new gun

Jefpainthorse · Apr 13, 2012

I just placed a Springfeild 1911 in lay away.

Loaded Target...stainless in 9x19mm.

National match serial number,,, US made frame...

H and H usually is high... but I've been looking for one of these for a while... I could not get one shipped and transfered for what the local price was... so I'm happy about that.

The Glock 19 is fun to shoot in IDPA SSP ... but a 9mm 1911 will be even more fun in CDP!

Photos and a diary will follow... if things go right this gun should come home in a couple of weeks.

Burk Cornelius · Apr 13, 2012

,.....can't wait to see her. Nice choice

The Antichrome · Apr 14, 2012

Jeff said:
... but a 9mm 1911 will be even more fun in CDP!

You mean ESP, right?

Jefpainthorse · Apr 15, 2012

ESP .... Sorry

The Antichrome · Apr 15, 2012

:yes:

Jefpainthorse · May 4, 2012

Well the Grey Ghost went back to Genesco IL this morning. After 400 rounds spread over 4 common ammunition brands and 3 kinds of magazines --- it just would not slide lock after the last shot. Well... at least not more than 10 percent of time.

Springfield has a nice customer service lady... and the tech she was speaking to in the background said he thought the pistol needed a little lighter recoil spring.

They emailed me a FedEx label... I packed it up and dropped it off. I guess we will see what they did and if it works in about 3 weeks.

Other than the slide lock problems... the pistol feeds, extracts, ejects and spits bullets like a champ. It shot cloverleaves rested at 20 yards.... I like it.

ummm · May 5, 2012

Jeff said:
It shot cloverleaves rested at 20 yards.... I like it.

Somehow I doubt it was the gun doing that hard work

Congrats and I'm sure once it gets tuned you'll be crushing ESP competition for years to come!

OUshooter · May 5, 2012

It sounds like their customer service is top notch. I've had same situation as yours with a different maker and wasn't quite as impressed as I had hoped. Good luck and get us some pics.

Jefpainthorse · Jun 18, 2012

So... we got it back. The tech enclosed the report...says he worked on the slide lock and said not to "limp wrist the pistol". He said he "tested" it and all is good.

The gun was clean when it shipped... and was clean when I got it back. I don't think they shot it to "test' it. I did see a little fresh steel on the slide stop lobes that indicates they may have stoned it a little.

Since it's been home... I've run about 300 more cartridges through it. It still won't hold open on the last shot. As a bonus it's started stove piping empties on ejection. The ejector is not stitting flat on the frame.

It's going to make trip #2 back to Illinois this week. I told them I was sending it back dirty... I was not happy Sunday...no slide lock and a couple of stove pipes at Heartland sorta frosted my cheeks.

dennishoddy · Jun 18, 2012

Thats a pisser.
I bought a Kahr CW-40 that broke an ejector. Sent it back. When it was returned with a new mag, it broke the ejector after the 5th round.
Sent it back again, and they included another mag, and said they replaced the slide.
Never had another problem, and bought another so that I could have equality between vehicles. The other gun has never had a problem.

DurningDefenseCustomsLLC · Jun 19, 2012

I hate to be a bummer, but the NM perfix on the serno is not National Match, it just means that the frame and slide was finished machined in the U.S. I think the last true national match springer frame was made in the 70'S.

As for the lobe and stove pipes, that sucks, if I can help you out Jeff let me know.

Anthony.

Jefpainthorse · Jun 19, 2012

DurningDefenseCustomsLLC said:
I hate to be a bummer, but the NM perfix on the serno is not National Match, it just means that the frame and slide was finished machined in the U.S. I think the last true national match springer frame was made in the 70'S.

As for the lobe and stove pipes, that sucks, if I can help you out Jeff let me know.

Anthony.

I was gonna give the factory one more chance to get a pretty basic problem fixed.

The plan is.... Run this frame and slide a couple of years.... Replace the MIM, do some front strap checkering and undercut... And run it some more.

If the factory can't please me your probably gonna get some bones to work on.

DurningDefenseCustomsLLC · Jun 19, 2012

I had some talks with springer, their customer service is good, until you start asking the hard questions.

Iggie · Jun 19, 2012

My friend bought this exact model. And we had similar problems! But it turns out it was mostly me/break in. I was used to shooting my m&p so my grip was different and I was riding the slide lock without realizing it. Then I was also stove piping because of the way I was managing recoil. We had a guy used to shooting 1911's at the range shoot a few mags without a single failure. I actually shot his gun at the h&h single stack and learned it won't run dry it has to have a genorous amount of lube...

So here's my question will the slide lock work on an empty mag without live fire? And with no part of your hands touching the controls/safeties.

DurningDefenseCustomsLLC · Jun 19, 2012

"it won't run dry it has to have a genorous amount of lube..."

That is a bunch of crap, I fit frames and slides together with less .001 clearance and test 500 rounds no lube or cleaning. As for riding the slide stop, mag spring pressure such be able to lock the gun, even with alittle thumb pressure. To put in on tech report "stop limp wristing the gun, or dont ride the slide stop", is crap period.

I shot High grip thumb under safety over slide stop everyday, and the guns lock back, I have purposly limp wristed guns to induce failure and could not duplicate, I have set mag followers and springs up to fail and could not duplicate.

They need to fix the gun, not the shooter,

I am off my soap box,

A

Iggie · Jun 19, 2012

DurningDefenseCustomsLLC said:
"it won't run dry it has to have a genorous amount of lube..."

That is a bunch of crap, I fit frames and slides together with less .001 clearance and test 500 rounds no lube or cleaning. As for riding the slide stop, mag spring pressure such be able to lock the gun, even with alittle thumb pressure. To put in on tech report "stop limp wristing the gun, or dont ride the slide stop", is crap period.

I shot High grip thumb under safety over slide stop everyday, and the guns lock back, I have purposly limp wristed guns to induce failure and could not duplicate, I have set mag followers and springs up to fail and could not duplicate.

They need to fix the gun, not the shooter,

I am off my soap box,

A

I used both my competition reloads (147g lead TC) and factory ammunition(115 RN fmj). I ran into problems with it not going into battery and not cycling properly. I thought it was my thumbs riding on the slide. Maybe part of it was. But I changed my grip with the same results. Then I oiled the gun(what I considered to be over oiled)... problem was gone. I later polished the feed ramp. Now the gun runs and feeds smooth and cycles like it should. I am no gunsmith and these are not custom guns they are off the shelf production guns I know of at least two that have had problems running without plenty of lube. Maybe the silde and frame weren't fit. I don't know. I'm neither a machinest or a smith. I just go by what I found. Oh and qith my grip over several guns I have accidently held down the slide lock enough it didn't go onto slide lock. So yes grip can and will cause the slidelock to fail. Also I have attempted to cuase a failure due to a "limp wrist" but have failed to do so. Yet in my earlier years have cuased such failure. And watched a gun work perfect in my hands yet fail in anothers only to work fine in mine again.

So what I'm saying is not every gun is alike and neither is every person. Just because your guns don't need lube doesn't mean another might. And just because you can't emulate a failure doesn't mean its not possible.

I may have broke the soap box... sorry
CH

DurningDefenseCustomsLLC · Jun 19, 2012

I wasn't calling your remarks crap, but referring to the pistol.

I have seen some super tight guns run with no lube, and eject ever time, lock back on empty.

I can't complain too much, as long as they keep making mistakes I am in business. :triniti:

My biggest suggestion is trash you factory mags and spend the 30.00 bucks for something that runs right, or a least, put a better follower and spring in it. I shot a pistol on the ransom rest last week, used a colt, springer and kimber pro mag. wouldn't you know that the colt was the only one to have any consistant accuracy, feeding and lock the slide back on empty. But when I use a Chip McCormick, "damn" ever time good, strange magic.

Jefpainthorse · Jun 19, 2012

Since this is a 9mm.... It has a ramped barrel.

Feeding has never been the issue.

I ran this gun wet .... Very little cleaning the first 300, it was flawless except for slide lock issues.
This gun was nice and tight... And smooth out of the box. I was expecting troubles and classic tight slide problems.... It was good.

The slide stop is a tad higher than a commercial Colt.... I've made a point not to ride it ( weak and one handed) it still does it
CM makes 9mm?.... Will 38 super work? I hear some people run 38S in lieu of 9mm..
Tripp mags usually solve 9mm mag problems.... My loaners did not.

I'd be all ears about grip etc... But seeing how this is 1911 # 10 over 30 years.....

At this point sending it back is all about sending it back. A $1000 pistol should work.... Any improvements on my part should make it work better