Drawbacks to 40sw single stacks?

[sobrbiker883]

Is there any drawbacks to .40sw single stacks?

I shoot a Para ltd gun and was thinking of offing my Kimber Custom to get a single stack 40. I really like 45acp for carry, but for steel I've found myself liking 40, and 40's the only pistol I reload for.

Any input on reliability, etc would be appreciated.

[G-ManBart]

Some can be a bit picky about feeding with various length ammo. That's about it really. Most will shoot factory length ammo just fine using mags that have spacers in the back, but if you want to shoot .40 long like most people use in Limited 2011's you may have to play around to find the right length. Mine never failed to feed with any length ammo while shooting, but if the ammo was on the short side it didn't always want to feed from slide lock (nose dives). I got it sorted out pretty quickly and worked wonderfully in all the matches I shot it, but I had a Schuemann AET Classic waiting for it so I finally sent it off to get the barrel fit and it'll be back to me as soon as I let the smith know I'm settled in the new place. I sent him 100-150 rounds of my .40 long, a box or two of WWB and a couple of mags and he said it's running beautifully. Can't wait to see what it'll do with the new barrel as it was very accurate before!

A very, very minor issue is that they tend to be slightly heavier than the identical gun in .45 because the barrel has a smaller hole, so more meat to it. That's only an issue if you're using a heavy magwell/mainspring housing and/or a tungsten guide rod, or the gun is built on a heavy frame like a Caspian Race Ready. With one of those combos it'll be a bit harder to make the weight limit. R,

[steel1212]

I've got 3 and mine run fine with 8+1, 2 run great with 9+1, and one runs great with 10+1. The problem with .40 is that the ammo starts stacking forward and wants to nose dive if you don't have good mags or good ammo or you barrel ramp isn't just right. Once you have them going though they are fine.

[jasmap]

Same here. I have a .40 1911 that runs like a top. I have had normal wear and tear issues but if I replace springs, clean it sometimes, and keep good mags in it then it does it's part and runs runs runs.

[sobrbiker883]

Thanks for the info guys (and others feel free to pipe in).

Corey, I've been drooling over the different ads with the different iterations you have. I wish I could pick one up!!

[dbltapipsc]

Same here. I have a .40 1911 that runs like a top. I have had normal wear and tear issues but if I replace springs, clean it sometimes, and keep good mags in it then it does it's part and runs runs runs.

+1

[mike cyrwus]

The biggest thing is, youll not want to shoot a 45 1911 again.

unless its at a bad guy...

[kgunz11]

The biggest thing is, youll not want to shoot a 45 1911 again.

unless its at a bad guy...

+1 to that.

My STI Trojan in .40 is an absolute joy to shoot, I use Wilson 47DE mags (.45 ACP mags) and with the ammo I run in my Limited guns loaded to 1.185" I have no issues what-so-ever.

[jasmap]

The biggest thing is, youll not want to shoot a 45 1911 again.

unless its at a bad guy...

+1 to that.

My STI Trojan in .40 is an absolute joy to shoot, I use Wilson 47DE mags (.45 ACP mags) and with the ammo I run in my Limited guns loaded to 1.185" I have no issues what-so-ever.

I also load to 1.185 for mine but I use the Wilson 47NX mags. The Wilson 47DE's like kgunz's normally work great also though.

[JoshF]

I'd have to say that the only drawback to a 40sw is that a PROVEN fix can cost a bit. It's not necessarily more then a 45 when they decide they don't want to work that final .1% of the time.

My 40 Trojan would NOT run with anything and any mags I tried. Sent it to Virgil and he sent back a pistol that runs PERFECT. Ran the gun in a local Singlestack only match less then a week later and the gun never missed a beat. I do believe EVERY 45 in my squad jammed at least once.. My 45 I ran the year before had one FTF too. I'd have to say right now my 40 is more reliable then my 45 which I use to consider very reliable.

Oh, plus I get the bonus of running the exact same load as my limited gun, familiar recoil impulse if you shoot limited now, no need to have a large primer setup AND cheaper components.

[Gary Stevens]

One other thing that can help is the EGW mag release that holds the magazine a bit higher in the gun. It improved the feeding in both of mine.

[sobrbiker883]

Oh, plus I get the bonus of running the exact same load as my limited gun, familiar recoil impulse if you shoot limited now, no need to have a large primer setup AND cheaper components.

That's my entire motivation for switching.

Anyone have CMC mags work in their 40's?

I like the tip about the EGW catch, I'll try to remember that.

