1911 Wear Idpa Vs Uspsa Limited

[Ted Murphy]

This could be a stupid question, but something that I was wondering about.

Has anyone found that the sears,extractors, etc. on guns used primarily for USPSA Limited/L-10 (where they do speedloads almost exclusively) last longer then on IDPA guns? (where they do slide lock reloads almost exclusively)

Was hearing from someone how hard reloads from slide lock are on a 1911's internals. I didn't know enought to say anything pro or con. But I figured that with these two sports having the two different types of reloads, there might be a noticible trend

Ted

[Derek45]

My opinion....

A properly built 1911 with quality components should last a long time in either sport.

I would guess that IPSC would wear faster because a local IPSC match fires about as much ammo as a state level IDPA match !

Also dropping the slide on a fresh mag doesn't cause alot of wear.

[ima45dv8]

Here's how it was explained to me years ago (sounds crazy, but it makes sense to me, so maybe I'm crazy).

Hold a ruler on the edge of a table and slap the end of it. That diminishing vibration closely mimics what happens when a bullet feeds into the chamber. It first bounces off the feedramp up to the barrel hood, but that won't do so it bounces nose-down again. It keeps contacting the top and bottom of the chamber, ricocheting up and down as it progresses. The motion gets progressively smaller until it finally chambers. This all happens in a very small timeframe with minimal movement. The net effect is it cushions the impact of the slide and frame (whether by design or luck may never be known).

This is my story and I'm sticking to it (until someone comes along and punches a big hole in it).

One thing's for sure -- drop the slide on an empty chamber and the impact seems much more violent than when actually feeding a round. I just don't see how slide-lock reloads in IDPA could be accelerating wear on someone's gun.

[Derek45]

Here's how it was explained to me years ago (sounds crazy, but it makes sense to me, so maybe I'm crazy).

Hold a ruler on the edge of a table and slap the end of it. That diminishing vibration closely mimics what happens when a bullet feeds into the chamber. It first bounces off the feedramp up to the barrel hood, but that won't do so it bounces nose-down again. It keeps contacting the top and bottom of the chamber, ricocheting up and down as it progresses. The motion gets progressively smaller until it finally chambers. This all happens in a very small timeframe with minimal movement. The net effect is it cushions the impact of the slide and frame (whether by design or luck may never be known).

This is my story and I'm sticking to it (until someone comes along and punches a big hole in it).

One thing's for sure -- drop the slide on an empty chamber and the impact seems much more violent than when actually feeding a round. I just don't see how slide-lock reloads in IDPA could be accelerating wear on someone's gun.

+1

Sounds good to me.

[vincent]

One note about USPSA/Limited is that you are more likely to have a gun with a disabled slide stop that will allow the slide to go forward on an empty chamber with only the empty mag to slow it down a little.

I don't think the difference in reloads matters nearly as much as quality parts and proper fitting (if it matters at all).

I think in IDPA you likely to find more 1911 shooters that are happy with a 3lb trigger pull and the setups with more engagement are supposed to be more durable.

[XRe]

I agree with what's been said. Think about it this way - how does a slide-lock reload really differ from firing a gun with a round in the magazine?? It doesn't - except, perhaps, for some minor wear on the slide stop, if one drops the slide using it, vs. pulling the slide back and sling shotting it.

The concern is dropping a slide - with the release or sling shot - onto an empty chamber. The friction and force required to close the slide isn't there - and it *could* accelerate wear on the sear/hammer engagement due to bounce, and also things like slide to frame fit, and barrel fit. The pistol is made, after all, to cycle with ammo, and uses that as a cushion - it's not just any vibrating effect, it's overcoming the sliding friction of stripping a round out of the mag, then forcing it to bounce up into the chamber *and* under the extactor hook...

If the gun is well made and well fit, you most likely will see no issues - unless perhaps you have one of those super duper < 1lb trigger jobs, or something. Still... I ease the slide forward on my pistols when going to an empty chamber, etc. No reason to impart extra wear, either....

[Ted Murphy]

I agree with what's been said. Think about it this way - how does a slide-lock reload really differ from firing a gun with a round in the magazine??

That was my thinking on the subject but I learned a long time ago not to argue with guys who lean on gunstore counters.

Ted

[ima45dv8]

I agree with what's been said. Think about it this way - how does a slide-lock reload really differ from firing a gun with a round in the magazine??

That was my thinking on the subject but I learned a long time ago not to argue with guys who lean on gunstore counters.

Ted

You're a wise man, Ted.

"Never argue with a fool -- it makes it hard for bystanders to tell who's who."

[Lee Watne]

Which lasts longer, a 9MM/38 Super or a 45 ACP/40 S&W?

[iainmcphersn]

"9MM/38 Super or a 45 ACP/40 S&W"

Hmm, new wildcat cartridges I've not heard of?

[Lee Watne]

No, major or minor power factors. Around here IDPA is a 9MM game and IPSC Limited shooters use major power factor 40's mostly.

Edited February 6, 2006 by Lee Watne