Finally got the change to take the minimax to the range today. I wasn't disappointed. I didn't expect sterling function but I expect it to do what it supposed to do... throw lead downrange. And that it did. I did have some problems. I major failure to go into battery on all the magazines I have. Almost every round failed to load properly. A small push on the back of the slide was enough to force into battery. No problems to feed as such and no failure to extract. I did use some valve grinding compound to smooth out the slide rails so that might have accounted for the failures to go into battery. I had a few light primer hits (most went off with a second try) but only one misfire. I tried several times to get the round to fire but to no avail. I wnt thru 100 rounds of silver bear zinc lined 230 grn fmj round ball. Not the best ammo I know, but it was cheap and I'm a big fan of cheap. More later.

Mel, I have to admit that I admire your optimism and outlook about, "I wasn't disappointed". If you can be safisfied with your range experience, more power to you.
If my Llama IXA had that experience, I'd be pulling what's left of my hair...
BTW, I'm a big fan of cheap ammo. I buy a box a week for my handguns and I'm not ashamed of using Wally World when the opportunity arises. There are alot of "ammo snobs" who think "what they shoot, is more important than HOW you shoot".

The next time I go to the range, I'll pick up some wally world winchester white box 45 acp. The range rents guns too and the have a kimber and colt officers model that I'm gonna rent to try them out. I wonder if the recoil spring is too weak on the minimax or the ammo underpowered. I gave the gun a good cleaning when I got home. There was a lot of carbon on the ramp and throat. Dirty ammo. I think part of the problem with going into battery had to have been some left over valve grinding paste on the rails. I spend a bit of time scrubbing the rails on the slide and frame just to make sure that they are really clean for the next trip. I think some stronger mag springs and followers would not be out of line either. I usually shoot at the 33 ft mark and it was shooting low and to the left for the most part. For giggles and grins, I put the last target at the 3 yard mark and it shot to point of aim and made ONE big ragged hole (two mags worth) in the center of the target. It did seem that the first few mags went thru pretty good, but as the gun got dirtier, I had more problems with going into battery. By the time I was finished shooting, it seemed that every round would fail to load properly. A simple push on the slide with my left thumb was all it took to get it to load correctly. Never did have a problem with extraction. I think I will order a replacement extractor just in case. Anybody have any suggestions for a recoil spring/rod replacement?

BTW, your 3 yd. shooting is about "right-on" where most shootings take place, nothing wrong with that type of shooting.
IMHO, since your problem is on the feed and not the extraction cycle, I would agree about changing the mag; replace the recoil spring; and make sure you use a hardball-like ogive bullet, say a 230gr. Keep us posted...

mel1956:

You may want to check on your extractor tension. Field-strip & see how much effort is required to slip the rim under the hook & how tightly it's held to the breechface.

mitchjoe

Polish your feed ramp and shoot some good ammo.By Starting with some good ammo thats one less variable in the mix.
Since you used valve compound Super clean those rails and oil real good On my sub compact minimax I found weak mag springs I changed springs and most of my problems disappeared.

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I finally got to shoot my minimax 45 2 days ago the first 2 mags were nonstop problems but the more rounds I put through it the better it got Hopefully next week I'll get a chance to put 200 rds through it I've only put 75.
By the way when I cleaned mine I got alot of what I think is valve grinding compound from the cajun action job. I've given it a good bath and can't wait to go shoot it next week and see how it performs with some white box since I used some CCI blazer. One more thing I found out today mine will chamber hollow points

I don't know about .45, but wwb is the only brand I have found that my 9mm High powers jam on. They fail to eject once in a while.

I put my Mini max on consignment a few days ago.

Hey Pimp my 45,

Why did you put your mini max 45 on consignment? Decided to get another one!?!?!? Or just got tired of

see ya,
Mel