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Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Finicky Open Guns.


Ron Ankeny

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Sorry to hear that Ron!

I spent half that for a used one with a holster and 3 mags and it runs perfect.

I can feed it super or super comp with no problems. I case gauge my loads and put the ones that don't gauge well in a practice bin and even they run fine.

Don't know who built your gun but from what I hear most problems are ammo or mag related and not the gun.

Good Luck...

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It probably is really tough to make a 100% reliable open gun...you are trying to hang all sorts of crap off it, red dot sight, big mag well, HUGE/HEAVY magazine, no wonder they barf...they were not designed to operate with a 1.5 lb mag hanging out the bottom...nor were the mags intended to run with 29 rounds in them and a 15 inch spring compressed to 1 inch....I personally don;'t know how they do what they do..

That is why I never had an open blaster built....even the best of them lay down sometimes, and it always is when you need them the most...I am like you...I want it to run 100% of the time...you can beat most of the local people just by having a blaster that will run ALL the time...same is true of Limited but to a lesser degree.. :(

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$3200 should be plenty to net you a working gun, custom built, by a top gunsmith - especially since you already have a frame...

IME, there are a couple of things that must be done to the gun to make it work, period. If the gun isn't assembled correctly, it won't work consistently regardless of mags or ammo. For instance, the frame bridge has to be cut *right*, period...

That said... it probably wouldn't hurt to look at your mags and ammo, if you haven't done that, yet... If no issues there, think about sending it to a competent smith for a checkup - one of the guys who post here (Bob, Bob, Bennie, Dan, Randy, Jim....), Rusty Kidd, etc. They can at least insure that the gun is working as it should, or can diagnose and suggest a correction. That'd at least be cheaper than building a new gun :)

You certainly can't sell it here on the forum, now.... heh heh... ;)

That is why I never had an open blaster built....even the best of them lay down sometimes

Dave, I gotta disagree, here. If the gun is built properly, it will run great as long as you feed it good ammo (which is basically true of any gun... give it bad ammo and it no workee). I'm on my third Open gun built by Rusty Kidd right now. None of them has had a jam, and have always worked except when I fed them bad ammo (high primers... natch).

I know of several folks who've had similar experiences with other top-notch smiths.

Even a top smith can build a lemon occasionally - but they should be able to correct it, as well... ;)

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Ron, I am actually scared to get started in Open just because of what you wrote. I have seen soooo few reliable Open guns compared to Production guns, Revolvers and Limited guns.

Hell, I have seen Saul Kirsch having 4 major jams at the four longest courses of the Europeans two years ago (cost him about 20 seconds!). Even Eric Grauffel has a jam at every big match. And to these guys money isn't an issue :(

But, that being said, I know a couple of people who have guns that will run and run and run. It can be done :) Just hang in there and get it fixed ;)

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Ron,

Just to let you know not all has been 100% but it wasn't the gun. I have been having some mag spring sticking problems lately causing a couple glitches here and there.

So I picked up 4 new spring/follower kits and open up my main mags last night. Each spring was an inch or more shorter than the new ones I just opened. While I would clean them I never thought to mess with spring length. So anyway out with the old and in with the new and problem shold now be gone. (I'll find out tonight)

But it's not really the springs fault as I have shot on average about 8 matches a month plus the Area 2 Classic with these mages during the past 6 months so they have been used a bunch.

And I wasn't trying to make you feel bad because you spent all that money and are having problems. If I had it I would spend the same amount. This is my first 1911 style gun and I'm having a blast and learning about the little things I need to know.

Someone should be able to help you make it fly the way it should.

Edited by AZ38super
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XRe

I know what you mean, back when Open meant a .45 with a comp and a guide rod they would run and run...not doubting your word, but I don't know anyone who has not had one lay down mysteriously....and the guys I speak of are very careful with the mags and ammo... :(

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Heeellllooooo. This is the Hate forum. You aren't supposed to talk about your reliable guns on this thread. This should be all about hating. ;)

Well I guess I won't talk about by Wayne Berquist built Caspian open gun. :D

Neal in AZ

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Thanks for putting all of this in perspective guys. I love this forum. The gun ran flawlessly before hardchome, but the plater applied the chome with a butter knife, and when it came back 185 pf ammo wouldn't even toss the slide back. The smith has more hours into getting the gun to run after hardchrome than he has in building the gun in the first place. This gun has been a tough nut to crack. FWIW, I have every confidence in my pistolsmith, I just don't have his patience.

John:

I have a ton of ammo if you want me to break your new Brazos Open blaster in for you.

Edited by Ron Ankeny
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