My Open build, and road bumps along the way

[Snoopy47]

When I set out to get myself an Open/Race pistol I naively chased the Bling Factor more so than I should have. Even with all the money in the world, as a Californian I just can't buy the sweetest looking Open Gun by the best of the best Smiths. The whole "approved roster" complicates that. It doesn't prevent me from sending a frame I own to be built upon, but that takes months if not years to get on a list for a build, and I can't buy anything off the shelf out of state (while I could buy in state Private Party transfer, that is rare and carries a hefty price premium). 

 

So........... do it myself it is

 

BLUF (bottom line up front): Just copy all the pros. If you want their performance there are no short cuts. 

 

First pass

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49802940272_201272be1d_c.jpg[/img]

 

As mentioned I chased the bling too much, and I didn't understand the limitations and performance of compensators. So I went with a small single port ARC comp. As a Californian, threaded barrels are illegal if the gun has a removable magazine. So this comp is WELDED on the barrel. I had the work done locally, and it took nearly half a year, and cost over $100. As well, this is a Gen4 pistol, which being off roster and now no longer in civilian production give it a premium. As such, I bought a used slide for it. So I still have the original barrel and slide to match the lower. 

 

I should also mention, in my naivety I went with a Glock OEM threaded barrel at this stage. Thinking "OEM" is better the metric threads also limited my compensator choices. I resolve this by the end of my build adventure. 

 

Anyway.............. Yea a lot of costs have been thrown at a less than ideal set up. The barrel, slide, compensator are all now a single unit that cannot be disassembled. 

 

Not pictured, I originally used a Burris FastFire III. So between the small compensator, and the FastFire I couldn't bring the red dot into control the way I thought I should have. 

 

I went with the Carver mount, because it didn't modify the gun. I also understand a frame mounted optic is better for Red Dot control under recoil. I'm also of the belief in regard to an open gun that weight should be added wherever possible.

 

As a long time re-loader I feel I'm very proficient in tuning loads. I played with everything from 115g, 124gn to 147gn and Fast Powders (N320), medium (N350), and slow (3N38). Yes, I'm am biased toward Viht powder   I couldn't get the Red Dot under control. I define control to at the very least keep the Red Dot in the window during the entire time of recoil. I also have recoil springs from 11lb to 18lb. I have everything I should possibly need to "tune" this gun. I could make every permutation of load and recoil spring mechanically work, but still not control the red dot. 

 

OK, I went about this first pass very poorly. I focused too much on being as cheap as I can, with an undersized compensator for the objective I'm trying to achieve.

 

I went back to the drawing board, and started pecking away at my problem by copying the pros. 

 

My next step toward Red Dot control was getting a sight that had the greatest surface area of lens. Theory being, all things equal a larger lens will keep the red dot visible longer at recoil, and sooner pick up at recovery. Going to the C-More really helped. It still wasn't there, but I found a glimmering light of encouragement. Maybe I need a better compensator.

 

Along the way

[[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50611977296_68a797c6fa_c.jpg[/img]

 

By this time I added the slide racker (in junction with the magazine release, I got them on sale, hence the matching color) with the monster of the red dot mount it makes it difficult to articulate the slide to show clear. I'm aware, these upgrades are not what drives the whole heart of the Open Build. They do nothing but add a little bling, and slight improvement of hand controls. 

 

I've also added a magazine well, because it looks cool, and balances the over all look of the gun

 

As you can see in this picture a better look at my original G17 and ARC compensator set up. Yes, with the comp welded I can no longer have iron sights since I can't get a front sight on there now. Oh well, it's expensive in CA and this is just an example of that. Whatever............ Worst case I'll mount a red dot mount via the sight dovetail. It will probably just collect dust. 

 

Attacking my challenge of getting the red dot under control I acquired a used G34 slide. By this time I've read a little about how compensators work, and I theorized a longer barrel and larger compensator will get me a much better chance at tuning gas exhausts. It's here I'm now starting to be a fan of Carver Customs. What sealed the deal with Carver is they provide a California WELD service. So that's that as far as I'm concerned. I can have a CA solution all in one place. 

