Tuning Trp Operator For Limited 10

[aggie dad]

I just purchased a SA TRP Operator (.45 Bull Barrel) which is my first 1911 type pistol. Have been shooting Glocks. I bought it used with ~ 1500 rounds thru it. I wanted to get some advice on getting this gun prepped for competition:

1) Should I have a good smith go over the gun before shooting it for first time (eg change out springs, make sure everything is as it should be)

2) What 10 rd mags would you recommend (Wilson, Chip McCormick, other) for best functioning/reliability.

3) Any mods that I should make to gun aside from a trigger job or some reliability tuning(would like to get to about a 2-2.5 lb trigger). It already has a Wilson extended slide release lever, but I suspect an extended mag release would also be good (any specific recommendations?)

4) Planning to reload with 230 gr Precision Bullets, and VVN310. Does any one have a good starting point for this combo? Also what OAL should I load to and are Federal LP primers ok?

Thanks,

Doug

[ChuckS]

Wilson for the mags!

Later,

Chuck

[Harmon]

fed primers are great,

save money on the n310, shoot CLAYS

Tripp Research mags.

With the new precisions, load to 1.200 unless you have your chamber freebored to take the longer ammo.

Also, pull that Ti firing pin and replace with at steel one..my favorite is the dawson hyperdrive.

[Bird_Dog0347]

Hey there, I am guessing you are the same Doug that bought the Operator from Ernie yesterday. What do you think of it so far, did you get a chance to shoot it yet?

I vote stick with wilson mags, that was all I ever ran through my old single stack.

~Nick

[Merlin Orr]

fed primers are great,

save money on the n310, shoot CLAYS

Tripp Research mags.

With the new precisions, load to 1.200 unless you have your chamber freebored to take the longer ammo.

Also, pull that Ti firing pin and replace with at steel one..my favorite is the dawson hyperdrive.

+1 to all of this. I like the Tripp mags but have had good luck with Wilsons also.

I did have my gun freebored a little more to run ammo with the Precision 230s @ 1.24.

Edited August 17, 2006 by Merlin Orr

[D.Hayden]

For mags.. I use the McCormick Power 10s.. my Wilsons sit in a box..

Both work well, but my Wilsons have smaller basepads, and I fnid that during a match, I'm seating them harder than I knew, also the McCormick witness holes are cooler!

I only shoot Zero 230RN - can't help you there.

Not sure if it has it already - but Ambi safeties are nice to have.

[raz-0]

I shot my TRP operator in L-10. the full length dustcover/rail version.

-switch to grease from oil. slide glide normal or ligh depending on your climate are my recommendation.

-S&A arched mainspring housing with mag well (so i could use normal mainsprings and to fit me better)

-18lb mainspring.

-aftec extractor (stock extractor gave it up after 2000 rounds).

-15lb progressive rate recoil spring.

-a shockbuff changed out every 1000 rounds.

-Ed brown extended mag release. had tried a CMC and it was just not going to fit. The ed brown just dropped in.

-falcon ergo XT grips.

I used chip mccormick power 10 magazines that i tuned. Basically check that they are true with a straight edge, after that take a 45 case and seat a 230gr jacketed bullet in it backwards. Put it in the magazine, and use it like a mandrel with a pair of pliers to get the lips set to the right width.

I shot 230 gr jacketed or plated over 4.5gr of titegroup loaded to a nominal length of 1.25" Usually rainier or zero jacketed bullets.

That setup ran solidly for me for 7k-8k rounds of use. Factory config gave me about 2000 rounds of reliable use until the stock extractor flaked out. My firend had a mil-spec that the extractor flaked at about the same round count, He used an ed brown bulletproof extractor and that worked reliably as well.

After shooting it for that long, I really thing the full rail gun is too heavy, but the newer short rail ones are probably ideal.

[Jaxshooter]

I agree with the Wilson mags and Clays powder with the 230 gr bullet. Clays is less expensive almost as clean. I run a 14 lb recoil spring and a shock buff with the 230 gr bullet and Clays in a Wilson single stack.

[aggie dad]

Hey there, I am guessing you are the same Doug that bought the Operator from Ernie yesterday. What do you think of it so far, did you get a chance to shoot it yet?

I vote stick with wilson mags, that was all I ever ran through my old single stack.

~Nick

Yes, that would be me. Nick, you need to teach Ernie how to lube his pistols, it was bone dry, not a good thing. It also initially had a very stiff recoil, mainspring, and trigger, but I suspected these items could be fairly easily rectified. In any event, I paid Mike Caylor a visit this afternoon, and after Mike had a chance to work his magic, I feel so much better about my purchase and am very pleased with the end result. Have not fired the gun yet, but from a functionality perspective it feels so much better. Mike did all the work (~ 3 hrs) while I observed and learned some more about 1911s. He did his reliability package, deburred several components/black teflon coated, installed lighter recoil spring/shock buffer, new firing pin/spring, trigger job, trimmed mainspring, adjusted ambi safety, and installed extended mag release. Mike is a real craftman, and one of the few gunsmiths in the North Texas area I would trust to touch my guns.

