(Another) Para Ordnance P16-40 10mm conversion DONE

[freakshow10mm]

Barrel got here yesterday from Hunter Customs. Got the ream job. DT ammo also got here. 150rds each of 135gr JHPs and 180gr XTPs.

If you haven't been to my blog, here's a list of what I did:

Barrel ream by Hunter Customs ($66 w/ return shipping)
Installed EGW oversized flat bottom FP stop
Installed Wolff XP FP spring
Installed Wolff 22# recoil spring
Installed Ed Brown Hardcore slide stop SS

That is for the 10mm specifics.

To still be done:
Ed Brown beavertail, thumb safety, Guncrafter flat trigger, XS sights and Hard Chrome. Tripp Research will do all the above when I get the money together.

Here are some pics. Not the best, but they will do.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/freakshow10mm/10mmPics021.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/freakshow10mm/10mmPics020.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/freakshow10mm/10mmPics015.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/freakshow10mm/10mmPics018.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/freakshow10mm/10mmPics013.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/freakshow10mm/10mmPics019.jpg

[agtman]

Very nice start on your Para-conversion. :) The rest of the set-up sounds great too. Tripp's HC work is excellent, so the final product should look outstanding.

:cool:

[madmyk]

i am considering doing on of these, where is your blog?

[Viesczy]

I too have a P16 in 10mm, but please DON'T get the XS sights. They suck and greatly impair accuracy.

I had a set on my Nowlin 9x23 and @ 15 yards my groups were best measured with a yard stick. Even against my bone stock 1076 (and the crap NS) the Nowlin wouldn't group because of the limited sight picture that the XS provides. I swapped out the XS for a set of Trijicon and I'm grouping @ about 2" @ 15 yards.

Derek

[freakshow10mm]

Originally posted by madmyk
i am considering doing on of these, where is your blog?

Click on my WEBSITE button on the bottom of my post or go to http://freakshow10mm.blogspot.com

[freakshow10mm]

If I don't like the XS sights, I'll just sell them. This is to be a combat weapon and not a hunting sidearm, though it may be used for that purpose secondarily. I don't like three dot sights. My Para has them and I don't like them. Also, I have heard from many XS users that it takes time with the Big Dot to hit past 15 yards with any sort of accuracy. XS sights are designed for speed.

[Viesczy]

I can save you time and money, don't do the XS. I have Novak bar/dot on my GSP and I thought that the XS was just going to be the better of a good thing when I ordered the 9x23 Nowlin. WRONG.

I have and use express sights on two of my rifles, 45/70 Guide Gun and my 375 H7H, but on pistol what seemed like a great idea wasn't. The last time @ the range with the XS my 1911 was getting praised for its beauty, but all the shooters were having problems grouping within a foot past 15 yards. I'd say that for a short barreled pistol like a P12, P10, G26/27/33/29/30 they are fine, but not on anything longer than a D cell battery.

Derek

[freakshow10mm]

Finally made it to the range today. Put 50 rounds of CCI Blazer 200gr FMJ and 40 rounds of PMC Eldorado Starfire 180gr through it.
Still waiting on my replacement order for DT ammo.


I had some FTFs, probably about 40-50%. Happened about every two to three rounds at the most frequent. The first mag ran through with out a hitch. Didn't get a good chance to get accuracy testing. This is more of a function test. It works, just not as well as it could. The best I could do is a 3-rapid shot group at 25y of 3". Double taps were quick and also fun.

The round got caught at upward angle, the top of the bullet being stuck on the top of the chamber and jamming. I have a FP stop that is flat bottomed in and I have the stock recoil spring in as well, 20# IIRC. I think it is a recoil spring issue. I hear a springie sound after a round is fired. I also noticed the slide locked waaaaaay back on some rounds too. It made it all the way back as far as it could go, but didn't even attempt to go back into battery.

I think the recoil spring may be weaker and not having enough oomph to bring the slide back to battery and chamber the next round. I will also get some +10% mag springs too. See if the combo of things will help out.

I will order a heavier spring from Wolff or maybe just get their calibration pack. I am thinking 22-24# may do the trick. Definately

Recoil is brisker than 40 cal. The Starfires aren't near full power loads, but you know you pulled the trigger. I just can't wait until my DT gets here.

