Load data for a Springer 9mm 1911 Loaded? FTF issues...

[Aristotle]

Had some FTF issues this past match with my new Springer 1911 9mm Loaded Target. And I'm not ruling out the gun, or magazines, but I wanted to see if my loads are close to what others are running in this platform.

My current loads are

115 Grain Rainier Ballistics RN

4.2 Titegroup

at 1.145 OAL

This is my load for my Glock 17 that I tried to run in my new Springfield 9mm Loaded this past weekend. I loaded up a clip, and they cycled fine, I case gauged every single round. Checked every 10th round with my calipers, and all appear to be within my tolerance I set. I even practiced with it the night before, I had one jam, but out of 100 rounds they all ran fine.

I'm suspecting that they are either too light to cycle properly, or too short, or both.

Here is some video of my last match with the FTF's.

HALP!!! TIA

[Catfish]

What kind of mags are you using?

Edited to add - just saw you're using Rainers. The plated bullets I've used in the past have given me all the same sorts of fits like you're describing which is why I don't use them.

Do a forum search on Rainer and you'll find all sorts of similar stories.

Edited March 11, 2008 by Catfish

[38superman]

Hard to tell much from video but it looked like the gun went into slide lock several times.

I couldn't tell if this was a failure to feed or something activating the slide stop with rounds still in the magazine.

Premature slide lock could be the bullet pushing up on the slide stop lever from the inside.

Check this by removing the barrel and slide then replace the slide stop into the frame.

Insert a loaded magazine and see if the bullet is rubbing against the slide stop.

If so, there are several options:

Remove some material from the slide lock.

Seat bullets deeper.

Try a bullet with a different profile.

Modify the detent in the slide stop so that it requires move force to engage it.

Tony

Edited March 11, 2008 by 38superman

[Aristotle]

Good point Catfish, that's a fairly important factor. I am using Metal form 9 round magazines.

I have some Montana Gold 125 grains I'll try and look into the Rainier issues.

38Superman,

It only went into slide lock once that I remember. The rest of the time, it was half way into getting back into battery. Which is what got me thinking it may have loaded too short. ??????

But I'll use the method you defined and look into that just to see how close they are to my SS.

Edited March 11, 2008 by Aristotle

[HoMiE]

With the slide off, can you slide a round up under the extractor easily? I had to have my extractor undercut a little more and my FTF problems went away.

[Aristotle]

With the slide off, can you slide a round up under the extractor easily? I had to have my extractor undercut a little more and my FTF problems went away.

Thanks for the advise, I will check that when I get home and post some pics. Thanks again.

[Catfish]

It only went into slide lock once that I remember. The rest of the time, it was half way into getting back into battery. Which is what got me thinking it may have loaded too short. ??????

That sounds exactly like the feed problems I would have with Rainers. I'd case gauge them, mic them, everything and couldn't find any anomolies. But I'd keep getting those kind of jams - one or two per mag sometimes. Switched to either lead, moly coated or fmj type bullets and viola, problem fixed. It might just be as simple as that....

Does it jam on other bullets as well?

[Aristotle]

It only went into slide lock once that I remember. The rest of the time, it was half way into getting back into battery. Which is what got me thinking it may have loaded too short. ??????

That sounds exactly like the feed problems I would have with Rainers. I'd case gauge them, mic them, everything and couldn't find any anomolies. But I'd keep getting those kind of jams - one or two per mag sometimes. Switched to either lead, moly coated or fmj type bullets and viola, problem fixed. It might just be as simple as that....

Does it jam on other bullets as well?

All of the other loads have been on Rainier bullets. I have 1k rounds of Montana gold 125 grain RN at home I'll try.

[Aristotle]

UPDATE---

Loaded up the 12(4) grain MG's, and and loaded to 4.6grain tite group and no more FTF issues. Surprisingly, I all of a sudden had light strike issues, which I was already preparing for, as a friend of mine told me the titanium FP in the springers can do that. So I swapped it out for an Ed Brown FP and viola! no more light strikes.

Ran the new load at a local match and it all performed flawlessly.

[Catfish]

Cool - I hope it was really that easy, and it looks to this point like it was.