Thanks guys for all your good input. I will have to take a look at those Tripp mags, never heard of those before

Doug

[Vlad]

Yeah, my experience with the SA is that the extractor is good for about 2000 rounds after which you need a new one (I'm the friend that Raz-0 mentioned). I also love the CMC 10 rounders, the big pads make them easier to grab from the belt and stuff in the gun, though I think any of the mentioned brands would work just fine, more a matter of preference.

Mine started life as a milspec and I replaced most everything but barrel, bushing, frame, slide, and sights. If you want a easy trigger job, I can recommend the Cylinder and Slide trigger kits. I have one of their 4.5lb kits in my gun and it feels great and has worked for about 5k to 7k rounds now. They run about $150 from Brownells. If you need to replace the factory one is up to you.

The two things I think SA's need replaced are extractors and mainspring housing. In my experience SA extractors are VERY hard to tune and once they lose their original set they become kinda worthless. I used a Ed Brown Hardcore with great results. The mainspring housing contains the silly locking system that SA puts on their guns. If you want to use a standard mainspring you need a new housing, plunger and the plunger pin. You might as well take the oportunity to replace with with a magwell. I used the two piece Ed Brown, but if I did it again I would use the SA on piece deal that Raz-0 got, though I prefer flat.

I use TG and 230's but thats mostly because I use TG for everything so it makes it easier. I hear Clays is sweet too

Edited August 18, 2006 by Vlad

[Bird_Dog0347]

Hey there, I am guessing you are the same Doug that bought the Operator from Ernie yesterday. What do you think of it so far, did you get a chance to shoot it yet?

I vote stick with wilson mags, that was all I ever ran through my old single stack.

~Nick

Yes, that would be me. Nick, you need to teach Ernie how to lube his pistols, it was bone dry, not a good thing. It also initially had a very stiff recoil, mainspring, and trigger, but I suspected these items could be fairly easily rectified. In any event, I paid Mike Caylor a visit this afternoon, and after Mike had a chance to work his magic, I feel so much better about my purchase and am very pleased with the end result. Have not fired the gun yet, but from a functionality perspective it feels so much better. Mike did all the work (~ 3 hrs) while I observed and learned some more about 1911s. He did his reliability package, deburred several components/black teflon coated, installed lighter recoil spring/shock buffer, new firing pin/spring, trigger job, trimmed mainspring, adjusted ambi safety, and installed extended mag release. Mike is a real craftman, and one of the few gunsmiths in the North Texas area I would trust to touch my guns.

Thanks guys for all your good input. I will have to take a look at those Tripp mags, never heard of those before

Doug

Glad it is to your liking. Yeah, I understand about his cleaning abilities, we were roommates for a while after high school, he is the greatest guy in the world, but not the cleanest!

I hope you enjoy it.

[bagdrag]

Hey there, I am guessing you are the same Doug that bought the Operator from Ernie yesterday. What do you think of it so far, did you get a chance to shoot it yet?

I vote stick with wilson mags, that was all I ever ran through my old single stack.

~Nick

Thanks guys for all your good input. I will have to take a look at those Tripp mags, never heard of those before

Doug

I've got a TRP Op and I would stay away from the Tripp Mags (referring to 10 rdrs only). Only because the plastic over-insertion tab that is part of the basepad will ride over the front strap if you happen to shoot to slide lock. If you mod the pistol to not go to slide lock or your good enough to never go to slide lock you will be OK. I'd recommend the Wilsons though admittedly have no experience with them. The other recommendation is the CMC Power10's, I've had no problem with this mag whatsoever.

[aggie dad]

I ordered the Wilson's from BE. Now I am having a problem with assembling the gun with its Wilson slide lock. There seems to be numerous reports that many SA models have an overly long pin and very strong spring which makes assembly without an aide (punch, thin bladed screw driver) difficult. I really don't like the idea of needing a tool to put the slide lock back in, so am going to have the pin shortened a little and hopefully that will resolve the assembly issue. Anyone else experience this with their SA?

Thanks,

Doug

[raz-0]

I ordered the Wilson's from BE. Now I am having a problem with assembling the gun with its Wilson slide lock. There seems to be numerous reports that many SA models have an overly long pin and very strong spring which makes assembly without an aide (punch, thin bladed screw driver) difficult. I really don't like the idea of needing a tool to put the slide lock back in, so am going to have the pin shortened a little and hopefully that will resolve the assembly issue. Anyone else experience this with their SA?

Thanks,

Doug

I bought a wilson extended slide release for my TRP. It just did not fit well and negatively affected barrel lockup, so i went back to stock. I ahven't had much luckk with wilson parts on my TRP in general with regard to fit. Ed brown stuff has worked out much better for drop in fit. Unfotunately they don't make an extended slide release.

[bagdrag]

I've had pretty good luck with my Wilson Bulletproof slide lock fitting in my TRP Op as far as barrel lockup.

aggie dad, I too experience the same problem of getting my slide lock back in as you state. I use a chopstick to push the pin in and then push upward to put the lock in position. Then I pull the slide back to match up with the lock to fully insert.

[Bird_Dog0347]

on my old SA loaded, I just used my pocket knife as I always have it with me anyways.

[D__]

The slide not locking back on empty a problem with these pistols?

I have a TRP Operator and the slide doesnt lock back all the time with an empty mag. I only tried the stock SA mags and a bone stock Colt mag. the Colt mag works fine by the way.

D__