Chuck
NES Member
Hi,
Finally had time to take my new-to-me 1911 to the range today. This was a barely used, it appears, custom job by LaRocca of Worcester. I bought it at a local shop with the two magazines used magazines. Barsto barrel, BoMar low-mount sights, nice light crsip trigger, and probably more I don't know enough to mention!
At the range was a friend trying out his new Walther. Mr. Bond and I placed 50' slow fire targets at the end of the 25-yard range (hey, it's all we had). Loaded up with cheap Winchester ammo from WalMart and had at it.
Shockingly good! I haven't fired a 45 since my dad's back in the 70's. I was surprised the recoil was so low, lower then my Glock 23 in .40. My first 14 were all in the black, probably only 1 or 2 out of the 8 ring. Point of aim was POI! This was free hand from 25 yards, I'm happy with that. I'll figure out later what a bench rest group looks like.
When James finished his second mag, however, the fun stopped. He and I had been using different magazines; switching off turns on the gun. After the 28th shot, the slide failed to stay open when the mag emptied. Surprise number one. I had my loaded mag ready; inserted it and rocked the slide -- and had a Failure To Feed; surprise number 2. Jammed it good -- couldn't even pull the mag out. Had to push the round into the chamber. Checked the mags, the rounds, looked into side the mag well, nothing unusual looking.
Fired off the mag, it held open OK. But now the mag would not drop free. Before this both mags always dropped free when I was dry firing, cleaning, and shooting. Now neither of the two mags that came with it (they don't look like anything special, just your standard government model mags) would drop free, had to pull them out.
Not knowing any better, we let the gun cool, thinking it might be heat expansion thing. After a few mags into his new Walther and my new-to-me Glock 17 (to go with the 26, 27, and the after-mentioned 23!) we tried it again, same thing. Failure to feed the first round, stove-piped, and the mag I had been using wouldn't drop; but the other one now would?!
I'll clean it all up as best I can tomorrow. Clean the mags too. Hopefully some free advice will come my way from you all! Then take it to the range again. Even with the mag and failure to cleanly swipe the first round off, the sucker shoots straight! I was hitting a laundry detergent jug all over the back stop at this point, both strong hand and week hand only. It's a shooter, just gotta figure these problems out. Have to say, with all my Glocks I've never had a single failure to fire or feed. Well, thanks for reading my ramblings.
cheers,
Chuck
Finally had time to take my new-to-me 1911 to the range today. This was a barely used, it appears, custom job by LaRocca of Worcester. I bought it at a local shop with the two magazines used magazines. Barsto barrel, BoMar low-mount sights, nice light crsip trigger, and probably more I don't know enough to mention!
At the range was a friend trying out his new Walther. Mr. Bond and I placed 50' slow fire targets at the end of the 25-yard range (hey, it's all we had). Loaded up with cheap Winchester ammo from WalMart and had at it.
Shockingly good! I haven't fired a 45 since my dad's back in the 70's. I was surprised the recoil was so low, lower then my Glock 23 in .40. My first 14 were all in the black, probably only 1 or 2 out of the 8 ring. Point of aim was POI! This was free hand from 25 yards, I'm happy with that. I'll figure out later what a bench rest group looks like.
When James finished his second mag, however, the fun stopped. He and I had been using different magazines; switching off turns on the gun. After the 28th shot, the slide failed to stay open when the mag emptied. Surprise number one. I had my loaded mag ready; inserted it and rocked the slide -- and had a Failure To Feed; surprise number 2. Jammed it good -- couldn't even pull the mag out. Had to push the round into the chamber. Checked the mags, the rounds, looked into side the mag well, nothing unusual looking.
Fired off the mag, it held open OK. But now the mag would not drop free. Before this both mags always dropped free when I was dry firing, cleaning, and shooting. Now neither of the two mags that came with it (they don't look like anything special, just your standard government model mags) would drop free, had to pull them out.
Not knowing any better, we let the gun cool, thinking it might be heat expansion thing. After a few mags into his new Walther and my new-to-me Glock 17 (to go with the 26, 27, and the after-mentioned 23!) we tried it again, same thing. Failure to feed the first round, stove-piped, and the mag I had been using wouldn't drop; but the other one now would?!
I'll clean it all up as best I can tomorrow. Clean the mags too. Hopefully some free advice will come my way from you all! Then take it to the range again. Even with the mag and failure to cleanly swipe the first round off, the sucker shoots straight! I was hitting a laundry detergent jug all over the back stop at this point, both strong hand and week hand only. It's a shooter, just gotta figure these problems out. Have to say, with all my Glocks I've never had a single failure to fire or feed. Well, thanks for reading my ramblings.
cheers,
Chuck
I posted a pic on "Show us your 1911" thread I am so proud.
