Range Report: G20L and Kimber Compact 10mm

[Mossyrock]

You know, some days you are the windshield, some days you are the bug... I took the G20L and the Kimber Compact 10mm out this weekend. Unfortunately, I didn't have any time to do any reloading and, also unfortunately, the only 10mm loads I could lay my hands on were PMC 200 gr FMJs. First, the good news.... The Kimber Compact Stainless 10mm LIVES!!!!! ^5 I still don't have the OACP 10mm mags from Metalform yet, but it ran like a champ with a standard 10mm mag. I ran 75 rounds of the PMC 200 grainers through it without a single bobble. I ran a few rounds across the chrony and was a little surprised. Out of the Kimber's 4" barrel, they were only clocking 950fps! That leads me to believe that I am going to have to step up a notch for recoil spring weight with any other 10mm loads. My intent is to limit this little beast to Silvertip-level loads anyway, but 980fps is pretty pathetic. It is an accurate load in this gun, though. At a measured 25 feet, offhand, I put six rounds in 1.25"!!! If nothing else, Kimber makes good barrels! Once I get the correct mags and try some different loads, I will post more details on the conversion from .40 S&W to 10mm.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Mossyrock/KimberCompact2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Mossyrock/BarrelHood.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Mossyrock/TargetKC.jpg

Now the not-so-good news...the G20L... I came to the conclusion quite a while ago that the G20L likes loads with some juice to them. Shooting the PMC loads confirmed that in spades. Out of the 6" barrel, it clocked a really pathetic 1,080fps! (BTW, my Dad wrote it down wrong on the box. I had the right numbers in my notes.) Because of this, I had recurring malfunctions and crappy accuracy. Basically, the rounds didn't have enough energy to reliably cycle the G20L's action, resulting in misfeeds. Also, since the low energy didn't cycle the action reliably, the barrel didn't return to battery consistently, resulting in patterns instead of groups. At 25 yards, benched, I was getting "groups" of 5-6 inches! My normal handloads will usually group into something less than 2" at that distance. Also, I am guessing that because of the ammo, I was getting light strikes resulting in mis-fires. The light strikes were strange because I would pull the trigger and the striker would fall, but it would leave no impression on the primer at all. The striker channel is clean and clear, and the striker spring is stock, as far as I know. I am WIDE open to suggestions on this one. VERY aggravating. ;4

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Mossyrock/10mms.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/Mossyrock/KimberCompact.jpg

[agtman]

Thanks for your report! :)

[G20man32904]

Kimber Compact????;P ;P ;P

[$

[ColoradoGlocker]

.

[nickE10mm]

Thanks for the update Mossy, I'll let you all know as soon as I HAVE a range report to share. ;b

[Mossyrock]

Originally posted by G20man32904
Kimber Compact????;P ;P ;P

[$

Yeah, yeah, yeah....;Q ;z Patience, Grasshopper.....

[Mossyrock]

Is this better?;f

[Simian]

Is the long slide stock or do you have to purchase it aftermarket? That looks cool! Bet it would be great in the field.

[Mossyrock]

It's aftermarket. Do a search on "G20L" and get ready to do some reading. This whole thing is Colorado Glocker's fault!;a

[Clarkbar]

Originally posted by ColoradoGlocker
Also, mine seems to like Power Pistol powder better than Titegroup. I guess the slower burning powder changes the recoil impulse enough to make a difference.

Have you tried AA #9?

Before I moved to Germany, I had loads w/ AA #9 (200gr Rainiers) moving at over 1200fps from my stock G20.

It will be at least 18 months before I can try any of my loads in my G21L slide w/ Bar-Sto 45-10mm barrel that's sitting in my mother's closet back in the US.

[ColoradoGlocker]

.

[nickE10mm]

that light-strike issue is crazy.

[G20man32904]

SO I'm guessing the Kimber is/was a .40 convert???

AWESOME!!!!;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;G

[Mossyrock]

Originally posted by nickE10mm
that light-strike issue is crazy.

Yup...and VERY aggravating. I need to strip down the slide and look everything over carefully for any burrs or other problems. GGRRFF. ;g

[nickE10mm]

The reason I even mention it is because, even though I haven't fired my G20L yet, it kind of FEELS like the striker isnt releasing with as much force as with my stock slide. I haven't been able to test it but your results are getting me worried. I'm gonna do a thorough look over of my firing pin channel and see if I can't see whats making the change. Irv SAID my pistol fired great..... I guess I should probably just fire it and find out. I'm probably just imagining things.

I've just been so busy lately. I really really wanna take it for a test drive though ;P

[xingr8]

Just a thought on the light strikes... When I first started out with my G20, I was using my KKM .40 barrel in it and started out with some Win 231 reloads. The starting load (5.0 gr.) was not warm enough to cycle the slide properly and I was getting light strikes. If the slide does not come back with enough force to put a certain amount of minimum energy into the recoil spring, then it does not always come back forward with enough force to go all the way into battery. This is especially true with a new slide that is not broken in yet.

One of the safety features of the Glock is that if it doesn't go all the way into battery, the cam on the trigger bar can't push the firing pin safety high enough to disable it and the firing pin is prevented from going all the way forward. This prevents it from firing OOB. I suppect that the gun was just protecting you like it was designed to do. OOB firing can be hazardous to your health. ;P

[ColoradoGlocker]

.

[G33]

Kimber Compact 10mm?!



*faint*


*thud*


;f

[JWP]

any 40/357sig colt or clone work with rechambering?

[Mossyrock]

Originally posted by JWP
any 40/357sig colt or clone work with rechambering?

On a standard-sized 1911 grip frame, pretty much. You can rechamber a .40 Smith barrel, but will have to replace the .357 Sig barrel. Ed Brown makes a drop in 10mm barrel for the 5" 10mm. Some day, when I actually finish up the seven or eight projects I currently have on-going, I will pick up a full-sized Kimber (Series 1) or Springfield in .40 Smith and turn it into a 10mm.

If you go any shorter than the 4" barrel/slide combo, you run into problems with excessive slide velocity. The hardest part of this project was FINDING the .40 Smith Compact. It's a fun conversion to play with, but you have to do your homework and be prepared for some aggravation until you get the right spring combo figured out.