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    Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding?

    Tennessee Jed
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    Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding? Empty Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding?

    Post by Tennessee Jed Tue Sep 08, 2015 7:46 pm

    I have been wrestling with my Glock 20 in 10mm.

    I regularly shoot 165 grain bullets, because that's what I put in it when I carry. I used to use a healthy dose of AA9, to get near the velocity of my carry load.

    Due to the Great Obama Induced Powder Drought, AA9 was hard to find, so I started messing around with different powders. Tried AA7, which seemed to work well, got close to the same velocity, etc. However, about every 50 rounds or so I'd get a failure to feed. The slide would start back forward after recoiling all the way back, but wouldn't pick up the next round in the mag. Slide would stop about 1/3 of the way back. I could easily re-rack the slide, but I was not happy about this.

    I decided to try Power Pistol. Using a high velocity (but still within recommended powder amount) load, the bullets didn't group at all. Could barely keep everything on an 8 x 11 sheet of paper. Disgraceful. Also got a couple of failures to feed as I did with AA7.

    I've replaced the recoil spring and am using brand new Glock magazines. The gun is very well cleaned before every trip to the range. Everything on the gun is factory stock. I'm not limp wristing and have a serious crush grip when I fire the pistol. This failure to feed thing has left me baffled. For years, I've shot factory ammo and AA9 handloads through the G20, with no issues.

    The only thing I can think of is, there must be instances where a semi-auto doesn't like a particular powder. AA9 is slower burning than AA7 and definitely slower than Power Pistol. So maybe that's the problemo. I've got plenty of AA9 now, and think I will just stick with that.

    What do you all think? Is it possible that a particular powder, assuming the same bullet and same velocity, just won't reliably cycle a slide? I know people who use all kinds of different burn rate powders for other semi-autos in other calibers without issues. Of course, those loads aren't usually on the outside edge like my 10mm loads tend to be.

    By the way, this little exercise has reminded me, yet once again, why I prefer revolvers. I don't go through this whenever I switch powder for ammo for any of my wheelguns. I plan on getting the G20 running, and then going back to my trusted wheels.
    Cornmastah
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    Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding? Empty Re: Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding?

    Post by Cornmastah Wed Sep 09, 2015 12:08 pm

    Tennessee Jed wrote:
    ...What do you all think?  Is it possible that a particular powder, assuming the same bullet and same velocity, just won't reliably cycle a slide?  I know people who use all kinds of different burn rate powders for other semi-autos in other calibers without issues.  Of course, those loads aren't usually on the outside edge like my 10mm loads tend to be.

    By the way, this little exercise has reminded me, yet once again, why I prefer revolvers.  I don't go through this whenever I switch powder for ammo for any of my wheelguns.  I plan on getting the G20 running, and then going back to my trusted wheels.

    Yes, I have seen that, but more so when developing 300 blk subsonic loads. Also, I do agree that switching powders for wheelguns is a lot simpler and easier. Revolvers can fire off hot magnum loads just as well as piddly cowboy loads.

    There is a similar thing going on with single shot rifles when compared to semi-autos, levers, and bolt guns. Earlier on in my gun collecting/shooting days, I never looked at single shot rifles or pistols. I always assumed they were boring guns and wouldn't be that fun to shoot because you have to manually put each round in and take spent brass out. Then, after I bought one or two as "load test guns," I found that I could do some really cool stuff with them load wise. With single shots, you don't have to worry about magazine length which allows you to play with your COAL and seat things really long, or really short. You can also use a huge variety of powders to achieve the goal of the round--ie: I can shoot a near silent (suppressed) trailboss 300 blk load with some coated cast bullets. I don't have to worry about building enough pressure at the right spot to cycle an action. You don't have to worry about feed ramps, etc... Now I GET IT or understand why those Thompson Contender shooters have those guns. Single shot pistols and rifles are like a sandbox for the reloaders who like to tinker. My single shot CVA 300 blk rifle is the only gun that always makes it to the range with me.

    Back on topic... I haven't shot my G20 in a long time--I should get to playing with it again. I have a newish 200 gr mold that would be fun to play with in the G20. TJ, have you messed around with the slower, heavier bullets in the G20?
    Tennessee Jed
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    Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding? Empty Re: Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding?

    Post by Tennessee Jed Wed Sep 09, 2015 2:00 pm

    Cornmastah wrote:I have a newish 200 gr mold that would be fun to play with in the G20.  TJ, have you messed around with the slower, heavier bullets in the G20?

    Not yet, but I'm about to. When I originally got the G20, I viewed it as a potential ultimate CCW master-blaster, not so much as a carry-in-the-woods gun. However, my thoughts on the CCW gun topic are starting to change a bit, and I'm seriously considering venturing off into seeing what the 10mm can do as a gun for fangs and claws protection.
    Tennessee Jed
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    Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding? Empty Re: Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding?

    Post by Tennessee Jed Mon Sep 14, 2015 12:16 pm

    Well, I'll be darned.

    I tried another 50 rounds with the same bullet, just backed off on the AA7 by about 1/2 a grain of powder.

    And the G20 shot and cycled beautifully. No problems whatsoever. Very accurate, and I couldn't make the gun have an FTF, no matter how I lightly I held it.

    I guess the moral to the story is, even a Glock can be ammo sensitive. The round is not as powerful as it could be. I haven't chronographed it yet, but I'm guessing it's probably about 50 fps slower than my prior load, which puts it about 100 fps slower than my carry load.

    But that's ok. Nothing more frustrating than a jamming Glock at the range.
    Devereaux
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    Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding? Empty Re: Can different powders affect semi-auto feeding?

    Post by Devereaux Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:11 pm

    I wonder if cyclic rate is the defining factor here. Just don't know enough about powders to hazard a guess.

    But the proposition would be that faster burning powders would make the gun recoil quicker (but not necessarily more violently), and could (potentially) beat the magazine spring to feeding up the next round. The fact you backed off a trace and it now works just right would also make me think something along those lines. Especially since nothing else is different.

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