Category: P11 Mk12

Categories
22TCM Cheaper Than Dirt Elite Shooting Sports Grand Power Jagemann NEED TO FIX P11 Mk12 RIA Ruger SR9C

Latest Happenings – 12/6/2016

NOTE:  all targets were shot from 7 yards standing.

I was going to the range Sunday morning and the wife woke up and asked where I was going.  I said, “the range.”  She said, “I wanted to go too,” and I said, “well, get dressed and come with me!”

We brought four guns with us:  her Ruger SR-9C, my RIA 22TCM MS 1911, and my Bersa Thunder 380 Plus.  Of course, I was carrying my Grand Power P11 in a concealed fashion, too…that went with us.

We arrived and she had to take a gun safety orientation class.  It was also crowded but we didn’t have to wait long for an open lane.

We decided to shoot her Ruger first.  It had never been fired before and she’s owned it over a year.  It was cleaned and lubed (by me) and ready to fire.  We loaded the ammo (she’d never done that before…for a handgun, at least) into the two mag that the handgun came with (one 10-round and one 15-round mag).  I gave her a quick summary on how to hold her gun and to not put her finger on the trigger until she was ready to fire.  She knows proper sight alignment already (she’s retired US Army).  Then, to demonstrate the proper hold and trigger discipline, she stood beside me and I squeezed the first round out of her handgun.  The round went right into the red.  That is a testament to the gun’s trigger and sights because that normally doesn’t happen with me…it usually takes me a few mags to warm up.

I then gave her the handgun and she shot her first two handgun mags ever:

All but 5 of those are probably kill shots.  And one of those in the red is mine (the one that’s to the direct left of the X)!  We ended up firing 100 rounds out of the SR-9C.  The ammo was Remington UMC yellow box (mega) FMJ.  There were no failures whatsoever.

I ended up firing more ammo from her gun than she did.  Here’s my target:

If she doesn’t want her SR-9, I’ll take it…I’m happy with  the way it shoots and the trigger is exceptional!

Next, we fired my 1911.  I fired the first shots so she wouldn’t be surprised.  She was still surprised.  I told her it was loud and shot out fire.  I think she thought I was exaggerating.  After the first two shots, she said, “OK, this gun is loud!”  She later (after the range) said she was intimidated by it.  She shot it extremely well.  She loved the heft and the fact that the weight negated the recoil (never mind that it’s going to be a soft shooter anyways).  I took video of her shooting this gun and I was honestly flinching the whole time due to the muzzle flash.  The guy the next lane over kept looking over, probably mentally saying, “WTF is that?”

We fired 59 rounds of 22TCM with no failures whatsoever, although she kept unintentionally enabling the safety, which makes me wonder if it’s not positive enough in engagement…IMO, one should not be unintentionally enabling a safety.

I didn’t get a snapshot of the target but here’s some footage of her shooting the 22TCM:

Our time was running out so we had to decide on shooting only one of the two guns that still hadn’t been fired.  She decided to shoot my carry gun, the Grand Power P11, a sub-compact.  We only fired 36 rounds out of the P11, but I think she loved this gun just as much as the 1911.  She loved the lack of recoil.  I later showed her why it had no recoil…I showed her how the barrel rotated.  And she was very accurate with this gun too.  Here’s the target:

I shot a magazine and all my shots grouped under the red…very tight grouping and I wasn’t shooting slow.  She shot a mag and started up high (the grouping around the 7 & 8, above the red) then she took better aim and plugged the middle grouping.  She wasn’t messing around!

I shot the last mag of the day, from the P11:

I was going for head shots since we were out of targets.  I was trying to shoot once and rapidly follow up with another (not quite double-taps).  I had several flyers but still, that’s a pretty tight group of 12! 

She said she wants a sub-compact.  I have a few sub-compacts she’ll probably shoot:  a Sig Sauer P320C slide on an SC grip module; a Springfield XD9 Mod 2 9mm; a Bersa Thunder 380 Plus (not really a true sub-compact).  And she’ll probably end up renting some range guns to get a feel for what sub-compact she enjoys shooting.

We’re going to try an outdoor range this weekend if it isn’t too cold.

======

Other happenings:

I ordered 3 mags for my P11 from Cheaper Than Dirt.  I ordered 3 12-round mags.  They sent me 3 15-round mags.  I double-checked the receipt and sho-nuff it says that I ordered 3 12-round mags.  I was a bit pissed.  I do not want the hassle of having to ship these back while waiting for them to send me the correct mags.  I opened one mag’s packaging and inserted it into the P11.  It fits fine, although it’s long and hangs out of the gun by an inch or so.  It’s fine for the range but not fine for carrying.  I guess I can keep them for range duty and use the two that came with the gun as carry mags.  :/

I also ordered 4 Jagemann 15-round mags for my Glock 19.  My Glock came with 3 10-round mags.  They’re supposed to be good mags.  We’ll see.  They were cheap @ approx $11 apiece.

 

Categories
124-grain 147-grain American Eagle Breakfree CLP DA/SA failure to return to battery flat-nosed FRTB Geco Grand Power grease Hogue oil P11 Mk12 P220 Remington Sig Sauer TW25B UMC

More Grand Power Testing

I’ve been getting an influx of comments on my last Grand Power YouTube video.

Many people think that I need to be using oil (one person stated to not use TW25B and another recommended to use oil and not grease).

I tested the theory that I was using the wrong lube.  I stripped off the TW25B from the helical cut and breech area of the barrel and used a light coat of Breakfree CLP instead…I kept grease on the rails, though.

Remember, on my last visit, I fired 263 rounds of various ammo (50 x Tula steel-cased, 200 x Remington UMC 147-grain flat-nosed FMJ, and approx 24 rounds of Winchester Personal Protection JHP).  Of that ammo, I had two failures to return to battery (down from “many” failures), both of them being with the Remington ammo.

At last night’s range session, I used 100 x Remington UMC 147-grain flat-nosed FMJ, 50 x American Eagle 124-grain FMJ, and 28 rounds (of a box of 50) of Geco 124-grain FMJ, for a total of 177 rounds.  I had five failures to return to battery (FRTB).  The first happened on the 3rd magazine.  Then the 4th, 5th, and 6th magazines.  The gun wasn’t dirty, but remember, I was using a thin coat of oil vs a coat of gun grease.

Yeah, so much for that theory.  I had less failures during my previous range visit with the P11, and shot maybe 100 rounds more, too (with Tula being 100 of that, and both Remington UMC and Tula are very dirty).

But here’s a revelation…of the five failures to return to battery and of the 177 rounds, guess which brand failed the most in this gun?  Remington.  All five failures were with the Remington.  I made a point of paying attention to which brand I was shooting and keeping notes on each box’s tabs.  I also ejected each round that generated a FRTB.  In one case of FRTB, I found that the front lip of the case had bent when the gun tried to ram the round into the chamber.  I decided not to fire that round.

Here’s a picture:

If it’s difficult to see the damage, here’s a video.

So, maybe it’s a combination of the oil I used as lube and the ammo?  No, I think the ammo is the issue, as I shot 75 rounds of ammo AFTER the Remington that didn’t get hung up at all.

This gun does NOT like the Remington ammo I’m shooting.  I’ve other Remington ammo (non-flat-nosed and 115-grain FMJ) that I can test but I really don’t think I need to test any more.

I cleaned the gun and looked at it’s internals last night.  The claim that the oil is easier to clean after a range session is false.  The oil migrated to the slide and coated the whole underside of it.  In fact, it was everywhere and I didn’t use a lot…just a thin film.  It took quite awhile to clean.  The gun wasn’t quite that bad when I used grease as the primary lubricant.  The oil collected the carbon exactly as the grease did (it basically made mud), but I can’t contribute the failures to the oil.  All I know is that I had less failures with the grease but if the ammo is the problem then all perceived lube problems are exonerated.

I’ll post the video once I’ve edited it and posted it to YouTube.

UPDATE — here’s the video:

For now, I’ll continue to use the CLP as the primary lube.  I’ve even put it on the slide and frame rails.  I’ll watch for wear and/or trouble for awhile.

I also took my SIG Sauer P220 and gave it a quick run to test the new Hogue rubber grips.  Man, that gun is a beast.  Recoil is less of an issue with these grips.  I’m able to put ammo (half the mag, in this case) in the red, too.

All DA shots, first 8 rounds, at 7 yards

I fired a total of 44 rounds (I had five mags that have been loaded since Jan 2015 that I wanted to shoot…Perfecta hardball in 230-grain).  The gun ate it all up without issue.  My aiming did get progressively worse, though.  I might need to get glasses I can use at the range (or it might be time to have my eyes checked again), as I was having a difficult time seeing the front sight and my vision got worse as I shot.

I brought the Glock 19 and intended to shoot it, but got too engrossed with the P11 (let’s face it…as my EDC and with my recent issues, it needed the attention).

So, this range visit was very valuable for me, as I learned that not all ammo is created equal.  I still have a lot of Remington flat-nosed ammo left (I bought 500 rounds of it).  Some of my other guns will eat it without issue, so I’ll use it up, but I won’t be buying any more of it.

Grand Power P11 testing – accurate as hell!
Categories
147-grain battery flat-nosed Grand Power lubrication P11 Mk12 Remington

Grand Power P11 – Battery Issues Possibly Resolved

I field-stripped the P11 immediately after a range visit.  If you remember, I described a problem with the gun awhile back.

I’ll take it to the range again with grease applied to areas that didn’t have it prior to my last visit.  To summarize the video, I fired a bit under 300 rounds of various 9mm ammo from it and only had two failures to return to battery.  Both failures were with Remington UMC 147-grain flat-nosed FMJ.  I had no failures with TulAmmo steel-cased or Winchester PP JHP.

And, as usual, the gun was certainly accurate (my trigger discipline aside):

GP P11 – 9 yards out (instead of my normal 7 yards), 24 rounds (2 mags) of Remington UMC flat-nosed 147-grain FMJ

I also spoke awhile back about the lack of a holster for this gun.  Someone who viewed one of my videos gave me a point of contact that could make one.  I was thinking on trying to make one myself.  Either route would be good, I think.  I just need it to be an in-waistband holster.  Once I have that and once I get the battery issues resolved, I may consider carrying this gun.

Categories
Elite Shooting Sports Grand Power light strikes P11 Mk12 range report sub-compact

Grand Power P11 – Range Report

I’m totally awed by the way this gun shot today.  I’ve had it a while and was itching to see how it shot…alas, I’ve been busy and hadn’t had time to visit the range.  I made time today and went to Elite Shooting Sports (the best time to go is around 7PM…it was empty today!).  Anyways…

This gun manages recoil extremely well, especially for a sub-compact gun.  It’s accurate as all hell, too…I’m not kidding:

Grand Power P11 Mk12, shot at 6 yards out, Winchester White Box 115-grain FMJ, 12 rounds.

I shot this gun after shooting 50 rounds from my XD9SC-M2 and Glock 19.  Normally, it takes me a few mags to begin shooting well when going from gun to gun, but not in this case.  I was actually shocked at the tight group.  I only shot 24 rounds out of this gun, though…was pressed for time, once again, but I may make this one my carry gun, once I put some JHP through it and once I determine what’s up with what appears to be light strikes (see below comment).

I shot at 6 yards.  I shoot between 5-7 yards whenever I shoot, as that’s the range a typical shootout will more than likely occur.  I don’t attempt to shoot long distance with my handguns…that doesn’t really serve a purpose, IMO…if you shoot someone that’s 50 yards from you during an incident, you’re going to jail, so I don’t shoot at long distances.  My foyer in my home is maybe 3-4 yards long and the biggest area in my house might be 6-7 yards, so that’s sufficient for me (in case my home has a break-in…*knock on wood*).

This gun is easy to hold while shooting, even though the grip texture isn’t aggressive (it feels a bit slick, in fact).  There’s no muzzle lift at all.  In fact, follow-up shots are a breeze.  The sights made it really easy to aim, and it probably helped that I’ve been working on shooting with both eyes — previous to today, I’ve always shot with my left eye closed (I’m right-eye dominant).  I’ve also been working on my trigger pull.

The only problem I saw with the gun was some possibly some light strikes (gun would go “click” with no boom…I’d have to drop the mag and eject the bullet in the chamber…it would fire on the second attempt), but it could’ve been the ammo (although the other guns didn’t exhibit this issue…they were using the same ammo).  One thing I didn’t try — and should’ve — was to pull the trigger again without racking…I believe this gun offers double-strike capability, as it is DA/SA.  I’ll try it when I next shoot the gun if I have light strikes.

UPDATE — I’ve found that these weren’t light strikes, but were fails to return to battery.  The gun would be out of battery, I’d pull the trigger and the gun would then go into battery, but be in DA mode.

I did not try the double-action on this gun, as this gun doesn’t have a decocker and I wasn’t willing to ease the hammer down with a round in the chamber.

Categories
Buds Gun Shop Glock 19 Grand Power mag blocks magazines Mod.2 P11 Mk12 P320C Springfield XD

Almost done!

