RecoilRob
Member
Every time one of these threads about this or that gun being 'unreliable' comes up I'm reminded of the P-40 KelTec saga. I was an early P-11 owner and watched along as the P-40's struggled and finally were pulled from the shelves. Problem was that about 99% of the guns that were sent back for service were found to be in perfect operating condition! How can you fix what isn't broken? Of course the problem mostly was the cartridge being used was really pushing the platform and needed an extremely firm grip to function which was beyond most potential owners abilities.
When dealing with 'smallest and/or lightest' versions of most pistols the responsibilities on the springs are increased when mass has been removed. A large and heavy slide only needs the recoil spring to reload the next round...whereas the itty-bitty guns need the spring to both hold the slide closed and reload. This also increases the sensitivity of hold being the time of recoil impulse is so short that very tiny differences can affect function on an otherwise reliable gun. It can even come down to how fatty your hand might be and how hard you squeeze less of a factor. The old saying of something 'not being right for me' is very likely a truism.
I'd not venture into the mini-gun arena without being fully aware of the boundaries being pushed and willing to experiment with both ammo and springs to find a reliable combination. Expecting it to work for anyone with anything being fed is unrealistic IMHO. If that is your requirement....stick to the full size pistols for best results. My little guns work just fine...with their specific ammo and having had their springing gone over to make them work in MY hands. YMMV.
When dealing with 'smallest and/or lightest' versions of most pistols the responsibilities on the springs are increased when mass has been removed. A large and heavy slide only needs the recoil spring to reload the next round...whereas the itty-bitty guns need the spring to both hold the slide closed and reload. This also increases the sensitivity of hold being the time of recoil impulse is so short that very tiny differences can affect function on an otherwise reliable gun. It can even come down to how fatty your hand might be and how hard you squeeze less of a factor. The old saying of something 'not being right for me' is very likely a truism.
I'd not venture into the mini-gun arena without being fully aware of the boundaries being pushed and willing to experiment with both ammo and springs to find a reliable combination. Expecting it to work for anyone with anything being fed is unrealistic IMHO. If that is your requirement....stick to the full size pistols for best results. My little guns work just fine...with their specific ammo and having had their springing gone over to make them work in MY hands. YMMV.