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Detonics And Switch Barrel 1911 Range Report


Sailormilan2

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I recently built up a "Detonics" style 45acp using an Essex made frame and a Colt officers model upper. Upper as it came, needed work. Plus a new recoil spring, and Clark plug. Finally got a chance to test it today. It had a few issues, mostly with lead SWC reloads. However, with my hardball reloads and JHP reloads, it worked just fine.

Hardball reloads at 10 yds(6 shots).
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JHP reloads at 10 yds(5 shots)
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I also took out my switch caliber gun, to test it since I had redone the springs( 38 Super to 14 lbs, and 9mm to 12 lbs). As well as testing my new crowning job. Someone had tried to recrown it and left chatter marks all around the muzzle. It had been shooting left. After the recrown, the first(and only shot was dead center).
Unfortunately the Fusion made front sight disappeared on the first shot. Gun has about 50 rounds thrugh total. I had some issues with fitting it, so I may have screwed it up. The leg snapped, leaving a piece in the slide.
But, to further test the spring, we (my son and I) did some more unaimed firing. I think the springs are still too strong(I'm using a 23lb mainspring), so I will cut another coil off each of the recoil springs.
Also, the extractor kept coming off the rims of both the 9mm and the 38 Super cases. I don't know if that is a factor of the to heavy recoil spring or if the extractor needs retensioning.
So, I will keep working on that. As well as a bit more feed ramp polishing. Bot cartridges feed hardball/JPH just fine. The 9mm fed the lead SWCs most of the time, but the 38 Super misfed every one. Unless, I pulled the slide all the way back and let it go, then it fed fine.

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<p><br />

"Also, the extractor kept coming off the rims of both the 9mm and the 38 Super cases.  I don't know if that is a factor of the to heavy recoil spring or if the extractor needs retensioning".</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I had a 1911, 45 that was doing that. I did some re tensioning on the extractor, sill had the problem but to a lesser degree. Polishing the chamber seemed to fix it. Don't know if it was corrosion or a burr, just know it worked afterward.  </p>

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Az, I think part of the problem is that I was using the 38 Super length extractor. So, I have gone to using the 9mm extractor, which is about 3/16" longer. All three rounds feed fine, and as long as there isn't a bullet in the case, there appears to be room for proper ejection. Tension appears to be proper.

I spent last night rethroating the barrels, and there is an improvement in feeding. I've been trimming the recoil springs, and that has helped the 38 super eject......................it bounce empties right into my face. I tested it again yesterday, and at 10 yds the 9mm put 3 rounds in about 1" almost right on target, so I think I fixed the crown. I will get going out again next week to try again. It's getting better.

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Its been way more years than I want to think about. I always ran into problems fooling around with 1911 springs. I did discover years later the loading data I was using from a Speer manual turned out to be a mis-print and I was loading 38 Super way to hot. The heavier recoil and hammer springs did tame the wild extraction down considerably and stopped it from throwing empties a country mile. Between the Series 70 Mk IV bushing being tight and the heavier springs it was a real task racking the slide.

 

About the same time my shooting bud had a Spanish Star that very closely resembled the 1911. The Star's slide was marked 38 Auto or 9MM. It would shoot both the 38 Auto (not Super) and 9MM. Discovered years later it was supposed to be 9MM Largo not today's popular 9MM Luger but it worked fine with either the 38 Auto or 9MM Luger just fine. Despite warnings my buddy often shot 38 Super and as far as I know nothing ever broke. The Star's magic touch to shoot various calibers was a very strong extractor. The cartridge being held very tightly against the slide far as I recall never failed to shoot.

 

I just wonder if it would be possible to alter a 1911's extractor to tightly hold the cartridge rim tightly enough to shoot either 9MM and 38 Super without any further alterations.

 

I want to kick myself everytime I think about trading away my Colt for a S&W Model 19 in a straight across trade. When I bought the Colt in 1971 I paid 139.99. Standard new Colt 1911's were 119 and Commander models were price in between about 129. At the time as a wild 21 year old with my first Master Card burning a hole in my wallet. I didn't mind the extra cost for the Mark IV series. My friend with the Star paid either 79 or 89 for his.

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