XSE reliability

[horse 91-A1]

The XSE that I bought earlier this year has been reliable enough to CCW and it's a pleasant, accurate shooter. One of the things I did with a Colt Lew Horton combat/target was test it with handloads that were made out of spec. Usually it's a simple COAL under spec during the build-up/chrono testing phase and they're set aside until there's enough for "reliability" testing.

Yesterday was practice day with two 1911 .38Supers plus the XSE, but the XSE would have the added challenge of shooting out of spec ammo like; 200gr SWC, 230gr Golden Sabers, 230gr XTPs and 230gr Winchester JHP notched. I also pulled out a Colt 7 shot magazine that was used when it came into my possession during the early 1970s; the mag hasn't been torn down and had a little surface rust on the bottom. Wiped some of the outside grit off on the Wranglers, added the ammo with different feed requirements giving off different slide speeds and let go 2-3 rounds/sec.

Still haven't wiped the grin off my face and kudoos to Colt, flawless with ammo/magazine past the fringe of accepted carry requirements simply adds confidence to a nice CCW carry.

In the past I've dropped full magazines in the sand, like what might happen during a combat reload, and feed/fire was flawless with this XSE.

Anyone else do this kind of testing with their Colts or is my psyche too far beyond the fringe??? :D

Bob

[Hunter]

Well Bob I like to run a pile of my homecast 200gr LSWC through my Colts then stagger aggressive JHP along with the LSWC and run it hot and dry.
I have found that if a Government Model will reliably cycle LSWC it should feed about anything.
As a side note, I attempted to shoot my GCT until it failed. Over the course of 3 range trips I ran 600+ rounds (without lubrication or cleaning) 200gr LSWC lubed with Lyman Alox lube and loaded with untumbled brass and 5.3gr of Unique. All I can say is the Colt did not fail me. When I rounded out over 600 rounds I field stripped the pistol and the receiver looked as if I had plowed a large garden with it. :D

[LOBO]

I have to add the same sentiments as well.

I purchased my XSE Government new in the box. On the first range trip, all I did was lock the slide to the rear then apply a small amount of lubrication. After several trips, with no more lub since the first session, my gun has reached a logged 500 rounds w/o so much as a hiccup. This includes factory FMJ loads, both standard & +P HP factory loads, as well as my reloaded LRN and FMJ loads. The magazines used in the gun have been Wilson 8 rd, Kimber 7 rd Tac mags, Kimber 8 rd, Pro Mag 8 rd, Colt 7 rd, and Colt 8 rd magazines.

I have nothing but praise for my Colt.

[daveohno]

I shoot frequently indoors, so I have pads on the bottom of my mags for that reason. Concrete and metal bases don't play well together. This year I started I started using an outdoor range and I just dump the mags on the dirt and never worry about them. Never a problem. If one gets very dirty, of course I clean it, but they seem to work just fine no matter what. Of course the pistol shoots them just fine.

I used to clean all my firearms after each range session. Now unless I shoot more than 2 or 300 rounds, I don't bother cleaning it until the 2nd or 3rd range trip. I just lube the pistol and shoot.

[av4040]

I have a Government model XSE that I purchased a couple months ago. The first range trip I had 1 FTF. Since this was the first 1911 I had ever fired I didn't know what to think. On the second range trip I had 2 FTF's. The third range trip I had 3 or 4 ( i can't remember which). On each trip I only fired 100 rounds of Remington UMC 230 that I purchase from Wallymart. I have now cleaned and lubed the gun with CLP and will take my camera with me on the next trip to see if it happens again.

I have a Gold Cup Trophy that I bought a couple of weeks before the XSE that I have never fired and I'm beginning to wonder if it will do the same thing.

[allstop]

I have a Government model XSE that I purchased a couple months ago. The first range trip I had 1 FTF. Since this was the first 1911 I had ever fired I didn't know what to think. On the second range trip I had 2 FTF's. The third range trip I had 3 or 4 ( i can't remember which). On each trip I only fired 100 rounds of Remington UMC 230 that I purchase from Wallymart. I have now cleaned and lubed the gun with CLP and will take my camera with me on the next trip to see if it happens again.

I have a Gold Cup Trophy that I bought a couple of weeks before the XSE that I have never fired and I'm beginning to wonder if it will do the same thing.

av4040, I have an all stainless XSE commander and a Gold Cup Trophy, and they had some three-point-bind problems with hardball on the first few trips. After a couple of hundred rounds, the problem disappeared. I guess it was due to the closer tolerances in the new Colts, I don't know.

Having said that, after about 800 rounds of mixed ammo, both of them still consistently fail to chamber about a dozen different JHPs (factory) and flat nose Sierra Tournament Master (reloads). And semi-wadcutters are a roll of the dice so far.

[edmorales]

my stainless steel xse combat commander has done 500 rounds and now i noticed that the plunger tube is loose. other than that, barrel lock up and feeding is perfect.
ed

[allstop]

my stainless steel xse combat commander has done 500 rounds and now i noticed that the plunger tube is loose. other than that, barrel lock up and feeding is perfect.
ed

Ed, are you shooting standard FMJ round nose, or are you also shooting hollow points?

[edmorales]

400 rounds of armscor 230 ball fmj and 100 rounds of hps.the dimpled barrel feeds well
ed

[Zscorp]

av4040, I have an all stainless XSE commander and a Gold Cup Trophy, and they had some three-point-bind problems with hardball on the first few trips. After a couple of hundred rounds, the problem disappeared. I guess it was due to the closer tolerances in the new Colts, I don't know.
.

What is a three-point-bind problem?

[allstop]

What is a three-point-bind problem?

See this link, under
Failure to feed/failure to chamber (http://www.brazoscustom.com/magart/0405.htm). That's a pretty good description. It's the thing that happens when your slide doesn't return to battery, and you can see the unfired round through the ejection port, the nose of the bullet is partially in the barrel, and stuck at about a 45 degree angle, not going fully into the barrel.

For me, sometimes I have to rack the slide 3 times to get a round to chamber. I'm only talking about non-hardball ammo here (3 different magazines, 7rd Colt, 8rd Colt, Wilson 47D).

[horse 91-A1]

Well Bob I like to run a pile of my homecast 200gr LSWC through my Colts then stagger aggressive JHP along with the LSWC and run it hot and dry.
I have found that if a Government Model will reliably cycle LSWC it should feed about anything.
As a side note, I attempted to shoot my GCT until it failed. Over the course of 3 range trips I ran 600+ rounds (without lubrication or cleaning) 200gr LSWC lubed with Lyman Alox lube and loaded with untumbled brass and 5.3gr of Unique. All I can say is the Colt did not fail me. When I rounded out over 600 rounds I field stripped the pistol and the receiver looked as if I had plowed a large garden with it. :D

On the Lew Horton 1991 Colt I had a similar experience and needed to get the dentist picks out to remove the hard carbon build up on the breech face. Too many WWBs needed on short notice. :) This Colt is on a six year reliabilty run, still very accurate tho the Bomar sights are a little loose in the dovetail. :D

Bob