Rock Island BBR 3.10 .45 ACP range test !

[fortyshooter]

Very windy and chilly day but went down to the range to try out this little beast 1911. Before I left home I put the slide in the mill and opened up the rear sight about .040 for more light around the front sight.

So the ammo to use was Fiocchi 230 gr. for factory loads... my 230 gr Xtreme loads using 6.0 Unique.... and my 230 XTP load with 6.5 Unique.
Ran 6-8 rounds of each load thru the 10 and 13 round mags and could see right off the 13 round Para mag will need the stronger spring as the rounds did not want to feed well. The spring in this one is weaker feeling that the factory 10 round mag and I have a spring coming.

The factory magazine worked fine with the factory ammo and my 230 Xtreme loads. However the beast did not want to eat the 230 XTP loads with a jam one right after another and will have to look into that.

Sights were not adjusted from the way they came and looks like no adjust needed! The pistol shot and handled very well without excess jumping around like I have heard. No issue with anything hurting my hand and could fire off multiple quick rounds on the steel.

I also wanted to test penetration in the ballistic gel with the XTP bullet since the barrel being a bit shorter than my Springfield XDE and the porting can slow down optimum bullet speed. That test revealed that with a bit less expansion at a reduced speed it traveled thru the 16 inch gel block and hit the wood behind and bounced back into the gel block. Looks good to me with that ragged looking bullet!

So very pleased with how the BBR performed and will see what needs to be done to get the XTP bullet to feed. Would have shot more today but that cold wind started to really get up and that was a head wind from my shooting position.

[RetiredSeabee]

Looks like you have a good carry pit bull.

[fortyshooter]

Looks like you have a good carry pit bull.

Well hope so but it has to feed those 230 gr. XTP bullets without issue. It really shots nice!

[North Country Gal]

Forty, I would give the gun a good break in with the ball ammo and then try the XTPs, again. Own some of my 1911s, that did the trick. I've also found that some brands of HPs work much better than others in the 1911s I've had. Might want to do a little experimenting.

[DsGrouse]

I run pretty much the same style of range bags. Glad to hear it performed well. It seems to be a great value for the money.

[fortyshooter]

Well while cleaning and inspecting the BBR I find the front sight has broke in well...as in it is loose and slides side to side about a 1/16th of an inch!
It slides from it's center to the right but not left but won't come all the way out. May just stake it in place. You think they used Loctite on it and then the heat blast from the barrel port loosened it up? The port is right in front of the sight. Could explain why I had several hits to the left on the targets!

[BrokenolMarine]

I'd call rock island and ask about the front sight, they may send you one you can fit, since you have the skillset and the tools. The sight shouldn't have shot loose like that with so few rounds.

I agree with the post above that I would allow some break in before worrying about reliability / feeding issues. Might just need some shakedown time, but if you do call rock island... Ask about you choice of hollow point ammo as well. Your reviews, and their response, may sell some guns.

[DsGrouse]

Id give RI a call about both the front sight and the feeding issues. You may fing out a spring swap is all you need. They will also like deal with the front sight.

I, also, bet that it is a rounds through the gun to get all the parts meshed together. But that is an assumption based off you statement of failing to feed.

Did you drop a few in the chamber to see if they fit flush?

My dan wesson guardian 9 and 45 are so tight some of the factory rounds dont like to load. Any reloads fired from a glock or unsupported chamber are a no go.

Norma factory 9mm is bad for those two guns of mine (sold the Guardian45 but it did not like some factory loads) its base is thicker and does not resize worth a darn.

On the other hand if it is a failure to properly go up the ramp and lodges at a 45 degrees, i am at a loss. How is the oal pf your xtp rounds? Is the round being picked up by the extractor when pushed forward by the slide?

It it stove pipes straight up, I'd be looking at the magazine.

[fortyshooter]

Well it's still in the wear in phase with about 70 rounds thru it but I can see where the barrel ramp could use some polishing as you can feel the grind marks on the ramp. It fed the 230 hardball ammo fine with the stock 10 round mag. I have a stronger Wolff mag spring coming for the Para P 10 13 round mag.
For the front sight I didn't notice it loose before I shot it and it felt tight. I was able to slide it all the way out from the right side. Will degrease it and use Loctite Green 638 to hold it in place. When it was in the center it would not push all the way to the left which is good.
Might also roll polish the nose edge of the XTP loads that I would carry for both magazines too. My XDE.... Ruger 1911 Cmd and the High Point carbine have no problem with the XTP bullet.

[Headhog]

Good range report and sounds like you're off to a good start with that BBR. Since It cycles and run your ball ammo without issue I would worry too much about the XTP loads for now. Get some more break-in with the round nose ammo and then try the XTP again.

Make sure you XTP loads pass the "plunk" test. As long as they drop into the barrel and seat flush or slightly below flush with the hood they are GTG. They key is "drop-in" not forced. Last though is the some short 1911 are real sensitive to anything but ball ammo. Sometime finding the perfect C.O.L. will work and sometimes it take a skilled 1911 smith to fix.

Paul