I never knew this. Interesting.Originally Posted by JTQ
I never knew this. Interesting.
If you're going to be a bear….be a GRIZZLY!
While alloy frames are less durable than steel frames, the longevity of the pistol would not be my concern. 250-grain +P loads in a pistol with an alloy frame are a recipe for unpleasant range sessions and more fatigue during practice. Standard-pressure 230-grain .45 ACP in a lightweight frame can be tough; increasing the bullet mass and velocity make for more perceived recoil and muzzle rise. As I age, I have less tolerance for snappy recoil. My wrists and hands do not like fast, hard shoves from +P ammo. I went the other way and carry a railed 1911 to get a bit more non-reciprocating weight to minimize perceived recoil and lessen muzzle rise.
I would stick to standard pressure rounds and spare the gun, and most importantly, the shooter. Enjoy and do more practice. Be a better shooter when you are not having to fight the pistol during the recoil cycle. Heavier recoil springs just make the slide return to battery harder and lead to the nose of the slide dipping. Standard velocity and a 16# to 18# recoil spring rate work well for most five-inch 1911-pattern pistols in .45 ACP. The original recoil spring setup in the XSE Lightweight were the double spring arrangement from the Delta Elite. Why? Because Colt knew the recoil impulse is snappy with that alloy frame.
BTW, the advice from Lost River on springs is pure gold. I tend to detail strip and clean once a year. I replace the firing pin and recoil springs when I do. Very inexpensive insurance.
Last edited by farscott; 05-19-2024 at 12:03 PM.
The various followers:
Legacy Chip--one skirt down the back. A small nub on the underside that interacts with the top coil of the spring to help retain the follower. Both portions of the follower are straight.
Power Mag Plus--one skirt down the back. No retention nub. The follower is held in place solely off upward pressure of the mag spring. The top spring / collapsing portion of the follower is shorter than the Legacy Chip. The bottom of the spring has a slight upward curve.
Railed PM follower--very similar in shape and style to the + follower but the RPM follower is actually retained by the mag spring by a small loop on the bottom of the follower.
Ed Brown / Ruger / SIG and probably many others--the follower is very similar to the Legacy Chip but has a front skirt that limits the follower's forward movement. The follower as used in these mags has the small dimple on the feeding surface of the follower similar to the dimple on a USGI follower.
Tripp and probably several others? --similar to the EB follower but without the dimpled feeding surface.
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Those are all the CheckMate Patented Follower or CMF. Even in their own line-up, some CheckMate's have the pimple/dimple and some don't.
Though I haven't measured these either, I suspect the back leg of the RPM follower is also longer than the standard Devel/Shooting Star follower since the tube is longer, and this would allow more follower stability.
you are correct.
the RPM back leg is substantially longer.
If you're going to be a bear….be a GRIZZLY!
Pics, left to right:
Legacy, PM Plus, RMP, Ruger, Tripp
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Underside of each:
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Skirts of the Chip, Tripp and Ruger:
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And skirts of the RMP and PM +
The RMP is longer which makes sense since it is used in the newer style longer tube.
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