9x23 Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Here's my problem. I got Steve's R&R book quite a while ago and was really getting into it using an STI framed gun with STI mags loaded with dummy rounds. Everything was going great. I loved the El-Prez and walking reload drills. I was really hitting the reloads and that's when trouble reared it's ugly head. I felt the grip crack when the mag went past the release. I was slamming the mags so hard I cracked the grip. Anyone else run into this before? I searched and didn't find anything on it. Will the plastic practice mags prevent the problem? It's put a stop to my dry fire practice and I'd like to get back into a routine of work towards improvement again. 9x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 (edited) Sounds like you might want to practice not slamming those mags in so hard? Seriously...not try to be a smart ass. Over-insertion of mags can be a problem. Also, no reason to quit dry-firing...just skip the reload drills for now. Edited January 14, 2006 by Flexmoney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsb45acp Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 I'm with Flex; try not to slam the mags so hard. I still have this problem sometimes when I dry fire (but I haven't broken a gun yet) because for some reason I equate "fast" with "hard" or "strong". I have to back down and remind myself that "smooth is fast". Have you considered some of the CRTC Safety Mags? I have a couple I got from CPWSA for about $20.00 each. I really like them for practice and they save wear and tear on my tuned mags from Brazos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Bob from Brazos said using a full 29 rd big stick like this is what cracked my STI grip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusher Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 For reload dry fire I leave the mag down 1-2 rounds so as not to crack the grips. 20/21 round 140 tubes and 28/29 170 tubes are start mags and I never (during a stage) pull a reload with a full capacity magazine they are allways down 1-2 rounds to make seating easier. I also have a spare grip just in case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidball Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 I have a couple I got from CPWSA for about $20.00 each. CPWSA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay1 Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 David, here is a link for you: http://www.cpwsa.com/ Chris was one of the first BE advertisers. Check out the link. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidball Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 David, here is a link for you: http://www.cpwsa.com/Chris was one of the first BE advertisers. Check out the link. Rick Thanks, Rick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Anderson Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Use a steel gun? Seriously, I have not of this before...but extended heavy dry fire has worn out parts on my guns. (xd sriker pin, caspian safety went airborne in a hotel room) I don't know much about the plastic framed guns, but I will soon beging dry firing the crap out of a limited SV so I'll let you know. I will leave the technical reasons to those more qualified to handle them. Sorry about your gun, keep practicing!!! SA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x23 Posted January 15, 2006 Author Share Posted January 15, 2006 Thanks guys. I was using a 140 mag loaded down 2 rounds. I guess I'm not good at decelerating on the reload. I was hoping that the CRT mags might assure me on not having the problem again, but I guess it's me and not the mags. It's not worth the risk to me to try the CRT's cause it's a real PITA to change out the grip if it's just from me slamming it too hard. I think I'll do what Flex suggested and go back to dry firing, but just fake the reload. Thanks for the help guys. I'm gonna keep in touch with Steve and see if he runs into it since he's giving an SV limited a try. Who knows... if I go check out SA & TT's reload videos, I might accidently learn something. I doubt it, that'd be a stretch for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 Which mag release are you using, STI or SVI? I've had similar problems with cracked grip frames. The whole thread is here: Broken grip frames The bottom of the STI mag release is very square and when you forcefully over insert a magazine it rotates the mag release against the plastic grip frame causing it to crack. I switched to the SVI mag release and haven't broken a grip since then. Nolan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I think I'll do what Flex suggested and go back to dry firing, but just fake the reload. i've seen you shoot. are you faking your dry firing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x23 Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 Thank you Nolan. I had read your threads on the cracked frames, but I didn't realize that you had reached a conclusion and it had solved your problem. It sure sounds logical. I am using an STI release. I'll change it to an SV and see if this grip survives. Lynn I'm not faking dry fire, I'm faking shooting matches. When I get good at it I'm going to do like you and fake Major Power Factor. gottcha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 As far as CTRC blue dummy mags and Para's go, I found that the plastic the mag is made out of will dent over time. Extended reload practice put nice grooves in the bodies where the mag catch runs over them, to the point where the mags won't stay in place any more. Anyway, the mag weight and length are different than my competition mags, so I went back to loading dummies into the real thing. I'm no master, but what I have seen of folks at that level is that the mag goes in hard enough to seat, but not more. If you look at TT's reload, the mag seems to float in, letting him reacquire the firing grip ASAP, w/o having to recover from the shock of slamming the mag in hard. Having an all steel framed gun, I don't get cracks at the mag release. MY cracks are elsewhere on the frame, thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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