 

So through Carver (turn around was less than 2 weeks) and not wanting to waste money on a disappointing upper combo again I went with the KKM 9mm barrel and 7 port comp. I could have chosen the next size of compensator up, but settled on the 7 port (which length wise turned out to be the best choice).THIS is the recipe I should have chosen from day one, I could have saved the cost of a slide, barrel, comp, and welding services. It will ultimately be incorporated in my final version. 

 

With the window of opportunity to send the slide into Carver for welding I also sent back my sight mount and had the thumb rest installed. 

 

At this point I have a load that I can now control the Red Dot, but I still don't have all the nuances flushed out. See, while I can get a nice controllable load, the cases upon ejection at times get jammed between the slide and the sight mount. Now, I can POWER through ejection by loading a little warmer, but then I lose that red dot control. 

 

Current version

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50927255981_21578870a6_c.jpg[/img]

 

I solve my ejection problems by once again buying more stuff, and go with the angle mount for the C-More. I can use my more controllable load and all my ejection problems are solved. This is it, this is my final version. You might notice the absence of my Gold slide racker. Well, I found it annoying to have to remove the racker or remove the sight mount to clean and service the gun. So I found a slide racker ring by Brass Stacker which will fit through the sight mount so I can remove the slide. 

 

Race Rig

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51325117883_3ebf1ef585_c.jpg[/img]

 

Here's the race rig in all its glory. I've of course added magazine base pads and went with the CR Speed holster and belt. A modified CR Holster is the only one that will facilitate the Carver mount. I can only buy the black holsters with said modification. I was close to buying a red one and do the modification myself, but there is a metal part in the holster that would need cutting as well. I just lucked out I settled on black and bought it already done. It would have hung me on trying to DIY and at best would have looked pretty hacked up. 

 

Now, in regard to my 7 port compensator choice, the full length of the pistol uses the full length adjustment of the holster. If I went longer I would have to have further modified my holster or found another solution. 

 

Other notable modifications:

 

Less obvious are I splurge on a Tungsten guide rod and brass grip insert (where the magazine well mounts to). Remember, add weight wherever I can. Yes, yes, adding weight for a specific thing doesn't give a noticeable improvement, but with all additions accounted for over 15oz have been added to the OEM weight of the G34. 

 

I also installed a Timney trigger. I had started this build before Timney came out, and while I tried lighter pull set ups I was getting light strikes. I'm of the opinion that during competition reliability trumps any modifications designed to make shooting easier or more accurate. A slower trigger pull of a heavier trigger beats a light trigger pull that goes "CLICK" with no bang. 

 

So, now this Timney gives me a sub 3lb trigger with a 6lb striker spring (which means all primers regardless of manufacture will be hit with more than enough force).

 

Load and Shooting Performance:

 

I'm on my second pound of 3N38 now. I don't have a round count through the build, but that's more than 1,000 rounds by itself without considering all my R&D with other powders.  

 

This is not a Major Power Factor gun and load combination yet. I've settled on a 124gn FMJ with 6.5gn 3N38 at 1.09 OAL. Yes, the OAL is on the short side, but I went longer and was getting chambering problems. 6.5gn 3N38 is also still in the limits of the load manual. I've not chrono'd it, but per the manual it's just north of a 150PF. 

 

I'm running a 13lb spring. I suppose many might suggest I try 10-11, but in trying my 11lb spring I was getting failures to return to battery while chambering then next round.  

 

I had originally desired to try 3N37, but with powder limitations these days was able to try 3N38, which I think is a perfectly fine powder as well. So I encourage anyone to try it for similar goals. Also, as stated, I managed to get the gun to work within the limits of the powder manufacture manual. While I might need to cross the line to reach Power Factor, I suspect I can do it without going too far beyond the line. 

 

I've only started using this final set up recently at matches, and I'm pleased with myself so far. If I quality control (chamber check, and weigh each powder charge) my reloads and start with a newly zero'd and clean gun I can get through an entire Steele Challenge match without any mechanical hangups. 

