[Tubby45]

Well, my barrel got here today from Hunter Customs of Osborn, MO. Bob is an absolute pleasure to work with. He will be seeing more of my Para in the months to come.

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

Barrel reamed to 10mm Automatic (Hunter Customs $66)
Installed EGW oversized FP stop ($15)
Installed Wolff XP FP spring (came with recoil spring)
Installed Wolff 22# recoil spring ($7.49)
Installed Ed Brown Hardcore slide stop SS ($25? IIRC)

So for a little over $100 I have a 19 shot (18+1) 10mm blaster. I haven't been to the range yet, as I had to work tonight and just got done. I am going out of town down to Green Bay for the weekend and will shoot it on Sunday if I get back during daylight or for sure on Monday. I will post pics tomorrow (Friday) when I have broadband access at school. Range pics will follow when I get out.

Also my Double Tap order came in. I ordered 150rds of 135gr Nosler JHPs @1600fps and 150rds of 180gr XTP-JHPs @ 1350fps, with 4.6" each. Pretty excited about that. There were some errors made during loading of some ammo recently, so I have to check with Mike to see if the lot numbers I have are in the bad batch of ammo. I hope not. Not only for my gun's and my safety's sake, but I don't want to wait another week and a half to touch off DT ammo.

Project was fun. Lots of waiting though. Going to replace the trigger, both safeties, and Hard Chrome it. XS sights also. Then it will be 100% done, but the 10mm part is complete. Just wanted to share my news.

There has been a recent surge in interest of doing Para Ordnance P16-40 10mm conversions. I have a blog about mine and have been posting around to share my knowledge about this. Any questions that aren't answered on my blog, PM or email me. If I can't answer them, call Bob at Hunter Customs (" ".com). He is a Para guru and does lots of 10mm Paras.

 

[srfl]

(must not listen to freakshow....can not buy more guns....do not listen to freakshow!!!)

 

[artz]

how sweet ! I love it ! I have a smith 10mm (1066).
I need the blog address please... I know where there is a P16-40 for sale now.
Please keep us posted !

 

[P95Carry]

Very interesting project. Me and 10mm will never get it together but I am always keen to know how this sort of conversion works out.

Look fwd to more feedback.

 

[Bud White]

Very nice keep us posted im still thinking about doing this myself

 

[Tubby45]

WARNING!!! GUN PORN!!! Hope you enjoy.

 

[Tubby45]

I need the blog address please

http://freakshow10mm.blogspot.com

 

[rocky]

very nice. hope it works perfect for ya.

 

[srfl]

Very cool!

Enjoy your new blaster!!

 

[Tubby45]

Thanks guys. Pics turned out better than I had thought they would.

 

[TWO GUNS]

Sounds like a great 1911.Got to love the 10mm with all those shots in the mag.How does it feed?Is it accurate?Thanks in advance

 

[maclean3]

Way to go Freakshow! One of these days I'll score a 10mm - oh yes, it will be mine! :yup:
Jack

 

[Tubby45]

Haven't been to the range yet. I just got back from Green Bay today. Not feeling like doing anything. I already am working on a beer, so no guns tonight, sorry.

I loaded some mags up and it manually cycles all of them from first round to last with no problems. Don't know about actual fire yet. It ran fine on 40 S&W before the ream. The aftermarket silver ones are supposed to be 16 rounders but I can squeeze 17 in both of them. So actually I have one 18 rounder, two 17 rounders and 1 16 rounder.

My DT ammo got recalled due to a bad batch of brass from their brass supplier. Mike told me not to fire any, just in case. He is sending me another batch of my order from new brass and will pay postage back to DT for the old ammo.

I have some CCI Blazer 200gr ball ammo I will run through it tomorrow after school. Until my new DT gets here, that is all I have. I didn't have time to stop at GM in Green Bay, I was going to look for some Win STs there.

I will assuredly post accuracy and reliability results on Monday.

 

[Tubby45]

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.

 

[TWO GUNS]

Thanks for posting the results at the range.Sounds to me that the magazine is the problem.