I just deviated from my wish list and ordered the following handguns from Gun Genie:

Springfield Armory XD9 SC Mod 2
Glock 19 Gen 4
Grand Power P11 Mk 12

Gun Genie ships FAST and when linked with a FFL that’s fast, it makes for a great purchasing experience (I bought the non-railed RIA 1911 via Gun Genie).

These are likely the last three guns I buy for a long while.

I’d nixed the Grand Power then reversed my decision and put it back on the list.  Why?  Because the backup for this choice was the Beretta PX4 Storm Compact, which is already sold in CA (meaning it’s on the CA DOJ list of approved guns…I want to bring off-list guns, which is OK for incoming residents).  It is also, in my opinion, a beautiful gun…I kept looking at it and lusting after it, so I decided to go for it, even if I’ve hangups about the mags.  I can wait until I get to CA to get the PX4.  Yes, I still have to figure out a way to block the GP mags from 12 rounds to 10…I can epoxy one or a few of my son’s Lego pieces onto the mag base plate or under the follower.  That should work…if not, I’ll figure something out.  UPDATE:  I asked Eagle Imports (on their Facebook page) if they sold 10 round mags for the GP P11 and they said they did…the caveat is that the mags are just as expensive as the full capacity mags.  At least they have 10-rounders, though.  So, if you have this gun and are looking for extra mags and live in a state that limits capacity, go to Eagle Imports (or Bersa) and purchase them.

I’d also nixed my original choice of the Springfield XD mod 2 from my list, in favor of a Sig P320 subcompact.  Then I changed my mind, as I can always buy convertible parts and convert my P320C to whichever model I feel I want…without having to register another gun (the fire control unit is what makes it a firearm…I only need one of those when switching from one configuration to another).  I also bought the silver/black dual tone version, to be a bit different (there’s no other dual tone guns in my possession or wish list).  UPDATE:  I ended up getting the P320C in addition to the XD.

The Glock 19 Gen 4 was something that’s not really been a serious need or want.  The reason why I wanted a Glock (any Glock would do) was because I know Gen 4s are not on the CA DOJ roster, which means I will not be able to get it after I move to CA.  If need be, I can sell this gun in CA for close to double the price, as off-roster guns are usually desirable, especially Glock Gen 4s (and Sig P320s).

I may have room for one more ($500 or less) gun.  I’m not sure what it would be…I can only think of another Sig P320 (any model would do).  I don’t want the FNS-9 that I initially had on my list.  I can still get another Canik TP9SA, in FDE, too, or I can wait until it’s almost time for me to leave and check to see if something new is being offered that isn’t for retail sale in CA.  UPDATE:  I ended up getting another Canik TP9SA in FDE, as well as a RIA Tactical 1911 (railed and shooting 2 different calibers).

I’m still waiting on Buds Gun Shop to send the Sig P320C and Metro Arms 1911 I ordered.  They say they’ll ship out guns within 5-7 business days and to wait until then before calling.  It’s been five (5) business days so far.  This bugs me, but I did get a great price on the P320C, so I’m trying to keep my mouth shut about the shipping wait.  I just don’t like $1000 in merchandise being in limbo without a status on processing/shipping.

I still have to convert every magazine I have to 10-round before I move.

The below is a mental breakdown of things to do over the next few months regarding getting the firearms ready for the move to California.  UPDATE:  This list is now unneeded…I’m no longer moving to CA, as of May 2015):

  • The P220’s mags are all at or under 10 rounds.
  • The SP2022 has mag blocks here.  I’ll need five (5) of them.
  • The Canik TP9SA has mag blocks here.  I’ll need at least two (2) of them, unless I order more magazines (which I should, in case I develop some bad mags)
  • The Metro Arms American Classic 1911 45ACP Commander’s mag should be ten (10) rounds or under (it’s not here yet so I don’t know what it’ll come with…I’m just assuming).  I should be able to order more mags in CA without issue, since mags of ten (10) rounds or less are legal.  I also ordered two Wilson Combat 8-round mags.
  • The Sig P320C (Compact version, not Carry version) 9mm has mag blocks here.  I’ll need at least 2 of them, I think (it’s not here yet, but I do believe Sig provides two of them).  I may order two more mags just to have extras (4+), which means I’ll need four (4) mag blocks.
  • The RIA 1911 Tactical MS 9mm mag I have is a 10 round mag, and the other three mags I ordered are 10 round Wilson Combat mags.
  • The Glock 19 I ordered will come with 3 x 10-round mags…I will not order more at this time, and I should be able to find 10-round mags in CA for this gun.
  • The Springfield XD mod 2 9mm I ordered will come with 2 x 10-round mags.  I’m not sure if I should order more.  Two will suffice for now.
  • The Grand Power P11 Mk12 should come with 2 x 12-round mags.  I will need to find some way to block them.  I’ve scoured the internet and could not find a vendor that had 10-round mags for this gun in stock…every single one showed them as out-of-stock.  As I said above, I may have to think outside of the box to limit these mags…that’s a big deal because I’m not really good at hacking such things, but I’ll try to use Lego pieces (my son has TONS of them), find the correct length, and epoxy them in place, either under the mag follower or at the base plate.  I’ve also asked Grand Power (and Eagle Imports, who imports them, I believe) if they have them available…I’ve seen no reply to my query.