[STI2011]

Oh, plus I get the bonus of running the exact same load as my limited gun, familiar recoil impulse if you shoot limited now, no need to have a large primer setup AND cheaper components.

Yes, this is the reason I went with a .40 in single stack as well.

One other thing that can help is the EGW mag release that holds the magazine a bit higher in the gun. It improved the feeding in both of mine.

I had a similar problem but, instead of buying a new mag release, I had my gunsmith adjust mine.

Once I solved the feed problems (my gunsmith adjusted the feedramp and the mag release) the gun runs great. I am using the Tripp Cobra 9 round 10mm mags. My bullets are seated to 1.190

Edited August 13, 2009 by STI2011

[Doug H.]

I had a custom .40 single stack built by John Larson, JPL Precision. I wanted it to feed standard .40 ammo. I bought 7 Tripp .40 mags and gave them to him during the build. He found that it would not always feed reliably. It seems that the ramp angle on some .40 barrels may be too steep and the rounds contact the ramp face but do not slide up into the chamber. He recut the ramp and that solved the problem. The gun now runs with all the .40 FMJ ammo that I have tried.

Doug

Edited August 13, 2009 by Doug H.

[G-ManBart]

Oh, plus I get the bonus of running the exact same load as my limited gun, familiar recoil impulse if you shoot limited now, no need to have a large primer setup AND cheaper components.

That's my entire motivation for switching.

Anyone have CMC mags work in their 40's?

I like the tip about the EGW catch, I'll try to remember that.

I only have one CMC 10mm mag, but it works nicely in mine. I also have a couple older CMC .45 mags and those seemed to work fine as well, but I only tested them a little bit just out of curiosity.

[TheQuietMan2]

Virgil made my Trojan run by re-cutting the ramp and mated a boat load of Cobra mags with it.

Fusion Firearms built me a back up gun that rarely gets used. Virgil's gun runs and runs.

[steel1212]

Thanks for the info guys (and others feel free to pipe in).

Corey, I've been drooling over the different ads with the different iterations you have. I wish I could pick one up!!

That makes 2 of us lol. I've come to the conclusion, if it doesn't sell on Gunbroker I'm going to have it bead blasted and finished in black and carry it.

[Mistral404]

Virgil built mine. I use only his mags. There may be better ones out there but his work for me. STI trojans are well known for needing extra work to make the .40 run.

Virgil, Matt, and Benny are well known for getting the 40 to run flawlessly.

The only downside is that I use the same ammo as my Limited gun. With my newer barrel in my .40 is runs a little faster than my Limited guns. So I might have to shift my load down a bit when shooting SS.

I have a tungsten and steel guide rods, I do need to weigh it with both of them. I make weight with the steel one and really do not notice the difference now.

[dohboy]

Does anyone have a .40 Single Stack that will run reliably with different mags (Cobra, Wilson, Metalform, CMC, etc) while using the same load? I seat my rounds to 1.250" and they run perfect with the Wilson 47NXs, but have issues with other mags (Metalform & CMC) such as not dropping freely with rounds in the mag or not feeding from slide lock.

[kgunz11]

My Trojan runs with a multitude of mags. Everything except McM 10 rounders.

[L-10_shooter]

I had a custom .40 single stack built by John Larson, JPL Precision. I wanted it to feed standard .40 ammo. I bought 7 Tripp .40 mags and gave them to him during the build. He found that it would not always feed reliably. It seems that the ramp angle on some .40 barrels may be too steep and the rounds contact the ramp face but do not slide up into the chamber. He recut the ramp and that solved the problem. The gun now runs with all the .40 FMJ ammo that I have tried.

Doug

Wow that is a gorgous single stack gun!!

You guys are making me want a .40 single stack gun!

[STI2011]

I had a custom .40 single stack built by John Larson, JPL Precision. I wanted it to feed standard .40 ammo. I bought 7 Tripp .40 mags and gave them to him during the build. He found that it would not always feed reliably. It seems that the ramp angle on some .40 barrels may be too steep and the rounds contact the ramp face but do not slide up into the chamber. He recut the ramp and that solved the problem. The gun now runs with all the .40 FMJ ammo that I have tried.

Doug

Wow that is a gorgous single stack gun!!

You guys are making me want a .40 single stack gun!

Mine isn't as pretty as that but, I like the looks of it.

[kgunz11]

Here's mine.

[STI2011]

Here's mine.

Nice looking gun. I like those grips. I might have to get one of those bigger magwells. Is that the SVI? I see that Dawson has come out with a new one for the single stacks...Does anyone have one?

[DUKE]

Bobby is that your Trojan?