New to me open gun

[got glock]

I thought it might be fun to post about what it takes for a long time glock shooter to get into the 2011 world. I intend these posts to be both technical and about personal development so mods please feel free to move this discussion to whatever is the appropriate place. I do not want this to turn into a "way to go and glad you finally got a real gun" discussion but rather a place where a person that was in my shoes can to to learn what it takes to make the same move.

I came across a used SVI based open gun in 38 super for what I felt like a good price. I wanted to try a 2011 so I bought it. If I end up liking the gun I will convert to 9mm major over the winter. The specs as I know them are:

SVI 2011 frame

I think a caspian slide, 5"

Aftec extractor

Schumann barrel with 3 holes

Unknown comp with 4 up and 4 side ports

DP sight mount

Cmore

1 SVI 170 mm with DP basepads and neon purple followers

5 SVI 140 mm with DP basepads and arrendo purple followers

1 STI short stick

Some sort of slide racker.

Old style ghost holster

Safariland 771 mag carriers

Safariland Belt

Load data (use at your own risk)

mixed 38 super brass

8.2 gr Ramshot Silhoutte

124 gr MGHP

OAL 1.246

Fed SP primers

Makes 168-9 pf.

Some things that I have noticed about the equipment so far. Of course I discovered these during my first match with the gun. Gotta love working out of town.

1. The Safariland belt is old floppy, I have a new CR speed on the way

2. You have to actually tighten the adjustment screws on the mag carriers before you run or all of your mags will fall out, never a problem with my glock CR Speeds. This did not actually hurt me on the stage but it was a real good thing to learn early in the day.

3. I had two misfeeds during my first match. Upon inspection I found that the followers were not staying connected with the mag springs. Hopeful solution: Order grams springs and followers for the 170 and 2 140's. Also ordered 1 Bolen spring and follower for the big stick to see if I get an extra round and good reliability.

4. The gun is incredibly fast. I won my first stage out with the gun. Talk about a confidence booster.

5. I took off the slide racker. It gets in the way of my thumb on safety disengagement.

Some things that I noticed about my self.

1. After some pretty extensive dryfire practice my index as it pertains to finding the dot came about surprisingly easy. Now finding the front sight on my glock is surprisingly hard. It is always pointing in the air, go figure.

2. Dryfiring the safety disengagement to the point it is automatic is a must.

3. Reloads were easy to get used to. I thought that I might have a hard time finding the mag release but no problem.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give. If you see something that I am doing wrong please speak up. This forum is all about learning from each other.

Edited because I forgot something.

Edited October 14, 2008 by got glock

[RayFromHouston]

Gee guy... you must have been reading my mind...... After the Ga. state match next, I will be going to a Open gun that I got off of here a 1 1/2 years ago...

I will be following this thread..........

[Aristotle]

We must be the graduating class of 08'.

I'll be shooting my open gun for the first time in a match next week.

[got glock]

I installed the grams followers and springs into the magazines. They are a lot stiffer than what I took out. I would think they would work. I will be on the road for a few days this week. I look forward to finding if they are the solution to the jam or not. Come on Thursday rangeday...we gots to know.

[got glock]

I tested out the new springs and followers with one mag full of each. So far so good, runs like a top. Much more testing over the winter to make sure that all is well.

Something that I noticed yesterday is my dot tracking. It goes straight up and down. Dot never leaves the lens, but it takes quite a bit of time to get it settled back down and ready for the next shot. It like some sort of weird up and down harmonic thing. I tried loosening/tightening my grip to solve the problem with no luck.

To all of the open guru's here on the forum, is this normal? Thanks in advance.

[BBoyle]

Alot of the time you think that the dot takes to stabilize is just percieved. Do a few drills and break the shot before the dot stops and then do a few more and wait for it to stop good enoough for a sure shot. You will see there is not much difference. It will be something like .02 to .04 seconds.

[got glock]

I have begun to feel comfortable with the gun. I am getting used to the whole wiggle thing, seems like the thing to do is shoot right as the harmonic begins to slow down.

I am noticing a couple of things:

Gun:

I am getting a small amount of powder residue on the slide and frame. Not much but a little. Is this normal?