 

I am a realist when it comes to competition prep and equipment expectations. Nothing is fire and forget. An Open Gun doesn't have to survive service and maintenance abuse to reach 10,000 rounds without malfunction, it just has to survive a match.  

 

That said I'm not a spectacular shooter, but this last match I improved just over 20 seconds and am 1.5 seconds away from becoming a "B" class shooter. I think if I keep on top of my dry fire practice this will get me as far as I'm willing to commit myself. 

 

Thanks for reading, comments and recommendations encouraged. 

 

Remember, the objective of this build is Steel Challenge and Glock GSSF matches, neither of which require MAJOR PF.  

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2021 by Snoopy47
added photos

[Snoopy47]

[AverageJoeShooting]

This thing is almost as cancerous as the m&p 2.0 I turned into a 9 major gun

[apoc4lypse]

Interesting build.  I'm trying the same thing using a Walther Q4 Tac upper and a PDP FS lower - a comp'ed polymer framed gun for shooting Open in Steel Challenge. 

 

I'm waiting on slower powder to really tune my loads, but even with Titegroup I can keep the dot in the window (Trijicon SRO).  The comp I am using is a single port Parker Mountain Machine.

[Snoopy47]

1 hour ago, AverageJoeShooting said:

This thing is almost as cancerous as the m&p 2.0 I turned into a 9 major gun

Yea, I want to build a second one, and just go straight to all the answers I figured out. Trying to figure out a reason to justify a second build (even if it were to just sell it) the numbers don't add up. If I were to buy all the correct parts (never mind a second slide) first time around I'd only save $200 if I were to order a Carver Custom build (with supplied pistol frame and they do all the work). There is no money in it, and I suspect Carver makes his money on the sale of the upgrade parts. $200 hardly covers a smith's assembly time. 

 

I happened upon another used G34 slide. So I can do another comp weld, and this one is a Gen3 so I could swap it on my Gen4 frame. 

 

Where I'm undecided is what to do with it. The only things I think I could potentially do now that would alter performance are:

1) Heavier magazine well and grip plug

2) Heavier magazine base pads. 

3) Compensator choice 

4) Slide choice, but I am biased toward OEM reliability of an OEM slide. An Aftermarket lightened slide with a welded compensator adds into the mix an expensive potential for reliability problems. 

 

All in all, it works and I look forward to shooting it every time I get my hands around it. 

[38super]

Just like a racecar, cubic bucks.

[AverageJoeShooting]

8 hours ago, Snoopy47 said:

Yea, I want to build a second one, and just go straight to all the answers I figured out. Trying to figure out a reason to justify a second build (even if it were to just sell it) the numbers don't add up. If I were to buy all the correct parts (never mind a second slide) first time around I'd only save $200 if I were to order a Carver Custom build (with supplied pistol frame and they do all the work). There is no money in it, and I suspect Carver makes his money on the sale of the upgrade parts. $200 hardly covers a smith's assembly time. 

 

I happened upon another used G34 slide. So I can do another comp weld, and this one is a Gen3 so I could swap it on my Gen4 frame. 

 

Where I'm undecided is what to do with it. The only things I think I could potentially do now that would alter performance are:

1) Heavier magazine well and grip plug

2) Heavier magazine base pads. 

3) Compensator choice 

4) Slide choice, but I am biased toward OEM reliability of an OEM slide. An Aftermarket lightened slide with a welded compensator adds into the mix an expensive potential for reliability problems. 

 

All in all, it works and I look forward to shooting it every time I get my hands around it. 

how can you be biased about oem reliability when basically the entire gun is oem as it is lol

 

also...just buy an open gun, you will be thankful for the weight alone. i think the heaviest i could get my m&p was like 40 oz which is single stack weight, my middy open gun weighs 51` oz and my beefsteak open gun is 62 ozs

 

[Chapo]

Definitely my open G34. 

 

 

For more videos,  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLEAh7Bstw0lf4LLNWm9P6A

[Hvansky]

On 9/6/2021 at 8:21 PM, AverageJoeShooting said:

This thing is almost as cancerous as the m&p 2.0 I turned into a 9 major gun