI OAL spec.

 

40SW OALs.  All three of my 40sw guns will run 1.126" OAL ammo.  Many have to load longer because of feed issues.  My two 2011 40sws run just fine with 1.180" OAL ammo, but I don't bother.  Why use more powder t load long when all the 1.126" ammo runs fine.

[MemphisMechanic]

3 hours ago, robertg5322 said:

Is there some reason other than function to run longer than normal ammo?

 

Yes. Reject rate.

 

.300” deep, the case walls on most brands of 9mm brass begin to get thicker. Push a bullet that deep and anything with a little bit of wear is liekly to develop a bulged wall and fail to gauge.

 

When I load 147s around 1.130”+ I have a lower reject rate and higher quality ammo, along with marginally lower pressures and generally slightly better feeding.

 

No reason to stuff ‘em in short. Ream it. (Or load 124s and enjoy the shorter bullet not giving you such issues.)

 

Edited February 19, 2019 by MemphisMechanic

[tdp88]

 The solution is to have your shadow 2 barrel throated. There’s absolutely no reason it can’t take Emma out past 1.150 with a couple of turns of a hardened reamer.
 
I’ve cut some for friends and they’re very happy they did it. My Walthers had crazy short chambers too, and they run on 1.150ish long 147s now just fine.
 

+1 Send it to him so you can load longer. With the variance from round to round I had to load really short before getting my chamber reamed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jcc7x7]

I'm a fan of getting them reamed, so you can load everything the same for convivence.

But

Shoot it with your stuff , if it runs don't sorry about it and go from there!