 

[maclean3]

Sorry to hear there's failure issues though it does sound like heavier springs would be called for. Do you think a 2 lb. upgrade will make that much difference? Offhand I'd be tempted to order the calibration pack just to be sure you get the one you need, the XP mag springs should help as well. Anything else that could be causing the ftf? Is the feedramp and chamber in good shape? Maybe a burr from the chamber reaming?

Really hope you get the girl running 100%, I've been thinking of a 10mm at some point but Deltas are pricey when found, the Glocks don't fit me well and DW are nowhere to be found locally. I'm thinking either the P16-40 route like you did or an EAA Witness are my best options.
Jack

 

[Tubby45]

I kinda thought the mag springs might have been worn out. I can fit 17 rounds in a 16 round mag with little pursuasion (no gritting teeth).

Others who have done the same have 22# springs in and didn't report any problems with feeding as I do. You would actually be suprised what even 1# will do, especially in a hammerspring. The hammerspring weight has a lot to do with timing in a 1911. The recoil spring doesn't. All it does is return the slide to battery. In Glocks, it affects timing.

I think a calibration pack is in order. I'd hate to order a 22# spring and have the same probs, then order a 24# and have it work. I'd rather just get the calibration kit and be done with it. That way I can tune on the fly. XP mag springs will accompany the order as well. That was actually my first diagnosis. Feed problem= mags. Usually you eliminate things from there.

I will order all the springs, the calib pack and the mag springs, and only use one at a time so I can try to isolate the problem to help others who may wish to do this too. I am not just doing it for me, I am doing this for anyone who wishes to do a Para P16 10mm conversion. My contribution to the 10mm community, I guess.

If you are also on GT and/or 10mmtalk forums, I apologize for the redundancy, but I post the same thing on all of them and answer questions as they come up. Just want all who are interested to have the information they want or need. I have the same username for most of the gun forums, so if you see "freakshow10mm" as a username, it is probably me.

Witness are good for 10mm from what I have heard. Not many complaints from their owners. I think after my Glock 20, a Witness 10mm will be next, or the order switched to Witness then Glock.

I will replace the original FP stop to see if that does anything. Who knows? Every little bit may help. I have 20 rounds left of the Starfires and my dealer still has 6 boxes left and one box of the Blazer 200gr FMJs.

 

[Tubby45]

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.

 

[maclean3]

I'm a bit stumped but it does sound mag related. What's the general reputation of Para's mags? Could be that's the entire problem since the aftermarket one is feeding normally.

As far as the recoil spring problems, are you installing the recoil spring plug last and rotating the bushing in place? If so, that could be a bear to wrestle with a heavy spring. To me it's always been a bit easier to install the slide stop as the last step - the recoil spring isn't under tension when you swing the bushing in place and, assuming you're not using a FLGR, you can use your weight to compress the recoil spring (muzzle down into a pillow or towel on a table and lean into it). Hope that makes sense, just think about how you'd reassemble an auto that doesn't use a bushing ....
Jack

 

[Tubby45]

Usually hear complaints about the Para .45 caliber mags. The .40's not so much if at all. Haven't heard anything over at 1911forum about the 40's. I will install the +10% springs in the 18 round Para w/ A&G I have as well as one of the aftermarket mags. That way I will have a stock spring in a stock mag, a +10% in both a Para and aftermarket mag, and finally an aftermarket mag with standard mag spring. That should take care of every combo.

Now for DT to get here. Having six boxes laying around has me just insane. I want to use them but I am unfortunately erring on the side of caution, as McNett said to do. I raided my dealer's supply of 10mm ammo. He is all out. I told him to get Blazer 200gr FMJs and Win STs too. He said OK. He'll stock pretty much whatever customers want. I will try to talk him into DT if my order gets here and everything checks out. There is only three 10mm guys in the area and I am one of them.

Yes, that is how I am reassembling my Para. Plug in and rotate bushing. That was fun. I'll try the other way you said. Thanks.

The 22# was very, very stiff. Racking the slide the first time was a bear. Then I held the slide stop down and racked the slide back and forth manually and then after ten or so racks, it got easier. Then I decided to put in the 20# and try that first. This one was about 4-5 racks and it was good to go.

I am all out of 10mm ammo. I have to wait for my dealer to get some more in or my DT replacement to arrive. Man, that sucks. That's all the 10mm news I have. Doubletaps with the Blazer is fun.