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From several thousands of rounds of testing, a 230 grain at 725 fps is faster shot to shot than a 200 grain at 800+. The gun stays down and is less snappy.

New sponsor alert: Winchester Bourbon located in Michigan is now a sponsor for SASS presents Saginaw Showdown 2026 Michigan Wild Bunch State Championship June 13-14th. Applications now available.

The Saginaw Showdown is proud to announce Winchester Bourbon as one of our sponsors for the 2026 Michigan Wild Bunch State Championship. I have personally been to the distillery and sampled both the original and doubled oak. The bottle itself is a great display piece. Bottles can be purchased and shipped directly. Visit www.winchesterbourbon.com for more info. Come shoot with us and try to win some from our prize table. Applications now available.

I saw that language. The way I read it, if boots are worn they must conform to the rule that lists prohibited items. George Baylor wrote an article about Wild Bunch costuming that includes a photo of an army issued leather “walking shoe”. Not a boot, but legal under the general costuming language “typical of the late 19th and early 20th century”. See also the next sentence about “Edwardian period fashion” which would not be limited to boots.

Better than that full bottles on our raffle prize table. The double oak is like 102 proof and smooth, very good.

nice! samples at the match?

In 15 years of building Wild Bunch guns, anything less than 16# give trouble; not returning to battery, not enough force to fully chamber with a full magazine, broken firing pin springs(which lead to firing pin stops falling out), etc… 16-17# have never failed to cycle fully. Never seen a dip when the slide closed. And this is with a lot of one handed shooters of the weaker persuasion. Seen plenty of dip when some jerk the trigger. Poor videography but this is with a 230 gr at 720-725 with 17# recoil and hammer springs. IMG_0973.mov

Get a dr.s note. Exceptions are made.

And if you are foolish enough to go down to the 12 1/2# recoil spring, stock up on firing pin springs. You will start breaking them. Remember, if you speed up the slide in opening, you will slow its closing velocity. And vice versa. With a 230 at 725, a 16-17# spring combo is just about perfect.

The benefit to a lighter weight bullet is to get more slide speed at the same power factor. 150 pf is pretty low for 45 Auto. I am going to try some 200 grain bullets this year for that same reason. I have had much better luck with round nose bullets in my 1911s, so if my 200 grain SWCs don't have the reliability I'm hoping for, I will be shooting a true 230 grain round nose bullet, which is historically what I've shot in Wild Bunch. I am going to be backing them down a bit as the ammunition I was shooting last year was loaded to ~170 pf. I had backed it down some from my typical load but I'm going to lighter springs and a significantly lighter load this year and dropping down to a 12.5 pound recoil spring. If you're shooting a stock 1911 with a 23 pound main and 16 pound recoil spring, you're going to want to load to a higher power factor, as the 1911 is designed for 195 power factor ammunition. I recommend the fastest powder you have in inventory, in this case, Titegroup, although many people say not to use it with coated bullets. I have not ever loaded Titegroup in anything so take this advice for what you paid for it. I was using Clays powder last year, I may continue to do that if I have enough left or switch to Clean Shot or WST.

Great advice above! I would also add, only load a few rounds, then test them in your gun. If all cycle well, THEN go back and mass produce. The last thing you want is 500+ rounds loaded and realize you have a problem in that particular 1911 and have to start pulling bullets. I have a new custom 1911 that simply won't cycle the ammo I use for my older 1911's. Totes

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Because there is none. It's only a penalty if there is a live round in the chamber SDQ If there is an expended in the chamber, and the shotgun is staged closed, it's a P for not cycling the action.

Folks, I just finished a new batch of firing pins. I have plenty available. Along with new hammer springs. If you have ordered any from me recently, they are already on the way or will be Monday. Thanks!

Man I really like this rig!!!

Now if they colored the brass, say purple, when they had small primers - that would be fine 🙂