I clean the mags that I use during the COF before the next run. I just pull the base plate and let everything fall into a plastic bag. Brush with a Arrendo brush and reassemble. Is this overboard? Since the new springs and followers and enacting this cleaning methodology I have experienced zero malfunction issues.

Cleaning the gun really isn't that bad, although I have moved to cleaning every time I shoot from the once per thousand plan with the glocks.

At this time I think that I am still faster with the glocks. The main trouble that I am having is finding the dot on the draw and moving into a new position. I know that a bunch of dryfire will help. I will have more time over the winter. I have resolved myself to shooting basically nothing but my open gun over the winter in practice etc. Of course I will probably shoot my actual carry gun for IDPA. Anybody tried to Tac Load a LCP, it isn't that fun. (note for the IDPA rules guys....I will shoot the LCP for no score or in a BUG gun class)

Thanks in advance.

[HSMITH]

Try changing springs, a recoil spring in the 8-10 pound range is most common and most are running 8 pound. If the slide is fairly heavy or the barrel is fairly heavy like the hybrid barrels are I find the guns shoot best with the lightest spring I can get away with. Your left hand is the recoil control hand, and it is the primary means of stabilizing the dot when the gun comes down. Play with springs some and left hand pressure, see what the dot tells you.

EDIT: Cleaning the mags after each use is a good plan, it will save you from unnecessary problems, keep doing it. Clean the top end of the gun every 500 rounds or so, the entire gun every couple thousand rounds. Open guns run really dirty, the residue you are seeing is probably normal.

Edited November 6, 2008 by HSMITH

[JThompson]

I have begun to feel comfortable with the gun. I am getting used to the whole wiggle thing, seems like the thing to do is shoot right as the harmonic begins to slow down.

I am noticing a couple of things:

Gun:

I am getting a small amount of powder residue on the slide and frame. Not much but a little. Is this normal?

I clean the mags that I use during the COF before the next run. I just pull the base plate and let everything fall into a plastic bag. Brush with a Arrendo brush and reassemble. Is this overboard? Since the new springs and followers and enacting this cleaning methodology I have experienced zero malfunction issues.

Cleaning the gun really isn't that bad, although I have moved to cleaning every time I shoot from the once per thousand plan with the glocks.

At this time I think that I am still faster with the glocks. The main trouble that I am having is finding the dot on the draw and moving into a new position. I know that a bunch of dryfire will help. I will have more time over the winter. I have resolved myself to shooting basically nothing but my open gun over the winter in practice etc. Of course I will probably shoot my actual carry gun for IDPA. Anybody tried to Tac Load a LCP, it isn't that fun. (note for the IDPA rules guys....I will shoot the LCP for no score or in a BUG gun class)

Thanks in advance.

With the powder you are using the unburned looking stuff you are finding is normal... I get it as well.

[got glock]

Thanks for the info. I will play with the springs a bit. How do I know when I get the springs too light? Does the gun quit chambering the next round or simply quit running?

[HSMITH]

It will not feed reliably, usually start by coming up short of fully in battery and will get worse as it gets dirty. You will also start seeing the dot lift become more and more violent, as with all things you are looking for a balance of feel and dot track without compromising reliability.

[RayFromHouston]

This Sat. is going to be my first match shooting OPEN....... Can't wait.......

[HSMITH]

My my, what a large compensator you have Raymond.....

LOL, nice gun!!

[RayFromHouston]

Thanks..... I've had it for about for a wile, got it here used.... now it's time to shoot it......

[Aristotle]

I'm shooting my second match this Sunday. Learned a lot of things last week shooting it the first time. the gun is also used, and I should probably swap out the recoil spring and shok buff as I don't know what the round count is on it. Since the slide is lightened, should I go with a 8lb spring?

I've been toying around with it all summer, finally got some loads I think "should" load now.

before:

After:

[Chris iliff]

The dark side has you both. Your guns are very clean, are we suppose to clean our open guns, or just add more oil, or both? This cleaning thing, from whence did it originate? Sounds like a myth.

[RayFromHouston]

Sorry guys... I forgot about this thread... Shot my match... had a ball, I was squaded with 5 other open shooters... they gave me alot of tips when it was my turn to shoot... Gun ran GREAT... but, I need to change out the extractor for a Altack (sp) unit... that happenes this week....