Load data for Pardini 6" GT-45

[Dipnet]

sobakavitch
The above images are not my pistol; they were kindly shared by bking. If you'll read the preceding posts, I hope it will be clearer what information I am looking for. I've written Emil Milev about the problem and await his answer before I do anything. FYI, I love cleaning guns and fanatically keep 'em clean. I am just a little frustrated that mine won't shoot all the LSWC as reported by others (but it shoots the Zero 185 JHP amazingly well). I would just like to have the option of a less expensive bullet for practice. I am just trying to figure out why that is. Thanks. dipnet

[ghillieman]

Dipnet, I also have that gap on my GT. I have not experienced any failure to feed with SWC though. I have only used Lee 200 SWC and it has a very small meplat. Is it the meplat or the cutting edge of the bullet that is getting caught? If it is the meplat that would show that the bullet is possibly tipping down during feeding and there may be an issue with the feed lips on the magazine. It could also be a weak spring.

Bking, how do you like that Aimpoint micro on the milled scope mount? I was thinking of doing the same thing. Either that or milling the slide for a Trijicon RMR.

Has anyone experienced any failure's to eject with their GT45? It seems that the fired case being ejected gets caught on the cutting edge of the SWC in the magazine on its way back. It does this before hitting the ejector. The empty case then comes off the extractor, never ejects, and causes a stove pipe jam. I have checked the round in the magazine when this happens and found a crescent moon shaped gouge on the cutting edge of the SWC that perfectly matches the rim of a case. It appears that, sometimes, the fired case being extracted drops down a bit and causes this. This has me looking at the extractor. The extractor does hold the case in place under spring pressure, the case does not tilt down. However the back edge of the extractor does not contact the rim when the case is fully seated, just the side of the extractor.

Does anyone else show their GT45 to operate the same way. Is my extractor loose, or stretched? Or does your extractor sound the same, a little loose compared to a 1911?

[bking]

Bking, how do you like that Aimpoint micro on the milled scope mount? I was thinking of doing the same thing. Either that or milling the slide for a Trijicon RMR.

Its on a Pardini frame mount. I like the Aimpoint better than the Ultradots I have on my other guns, but I need to work up some sort of extension tubes. As it is oil splatters onto the optics & I need to wipe them off every few strings.

I've never had any trouble with my gun extracting, though it does bounce brass off my head pretty regularly. Functionally the gun runs beautifully, the only alibi I've ever had was related to an improperly adjusted trigger. Also the grip screws don't have much metal to bite into, so the screws were dragging on mags if the grips were tight. I resolved that by installing grip tape to the frame which shims the grips out a bit (and provides grip if I ever want to shoot without the Rink.)

[Dipnet]

ghillieman,
It is the leading edge of the bullet's nose that is getting hung on lead bullets. I've been loading dummy rounds with every lead bullet I have in stock, loading these into magazines, and dropping the locked open slide. The LSWC with a long nose (e.g., Zero's 185gr HP LSWC) end up with a little wedge shaved off the bullet's tip. However, even the short Missouri 'button' bullets get hung up on that little gap. I don't think the issue is with magazine springs as it happens with both of my magazines. I thought about slightly bending the rear lips of the magazine inwards to raise the nose of the bullet, but decided not to go that route until everything else was explored.

After the Xmas craziness, I will get some Dykem blue to see if I can figure out what is causing the slight gap between the barrel feed ramp and the trigger housing (part 26). However, I wouldn't touch the barrel with a file; if something's asymmetrical, I'll take pictures and email a query to Pardini to see what they say. I need to try the 160gr Quality bullet; it that works, then there is no problem. Seasons greetings, Noel (aka dipnet)

[ghillieman]

I don't think the issue is with magazine springs as it happens with both of my magazines. (aka dipnet)

Sorry, I meant the recoil spring. It could possibly be a weak recoil spring letting it hang up.

BTW, that new trigger you sent me is working out great. Several cleans during timed and rapid, and an 856 last month.

Thanks, Dan.