So, that’s nine (9) guns.  In three (3) months.  With maybe one more to round it out to ten (10) guns. Yes, all are CA-legal.  Yes, I’m in compliance of CA law.  Yes, I’m on a mission.  Yes, I need a bigger safe!

UPDATE:

All three arrived today.  All three are in immaculate condition (they’re new, after all).  I was quite surprised with all three.  The P11 is smaller than I’d thought.  It feels good in the hand and the slide looks exotic.  It is fully ambidextrous.  The Glock 19 is also new (the test rounds were fired last month, in fact).  It not only comes with two extra backstraps, but beavertailed backstraps as well.  The 19’s three mags are very high quality.  The Springfield Armory is a looker.  The two-tone looks very appealing on this gun, as the metal is dark silver.  The fiber optic front sight is bright, too.  I like the mag with the sleeve, as it gives me a place to put my pinky when gripping the gun.

Categories
Beretta Canik FNS-9 Compact Glock G19 Grand Power Mod.2 P11 Mk12 P320C P320SC PX4 Storm TP9 V2 TP9SA XD

My List of Guns To Obtain

Here’s a listing of handguns that I plan to eventually obtain, in the following order, within 12-18 months:

  • Canik TP9SA 9mm (in Desert Tan) – Bought
  • Canik TP9 v2 9mm (in OD Green)
  • Rock Island Armory 1911A1 MS Tactical 2011 .45ACP – Bought but in 9mm (specifically, I bought model number 51698)
  • Ruger SR1911 Commander Lightweight (IF I can find it at around $600)
  • American Classic 1911 Commander 45 ACP 4.25″ – Bought
  • Sig Sauer P320C in 9mm – Bought
  • Sig Sauer P320SC in 9mm
  • Grand Power P11 Mk12 9mm – Bought or Beretta PX4 Storm Compact in 9mm (either one, not both)
  • Glock 19 Gen 4 – Bought
  • Springfield Armory XD Mod.2 SC 9mm – Bought or FNS-9 Compact 9mm (either one, not both)

The Canik TP9 has been calling out to me for awhile now, especially the SA version.  I’ve yet to see the v2 TP9 in online stores, but I’ve been eyeing a Desert Tan TP9SA the last few days, wondering if I should “pull the trigger” and buy it.

Why all the above?  There’s a good possibility that I might be moving to California (no idea when, but I’d like to say within the next 12-18 months).  I’d like to get as many guns on the above list as I can before we move, because once we’re there, I’ll be limited to CA’s notorious approved gun list — the list is a serious joke.  I can bring what I already have into California without issue…I’ve no long guns, only handguns.

** UPDATE:  I’ve decided against the Grand Power, as I do not want to have to limit any more magazines than I have to.  The PX4 Storm Compact comes with 10-round mags, so I won’t have to alter them to meet CA standards.  As well, extra mags for the GP P11 are $54!  Also, we’re moving to CA THIS year…by August.

** UPDATE 2 (2/2/2015):  I just ordered a Sig P320C in 9mm, a Metro Arms American Classic 1911 Commander 45ACP, and a RIA 1911A1 MS Tactical II in 9mm.  They should arrive by the end of the week or early next week at the latest…we’ll see.  I also revised the list again.  I’ll stick with the Sig P320C (Compact, not Carry version)…I don’t need the P320SC since I can modify the P320C to be an SC model (the P320 is modular and can be converted to any other P320 model).  That’s going to save some money and is more logical.

** UPDATE 3 (2/3/2015):  I’ve removed the FNS-9 Compact from the list.  I refuse to research further to try to find a solution to the issue.  Instead of buying the gun and hoping this model will be compatible with other FNH compact models, I’m just going to not buy it…maybe this frees up a space for a different gun?