Let me start off by saying that my inexperience and novice level will definitely show with this range report ... but in the interest of learning, both for the benefit of myself and other newbies, I'm hoping that useful info and answers are generated. Yep, I'm dumb and new.
My background is in .22's and 12 gauges, and that's about it. I owned a .357 revolver years ago, but really didn't get much experience and had zilch training in handguns (used to go out shooting targets with a buddy of mine). Safe to say any serious firearm experience I possess is with 12g hunting, and sporting clays. This is my first semi-auto, and although I've been shooting Glocks at the range this last year, my only real training is limited to my CCW class. I've pretty much been on my own, with the occasional question getting answered at the range/shop. I hope I will get more real training, but surprisingly it's not easy to find an opening with one of the few instructors in the area as they're usually tied up with training LEO's or experienced shooters. Also, I'm new to the area, and I just don't know any other handgun owners, and they're not easy to meet at the range, pretty much everyone rushes-in/rush-out. So, hopefully this will explain a lot, including my questions.
Yesterday I picked up my new Steyr M9-A1. Last night I field-stripped it, and following DAIadvisor's maintenance guide as closely as possible, I cleaned and oiled it. I must say, the slide was MUCH smoother after I stripped, cleaned and oiled. The difference was very noticeable. The magazines were a little odd though... they came wrapped in plastic and coated with what seemed to be extremely sticky brown grease, hard as heck to clean. I assume that's normal? :?: Dry fired several times, felt very nice. Trigger pull seemed slightly heavier than I anticipated, but still pleasing.
Today to the range...
I read thru all of the ammo posts I could find here on the M9, especially the sticky. So, armed with this info I headed out.
At the range I showed one of the guys my list compiled from the ammo sticky, for target ammo. He looked at me quizzically and said all they had in 9x19 was Sellier & Bellot 115g (which is what I'd been using in the Glocks), and Winchester 165g. That was it. From one of only 2 ranges in the Metro area. So, I took 50 rounds of the S & B, and he did say that they would make good break-in rounds for my Steyr.
Headed into my stall, set up a B-27 target with an NIC sticker (you almost have to have these... the first 10 yards of the range have almost no lighting, fairly dark, and the last 15 yards are somewhat lighted... I've never asked why. The other range in the area is almost an hour away though, fully lighted, new and nice, but I'm not in a position to be traveling up there often... so, :?: next question, any good reason the first 10 yards are always kept so dark? This is place that I see LE train at a lot, if that makes a difference.
Loaded a clip with 5 rounds. Range rules, 5-6 rounds only, and from everything I read I also needed to break in the magazine.
Pulled back the slide, loaded a round, aimed, gently pulled the trigger... *CLICK*! Nothing, nada. I thought to myself, "What the heck??" Took the clip out, then ejected the round, and lo and behold there was sure enough a dent in the primer, but right at the side, and it looked more like a rimfire dent. So, I repeated the process, gently pulled the trigger and... *CLICK*. Same thing. My spirits were beginning to dampen at that point. Honestly, after the fact and a lot of thought I think I know what happened, and I'd appreciate your guys' thoughts, but I'll leave that for the end.
Repeated a third time, and that was the charm. Fired with a nice trigger pull. Went ahead and fired 23 rounds at the target, at 10 yards, and getting about 5-6" groupings, with an occasional one off of the scoring zone. I know that's not impressive, but for me I was very happy. Again, I've been having to learn this stuff on my own. Getting used to the sights will be my biggest problem, as well as getting used to the trigger. My Steyr felt MUCH better in my hand than the Glocks ever did, and I was able to acquire the target a lot quicker. Less recoil it seemed.
So... put another target up at 15 yards. 23 rounds+2 more failure-to-fires. Groupings around 7-8" in general. Other than the failures, again I was very pleased.
Conclusions:
The sights will take some getting used to, probably a couple hundred rounds, but by the end of the second 25 shots I was beginning to feel quite comfortable with them.
The "failures-to-fire"... I'm not sure if these were my error, the Steyr or the rounds. I should note that each of the four rounds had dents in the primers, but unfortunately I didn't keep my spent rounds to "compare" the dents for size.
But, I've thought about this most of the day and I'm thinking this may be what happened... when I loaded the first clip, I was thinking to myself, "don't want to damage my new handgun, be careful!", and so I didn't release the slide and let it just snap back... rather I held onto it, so it wouldn't snap as hard. Did that with the second round also. The third round I believe I went ahead and released the slide catch, and then things were fine. It's possible I may have done the same with the other 2 failures. :?: Is it possible the rounds simply weren't chambered well because of this? I remember reading somewhere to not use the slide catch, otherwise severe wear-and-tear, instead just let go of the slide and let the spring do it's work. Honestly I never thought or worried about the slide with the Glocks, probably because I didn't feel the need to baby them. So, my error? Or possible gun problem? Or the rounds themselves? I'd appreciate any thoughts, I'm just trying to learn.
