The Down Range Forum

Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Big Frank on October 18, 2011, 06:18:05 PM

Title: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: Big Frank on October 18, 2011, 06:18:05 PM
... but it was better than a day at work. I went out for the first time in a few years and I'm so out of practice. And I don't remember .45 ACP kicking that much. My first problem was my safety glasses fogged up so bad I could barely see the sights or target. Half blind I shot my LDA 12.45 152 times (11 mags full) with Blazer aluminum case ammo. I had 4 failures to feed. One I just pushed the slide ahead with my thumb. No need to rack the slide. My 15 and 20 round mags worked just as well as the others. I may need to polish the feed ramp and breech face to get it 100% reliable but maybe it just doesn't like Blazer ammo.

When I was done with that and my glasses finally unfogged I shot my 10/22 at 25 yards and my scope was off by 3". I had 6 30-round mags and 4 50-rounders. I had nearly every kind of malfunction imaginable. I knew the 50-round mags were junk but I had problems with the others too. It failed to feed a big handful of ammo mostly because the rounds were too low in the mag and kept hanging up. Now I have to sift through the ammo and throw away all the dented rounds. After nearly 35 years my rifle is old and tired. Im going to change the hammer spring because it failed to fire sometimes and had light strikes on the primers.

So that's how my day went but I'm glad I finally got some shooting done. I don't have any pictures of my targets but they were nothing to brag about. So how's the rest of the gang doing?
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: tombogan03884 on October 18, 2011, 06:24:46 PM
I don't know how long you had those magazines, but the problem with the plastic after market mags was that they would wear the nubs that hold them in place allowing the mag to set to low relative to the feed ramp.
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: Big Frank on October 18, 2011, 06:54:13 PM
Yeah, I had some trouble with the mags seating right. Sometimes I could pull it out when it looked like it was in all the way.
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: alfsauve on October 18, 2011, 06:57:49 PM
... but it was better than a day at work.

There's the key.   Any day out shooting beats a day at work.



Glad you got out.
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: twyacht on October 18, 2011, 07:13:16 PM
I hate when my glasses fog.... >:(

Something about the Blazer ammo,...thin walled case that expands,,...I've had a few issues with it even extracting rds. from my well worn Blackhawk.. I think the aluminum has something to do with it...

Old and tired .22? You Sir, have a mission for the Fall,....rid those demons and cobwebs from your firearms!!! (and fog from your glasses).....

There's the key.   Any day out shooting beats a day at work.



Glad you got out.

DING!!!!! That's a 10 Ring Bullseye.

Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: Big Frank on October 18, 2011, 08:32:16 PM
Okay guys, I'm ordered some parts to tune up the 10/22. $20 including shipping. I hope this does the trick.  :-\
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: BAC on October 18, 2011, 08:55:31 PM
I'm sorry, but what does this thread have to do with Ron Paul?
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: Magoo541 on October 18, 2011, 09:03:00 PM
I'm sorry, but what does this thread have to do with Ron Paul?

LOL!  A preminition of tonight's debate maybe?
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: BAC on October 18, 2011, 09:08:43 PM
LOL!  A preminition of tonight's debate maybe?

I'm guessing lots of video clips forthcoming tomorrow.

P.S.  Glad you made it to the range, Frank.
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: tombogan03884 on October 18, 2011, 10:19:04 PM
I'm sorry, but what does this thread have to do with Ron Paul?

Sounds like we're on the same page.
And some one else should try reading it.  ;D

Frank, I would sh!tcan those mags, replace them them with new ones at least, if not OEM.
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: Big Frank on October 19, 2011, 12:38:10 AM
Ram-Line quit making those mags and Shooter's Ridge apparently took over for them. I just checked and replacement mags are $27.49. Mine were a little cheaper, maybe $200-$250 for all 10. The gun only cost $63 or something like that in the late '70s, so the mags are way more costly. I'm not ready to $h!t can them just yet.
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: tombogan03884 on October 19, 2011, 01:57:17 AM
Frank, the problems you experienced are why Ram Line quit making them.
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: fightingquaker13 on October 19, 2011, 06:51:52 AM
I just bought a Ruger hi-cap mag. I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet, but it has steel lips and seems solid. When I get a chance to test fire it I'll give a report. I think is was about $25 at Gander, but I bought it with a bunch of other stuff during their sale a few weeks back and don't remember exactly. I have an old ramline 20 rounder that I never have had any problems with, and the Ruger seems to be better made. Report to follow.
FQ13
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: atmiller on October 19, 2011, 06:57:23 AM
Same experience with Shooters Ridge 50s.  Bought 1 from Bass Pro to try out.  Tried about 5 times, and never got a full mag out of it without a Failure to Feed.  Rounds jam and turn on end inside the magazine.  Junk, and expensive too, which really bites. 
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: crusader rabbit on October 19, 2011, 07:14:57 AM
Back to the Blazer issue for a moment...

The only failure to feed I have ever experienced with my Glock 27 was with Blazer ammo.  I may still use it in my wheel guns at the range, but not in my semis.

Another issue I had with Blazer occurred when I was checking some HiViz sites on my Rossi .44Mag lever carbine.  Couldn't hit the paper at 50 yards with Blazer.  Substituted some Winchester White Box and was less than 3 inches out at 12 o'clock.

I won't even plink with Blazer in my carbines since I have no idea where the shot may go.

Wolf is a no-no for me, too.

I'm just sayin'

Cruaader
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: tombogan03884 on October 19, 2011, 10:09:06 AM
Re: Blazer
Get the "Blazer, Brass" brand, it's about the same price as the aluminum cased stuff, but it's reloadable.
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: PegLeg45 on October 19, 2011, 03:43:08 PM
Re: Blazer
Get the "Blazer, Brass" brand, it's about the same price as the aluminum cased stuff, but it's reloadable.

+1
I've had decent 'casual shooting' accuracy from the Blazer Brass line.
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: blackwolfe on October 20, 2011, 01:06:24 AM
Ram-Line quit making those mags and Shooter's Ridge apparently took over for them. I just checked and replacement mags are $27.49. Mine were a little cheaper, maybe $200-$250 for all 10. The gun only cost $63 or something like that in the late '70s, so the mags are way more costly. I'm not ready to $h!t can them just yet.

I've seen the Ruger factory 25 rounders cheaper than that.  has any one here tried the pro-mag or blackdog 50 round drum magazines?
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: dipisc on October 20, 2011, 08:45:55 AM
Hi;

     On some of the mags you had problems with - you may need to caliper them to see if they are within spec. This is   THE   major problem with HiPoint firearms mags. Different contractors making them and different results. Other gun manufactors come across this same problem. 2 weeks ago, I took my new (hipoint) 4 pistols and 3 carbines out to sight them in and had only 1 ftf out of 36 mags and in the end it was the ramp feed on 1 of the pistols. Also, I had let the mags sit fully loaded for 4 months due to not being able to get to the range - sometimes letting new mags sit loaded will correct any "out of spec" problems and make them conform to the ammo sizing.

     There are some people that call Hipoints  junk, in reality it is a mag problem that is not corrected. I have 2 used hipoints that I bought because of this and they function perfectly after I tweak the mags.
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: tombogan03884 on October 20, 2011, 09:13:03 AM
Hi;

     On some of the mags you had problems with - you may need to caliper them to see if they are within spec. This is   THE   major problem with HiPoint firearms mags. Different contractors making them and different results. Other gun manufactors come across this same problem. 2 weeks ago, I took my new (hipoint) 4 pistols and 3 carbines out to sight them in and had only 1 ftf out of 36 mags and in the end it was the ramp feed on 1 of the pistols. Also, I had let the mags sit fully loaded for 4 months due to not being able to get to the range - sometimes letting new mags sit loaded will correct any "out of spec" problems and make them conform to the ammo sizing.

    There are some people that call Hipoints  junk, in reality it is a mag problem that is not corrected. I have 2 used hipoints that I bought because of this and they function perfectly after I tweak the mags.

They are cheap, clunky, heavy, and crude, but they go bang every effing time.
What more can you ask for ?
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: tt11758 on October 20, 2011, 10:23:40 AM
They are cheap, clunky, heavy, and crude, but they are made in the USA, have a lifetime warranty, and go bang every effing time.
What more can you ask for ?


FIFY.  ;D
Title: Re: I just had my worst day at the range...
Post by: Big Frank on October 26, 2011, 03:35:24 PM
The big brown truck of happiness finally made it here.  :)  I replaced the firing pin and extractor and most of the springs in my 10/22. Hopefully my next day at the range will be better. I'll have to use the factory mags because the aftermarket ones I have are crap.  :(