[C.Smith]

That looks like a very nice gun. Does anyone know what the durability of this gun would be. Specially since it was built origanally for the .45acp?

Corey

[freakshow10mm]

Thanks. I turned down some sharp edges with hand files for comfort; namely the area around the thumb safety and grip safety as well as the front of the dustcover and the magwell got rounded a bit, but that will have a smith go over before Hard Chrome.

Actually, it started out as a .40 S&W caliber, not 45.

As for durability, only time will tell. I have a blog set up that accounts this project and also where I will keep track of rounds fired after the conversion. There have been a claimed (by previous owner) 900 rounds of 40 S&W ammo through it and I ran another 100 rounds of 40 in it, plus the 90 aforementioned in 10mm. So basically round count is up to 1090 for the life of the pistol.

Every time at the range will be documented in my blog so I can keep track of round count and durability. Everything I have done to this gun since I have owned it will be documented.

[kend]

I just completed a P-16 10mm conversion and initially installed a Wolff 22# spring and I couldn't hardly pull the slide back. I went to a 20# spring and everything works great, no function problems at all with Factory Silvertips.

[freakshow10mm]

Thanks for the info. I know the sweet spot is 20-24# for the recoil spring. ETA: Just ordered Wolff XP conv. spring calibration kit and four XP mag springs.

[freakshow10mm]

Second range trip today. Wolff +10% mag springs came in yesterday as well as the recoil spring calibration kit.

Installed a 20# recoil after attempting to install a 24# and a 22#. The heavier two were just too difficult to install. Couldn't replace the solid plug. They are a full three inches and change longer than the stock Para spring. Holy crap.

Installed one XP mag spring in the stock Para mag. I was trying to see which was the culprit, the mag spring or the recoil spring or both. If it ran good with the factory mag spring and Wolff 20# recoil, it was recoil spring related. If it worked ok with the +10% mag spring and the Wolff 20# recoil spring then all is good. If it didn't work well with either change, then I was going to throw a hissy fit and cry myself to sleep.

I put 200 rounds through my gun today. All was 200gr Blazer FMJ. I didn't get my replacement order from DT yet. I had two mags, one stock Para mag with the +10% spring and one aftermarket mag with a factory spring that was in it. The gun had the Wolff 20# recoil spring in it as well.

The stock Para mag with the +10% spring ran good, except it ALWAYS FTF at round number 7 out of 17 (I can fit 17 rounds in all my 16rd mags no problem). The aftermarket mag with the stock spring had no stoppages whatsoever. I only had FTF with the +10% mag.

Do you think if I leave them loaded for a while, it may help out? Maybe the mag spring isn't broken in yet.

[Viesczy]

Freak,
I actually experimented with 20, 22, 24 and 26lbs recoil springs in my P16 10mm conversion and I eventually ended up with the 26lb spring in the pistol. With the lighter springs brass was still tossed well over 10 feet from me and I tend to like my brass closer than that. I settled on the 26lb spring in the P16, but it does beat up some loadings (Georgia Arms) and cause bullet set back.

You’re a trillion percent right about the struggle of putting a 1911 back together the ‘normal way’ with heavy springs. I actually put the bushing and plug in the slide (after the barrel is back in) and then I inset the spring with the slide assembly basically completed, there is no way I’d be able to put a heavy spring together the ‘normal way’!

I might drop down to a 22 or 24lb spring and just use a recoil buff for the P16, but I dread fighting with putting it back together! ;-)

FWIW I have 4 full cap P16 mags, two 16 and two 18 round mags. The 16 round are jam specials if I have more than 11 rounds in them, spring binding mag jams with both the Wolf +10 and factory springs. The 18s word GREAT!! I typically carry my P16 with the 10 round mag in the pistol and at least one 18 round reload on me. Plus the 10 round mag makes the pistol lighter on the hip!

Derek

[freakshow10mm]

Thanks. When I deem it carry ready, I will probably carry a 16 round mag in the gun and a 16 and 18 rounder on my belt. I like at least two additional reloads available.

Right now, I have a 20# recoil spring and a shock buffer (EGW). I am using the traditional shorty rod and solid plug. I do like the Glock 29/30 spring guide set-up. That is pretty slick! Wonder if it works good in a 1911. The STI screen saver shows it does.:supergrin: