Range Officer

Got to shoot the new range officer today....seems it will be plenty good enuff for me ....it did not like those 185gr Button nose bullets....locked the gun up tight 3x's had to take gun apart with a hot rd in chamber to clear it.......the 205 gr LSWC's ran fine...except I either need a tad more powder...3.4gr clays or a 14lb recoil spring...gun would shoot fine but didnt always eject spent case ...gun is new so I'll jack up the powder to 3.6gr with the 205 gr an d try again......My buddy forgeot the sand bags so I did manage to get the gun on target at 50ft I would get a group that would hold the 9 ring (4 shots ) then throw the 5th ......I think that is due to the heavy factory trigger.....Trigger is awesome as far a crisp and clean but I would imagine it to be 5+ .......so all and all I think it will serve me well ..I need to order some H&G 68's from magnus and get the trigger down to about 3ish.....being new to the .45 for target work I need all the help I can get.......much better gun than the Kimber.....tight & solid.....now to get the trigger down a tad I practice...practice ...practice....the .45 is a whole different animal.....anybody claose to springfield ohio with access to a ransom rest.......????

You need a lighter recoil spring if you are going to shoot target loads in a 1911. Getting use to the heavy trigger could actually help you long term. If you can manage trigger control and sight alingment with a heavy trigger it will be easier with a light trigger.

The only thing you would ever need a ransom rest for is verifying a load for your gun. If you find a load that works best in your hand the rest will simply confirm what you already know. That gun likely shoots better than you can right now, find a bullet/powder combination that is acceptably accurate and practice.

In the mean time dry fire! Pulling the trigger straight to the rear without distirbuing sight alingment.

3.4 clays seems light. 3.8, 3.9 will probably give you better groups (at 50 yards) and will help cycle the slide.

I think the ROs have a heavy recoil spring AND an extra stout mainspring. A friend changed the main(hammer) spring and the recoil spring to shoot target reloads in his RO.

Wolf Springs makes lighter recoil springs and 2-3 lighter mainspring weights for the SA ILS mainspring housings. The lightest one is providing 100% reliable ignition in my friends RO so far.

Russ

Why would anyone need to change to a lighter mainspring?

Rob

Just about everyone changes out the main spring...first off the stock spring is way more than needed.....and it helps with trigger pull....my carry 1911...has a wolf reduced main spring in it..and it goes bang every time....you can even cut up to 3 coil off the stock spring but it better just to replace with a wolf spring.....

well just put the ro back together toyed with the leaf spring some and deburred all trigger parts......hammer hook was @ .018 so I left that alone....sear had a good polish on it already left it alone too...adjust leaf sping and polished the trigger bow and diconnector contact points just to remove any burrs....trigger at 4 now.....calling shop in morning for a 14lb recoil spring and next loads will be 3.8 grs of clays.....I can see and feel the difference in quality from the kimber (turd) to the springfield......SA makes a much better product.......

Paper-Puncher wrote:

Just about everyone changes out the main spring......

Erm. False.

I'd recommend looking at the sear spring first, the left finger (looking from the rear). Also, if you're going to use this pistol for 45 portion of outdoor season then you'll need the trigger to be 3 1/2 lbs. min.

trigger is down to just tad under 3 3/4.......Thats where I stop....It will just pick up 3 3/4 lbs of weight off the floor before the hammer trips....I'm done time to work on trigger control.........What I ended up doneing was polishing the lower disconector and back of trigger bow ..adjusted leaf spring and installed a reduced power main spring...trigger has no noticeable creep very clean and crisp brake.....I'm sure I could get the last 1/4 out but ...Its good as is......now if the nut behind the trigger can get it together is shoud be fine.......

I also use a moly never-seize type grease on some of the critical trigger bearing surfaces on my wad gun. I've noticed them become even smoother plus the added benefit of protecting those nicely hones surfaces.

Steve B wrote:I also use a moly never-seize type grease on some of the critical trigger bearing surfaces on my wad gun. I've noticed them become even smoother plus the added benefit of protecting those nicely hones surfaces.

Hmm.....never thought about that.....I use a mix of oil .....75% or so lucas synthetic oil stabilizer with about 25% marvel mystery oil.....This mix tends to stay on the parts well ....and makes cleaning a breeze ....Just wipes up easily.....I use this on the rails, lock lugs , barrel ..really every where....I also use it on my rimfires ...I keep it in a syringe and can aply it where needed