[montster]

I gave up on using lswc in my gt 45 last year. Recently I retried some loads I have made for a 1911 a few years ago. Worked flawlessly. They I went back and loaded some 200 grain PENN, 185 Zero, 185 Missouri Bullet Button, LSWC. Tried 3.9 and 4.1 in V310 and Bullseye. They all worked flawlessly. Total of 400 rounds or more with no jams or stovepipe. Past experience was rarely could I get a 5 round magazine through without a stop. I used 3 different magazines.

Earlier this past year I replaced the ejector. The ejector was not the new version with the slightly shorter OAL but was an exact match of the original ejector. This pistol is 6 inch with frame mount.

I have a second GT45 that I bought second hand last year. It has a low round count and a few years old. It always ate LSWC better than the much more heavily used 6 inch pistol. However LSWC feeding was not reliable enough to use in matches. I retested about 50 loads in this pistol and had 3 stovepipes. So it is eating LSWC like before.

Possible fix to get reliable feeding of LSWC is a new ejector?

Looking forward to cleaner holes for 25 yard line this year.

[Zipp0]

Ugh! I am having extractor problems with my GT6-II-45. 200 gr (Penn LSWC) and 4gr Trailboss (regular pistol powders are very hard to find...) However it is accurate and used to work perfectly. Now I am getting extractor fails and partially ejected cases jamming the slide - so much so that I am going to have to use my backup 1911 for the next 2700. I will be fitting a new extractor (the one insitu is chamfered off on the magazine side - I thought that was the problem but the dealer says not) but I will replace it anyway.

Any insight or successful fixes for this (I have read recent posts but most people seem to be working on solutions). It used to work and doesn't now....

[ghillieman]

ZippO, more than likely the stove pipe jams you are getting is caused by the fired case being extracted and the rim hitting the cutting edge of the SWC bullet in the magazine. Next time that happens look at the live round that was going to be fed in the chamber and there should be a crescent moon shaped displacement on the edge of the bullet. That fired 45 case rim will fit perfectly in there. My solution to that problem was to use 185gr JHP, flawless function and accurate. Currently looking at some non-swc molds. Hope that helps.

[Zipp0]

Thanks ghillieman - I was concentrating on the fired case - not the one below and as I write - I did make a slight change to the OAL as I made sure I was crimping the shoulder of the bullet (so it stands slightly proud of the case). I will be shooting on Friday and will report back. The problem is I have a 2700 over the weekend - I may have to use my backup 1911....

Do you use the JHP for 2700s? or are you more tactical etc?

[ghillieman]

The 185 JHP's are for 2700's. Look at the Pardini USA Facebook page and you will see some targets I posted from Camp Perry with the GT and 185 JHP's.

[Rover]

You can use your gun because you have 30 rounds slowfire to find out if it's reliable. If not, you know what to do....

[Zipp0]

Hmmmmm,

I was quite worried about the pistol jamming and so I bought 300 unfired Starline cases and pressed them up (4gr Trailboss, 200gr LSWC). Not a jam - however a couple of times for the last round, the case had not fully ejected (but was out of the chamber).

I had kept the previous cases that had caused the jam and I will check on the make of brass to see if there is a common make that jams (they are all 'once fired' and various manufacturers) and also thought the extractor was chipped - but they are made slightly asymmetrically (I had a spare with the fiddly spring just in case).

Will keep the thread updated with results.

[Zipp0]

Hi ghillieman,

Right on - I have a 2700 at the weekend and was shooting last night - and had the same problem with the Starline brass - had a jam and there was the dent on the shoulder of the feeding round. However - I forgot to 'tap' the magazine to seat all the rounds (which I did at the last 2700). never had a jam after the tap.

Will keep you updated

(feel like I am grasping at straws though....)

I block facebook but will seek out your 185gr group

[Zipp0]

After struggling a bit with Trailboss (not many powders around here) I bumped into a couple of lbs of Titegroup and ran them through QuickLoad and tried 4.3gr behind 200grLSWC. TB load predicted to be 600fps (the occasional fail-to-eject) but not terminal with a 290 National Match. The TG load is predicted to be 800fps - certainly more punchy and no jams as yet but a few more rounds required as well as dusting off my chrony. The load punches rather than tears holes (BTW - backup these days is an STI Targetmaster - still the understudy)

Will update