All-in-all, I really like the Steyr, it felt good in my hand, and even with only the first 50 rounds my accuracy was better than with the Glocks.
My background is in .22's and 12 gauges, and that's about it. I owned a .357 revolver years ago, but really didn't get much experience and had zilch training in handguns (used to go out shooting targets with a buddy of mine). Safe to say any serious firearm experience I possess is with 12g hunting, and sporting clays. This is my first semi-auto, and although I've been shooting Glocks at the range this last year, my only real training is limited to my CCW class. I've pretty much been on my own, with the occasional question getting answered at the range/shop. I hope I will get more real training, but surprisingly it's not easy to find an opening with one of the few instructors in the area as they're usually tied up with training LEO's or experienced shooters. Also, I'm new to the area, and I just don't know any other handgun owners, and they're not easy to meet at the range, pretty much everyone rushes-in/rush-out. So, hopefully this will explain a lot, including my questions.
Yesterday I picked up my new Steyr M9-A1. Last night I field-stripped it, and following DAIadvisor's maintenance guide as closely as possible, I cleaned and oiled it. I must say, the slide was MUCH smoother after I stripped, cleaned and oiled. The difference was very noticeable. The magazines were a little odd though... they came wrapped in plastic and coated with what seemed to be extremely sticky brown grease, hard as heck to clean. I assume that's normal? :?: Dry fired several times, felt very nice. Trigger pull seemed slightly heavier than I anticipated, but still pleasing.
Today to the range...
I read thru all of the ammo posts I could find here on the M9, especially the sticky. So, armed with this info I headed out.
At the range I showed one of the guys my list compiled from the ammo sticky, for target ammo. He looked at me quizzically and said all they had in 9x19 was Sellier & Bellot 115g (which is what I'd been using in the Glocks), and Winchester 165g. That was it. From one of only 2 ranges in the Metro area. So, I took 50 rounds of the S & B, and he did say that they would make good break-in rounds for my Steyr.
Headed into my stall, set up a B-27 target with an NIC sticker (you almost have to have these... the first 10 yards of the range have almost no lighting, fairly dark, and the last 15 yards are somewhat lighted... I've never asked why. The other range in the area is almost an hour away though, fully lighted, new and nice, but I'm not in a position to be traveling up there often... so, :?: next question, any good reason the first 10 yards are always kept so dark? This is place that I see LE train at a lot, if that makes a difference.
Loaded a clip with 5 rounds. Range rules, 5-6 rounds only, and from everything I read I also needed to break in the magazine.
Pulled back the slide, loaded a round, aimed, gently pulled the trigger... *CLICK*! Nothing, nada. I thought to myself, "What the heck??" Took the clip out, then ejected the round, and lo and behold there was sure enough a dent in the primer, but right at the side, and it looked more like a rimfire dent. So, I repeated the process, gently pulled the trigger and... *CLICK*. Same thing. My spirits were beginning to dampen at that point. Honestly, after the fact and a lot of thought I think I know what happened, and I'd appreciate your guys' thoughts, but I'll leave that for the end.
Repeated a third time, and that was the charm. Fired with a nice trigger pull. Went ahead and fired 23 rounds at the target, at 10 yards, and getting about 5-6" groupings, with an occasional one off of the scoring zone. I know that's not impressive, but for me I was very happy. Again, I've been having to learn this stuff on my own. Getting used to the sights will be my biggest problem, as well as getting used to the trigger. My Steyr felt MUCH better in my hand than the Glocks ever did, and I was able to acquire the target a lot quicker. Less recoil it seemed.
So... put another target up at 15 yards. 23 rounds+2 more failure-to-fires. Groupings around 7-8" in general. Other than the failures, again I was very pleased.
Conclusions:
The sights will take some getting used to, probably a couple hundred rounds, but by the end of the second 25 shots I was beginning to feel quite comfortable with them.
The "failures-to-fire"... I'm not sure if these were my error, the Steyr or the rounds. I should note that each of the four rounds had dents in the primers, but unfortunately I didn't keep my spent rounds to "compare" the dents for size.
But, I've thought about this most of the day and I'm thinking this may be what happened... when I loaded the first clip, I was thinking to myself, "don't want to damage my new handgun, be careful!", and so I didn't release the slide and let it just snap back... rather I held onto it, so it wouldn't snap as hard. Did that with the second round also. The third round I believe I went ahead and released the slide catch, and then things were fine. It's possible I may have done the same with the other 2 failures. :?: Is it possible the rounds simply weren't chambered well because of this? I remember reading somewhere to not use the slide catch, otherwise severe wear-and-tear, instead just let go of the slide and let the spring do it's work. Honestly I never thought or worried about the slide with the Glocks, probably because I didn't feel the need to baby them. So, my error? Or possible gun problem? Or the rounds themselves? I'd appreciate any thoughts, I'm just trying to learn.
All-in-all, I really like the Steyr, it felt good in my hand, and even with only the first 50 rounds my accuracy was better than with the Glocks.