Inferior firearms vs function and reliability

[larry8]

Personally I favor Ruger, but I've had SA, Taurus, Rossi and some German guns in the past. They were all good or as good as my Ruger's.

 

[the_leper_colony]

I was reminded again last week, that sometimes a firearm gets blamed for an ammunition issue. I had purchased a factory .22 LR conversion kit for one of my 9mm handguns, and took it to the range for the first time. I've read oin the past that many conversion kits function best with ammunition like CCI Mini-Mags, so I brought some of that to the range, along with 10-12 other types of .22 ammunition.

Surprised the heck out of me, but the Mini-Mags not only didn't group well, but there were a lot of 'light strikes' that required a second pull of the trigger to fire. Ditto for Winchester Super-X, which a friend says works best in his 1911 conversion kit. Lots of similar problems with other types of ammo, as well. Finally, down in the bottom of the box, I found some Federal 45 gr "Suppressor" ammo I had bought to try in a fast-twist carbine barrel. Voila! Nice tight groups and reliable cycling. If I hadn't had the Federal 45 gr along, I might have jumped to the conclusion that the firearm was "inferior".

As always IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.

 

[dhains1963]

I was reminded again last week, that sometimes a firearm gets blamed for an ammunition issue. I had purchased a factory .22 LR conversion kit for one of my 9mm handguns, and took it to the range for the first time. I've read oin the past that many conversion kits function best with ammunition like CCI Mini-Mags, so I brought some of that to the range, along with 10-12 other types of .22 ammunition.

Surprised the heck out of me, but the Mini-Mags not only didn't group well, but there were a lot of 'light strikes' that required a second pull of the trigger to fire. Ditto for Winchester Super-X, which a friend says works best in his 1911 conversion kit. Lots of similar problems with other types of ammo, as well. Finally, down in the bottom of the box, I found some Federal 45 gr "Suppressor" ammo I had bought to try in a fast-twist carbine barrel. Voila! Nice tight groups and reliable cycling. If I hadn't had the Federal 45 gr along, I might have jumped to the conclusion that the firearm was "inferior".

As always IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.

It's amazing that all guns and most ammo are made to their particular calibers specs, yet they don't always work. Things that make you go hum!

 

[BearBiologist]

Off topic question for you. What do you think of the glock 43x?

Don't have a 43x. We have 3 G43s in the household. Wife has one (With Crimson Trace laser) in her nightstand (I have a G22 changed over to 357 Sig with a laser in mine). She also has one in her purse (We both have CCWs for multiple states). I have one in the desk drawer for quick runs to the market. My wife decided on a G17 for OWB carry in the woods.

I don't get the accuracy from the G43 that I do from my modified G27 (357 Sig), We both had issues (as did one of her female friends with her G43) with FTF jams and stove piping. I asked Massoud about it and he told me that the lighter & faster (115 & 124 gr) +P loads cycled the lighter action of the G43 "too fast". He recommended a heavier bullet. We switched to 147gr, and the problem stopped.

I carry my G27 for EDC and like it a lot. Small enough to pocket carry with cargo pants and, I think, a better cartridge than the 40 S & W (YMMV). I find 1911 platforms just a tad big and heavy. My Commanders and Officers Enhanced were more often left at home in favor of a j-frame S & W or even a Colt .25 (also in my desk drawer)

 

[BearBiologist]

I was reminded again last week, that sometimes a firearm gets blamed for an ammunition issue. I had purchased a factory .22 LR conversion kit for one of my 9mm handguns, and took it to the range for the first time. I've read oin the past that many conversion kits function best with ammunition like CCI Mini-Mags, so I brought some of that to the range, along with 10-12 other types of .22 ammunition.

Surprised the heck out of me, but the Mini-Mags not only didn't group well, but there were a lot of 'light strikes' that required a second pull of the trigger to fire. Ditto for Winchester Super-X, which a friend says works best in his 1911 conversion kit. Lots of similar problems with other types of ammo, as well. Finally, down in the bottom of the box, I found some Federal 45 gr "Suppressor" ammo I had bought to try in a fast-twist carbine barrel. Voila! Nice tight groups and reliable cycling. If I hadn't had the Federal 45 gr along, I might have jumped to the conclusion that the firearm was "inferior".

As always IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.

Twenty-twos are notorious for being finicky.

 

[the_leper_colony]

Twenty-twos are notorious for being finicky.

About 30 years ago, a friend bought a used Ruger No. 1 in .270 Winchester. Sighting it in, he discovered that it would shoot Remington factory ammo (forget bullet type & weight) into these tiny groups he could cover with a nickel! How sweet is that?!

After owning it for a while, he started talking about having the stock shortened for a better fit, and having the furniture refinished at the same time. Having read that the No. 1 could be sensitive to forend fit or tension (or something of that nature), I advised him to PLEASE not mess with it - I mean, just look at those groups, with off-the-shelf ammo! Of course, he ignored me (what are friends for). And for whatever reason, he could never get it to shoot worth a dang after refinishing the furniture.

It's not just rimfires that can be finicky!

 

[BearBiologist]

I once had a #1 varmint in 25-06 with a 10x Unertl scope. Made up a load that you could cover 10 shots (after 5 fouling shots) with a dime using 120 gr Partitions (prepping for a pronghorn hunt). Rolled a coyote at 500 yards. Didn't write down the load!!!

 

[Fox Mike]

I was reminded again last week, that sometimes a firearm gets blamed for an ammunition issue. I had purchased a factory .22 LR conversion kit for one of my 9mm handguns, and took it to the range for the first time. I've read oin the past that many conversion kits function best with ammunition like CCI Mini-Mags, so I brought some of that to the range, along with 10-12 other types of .22 ammunition.

Surprised the heck out of me, but the Mini-Mags not only didn't group well, but there were a lot of 'light strikes' that required a second pull of the trigger to fire. Ditto for Winchester Super-X, which a friend says works best in his 1911 conversion kit. Lots of similar problems with other types of ammo, as well. Finally, down in the bottom of the box, I found some Federal 45 gr "Suppressor" ammo I had bought to try in a fast-twist carbine barrel. Voila! Nice tight groups and reliable cycling. If I hadn't had the Federal 45 gr along, I might have jumped to the conclusion that the firearm was "inferior".

As always IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.

Dos this come with a separate barrel as well, since the 9mm is about 335 and the .22 is 223?