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Moment of Truth from my SA-35

wmg1299

wmg1299

Professional
While putting out fires at work this week, I racked up a few late nights and long hours. I don't do it often, but I'm going to head out from work early tomorrow and go to the range. My SA-35 was sent back to Springfield after suffering 3-5 failures to eject per magazine after approximately 250 rounds fired. It came back earlier this month, but was still averaging 1 FTE per every 20 rounds fired over the next 100 rounds.

While one FTE every 20 rounds is better than 3-5 FTE's per magazine, it's still not acceptable performance from a new gun. Given the current ammo prices/availability, I can't afford to keep feeding the gun in hopes that the problem fixes itself. I've got five 15-round mags loaded up. If the SA-35 isn't showing considerable improvement during tomorrow's range session, it will be making another trip back to Springfield. I really want to like the gun, and I'm hoping for the best. Wish me luck.
 
wmg1299 said:
While putting out fires at work this week, I racked up a few late nights and long hours. I don't do it often, but I'm going to head out from work early tomorrow and go to the range. My SA-35 was sent back to Springfield after suffering 3-5 failures to eject per magazine after approximately 250 rounds fired. It came back earlier this month, but was still averaging 1 FTE per every 20 rounds fired over the next 100 rounds.

While one FTE every 20 rounds is better than 3-5 FTE's per magazine, it's still not acceptable performance from a new gun. Given the current ammo prices/availability, I can't afford to keep feeding the gun in hopes that the problem fixes itself. I've got five 15-round mags loaded up. If the SA-35 isn't showing considerable improvement during tomorrow's range session, it will be making another trip back to Springfield. I really want to like the gun, and I'm hoping for the best. Wish me luck.
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Good luck, and happy to see someone making the manufacture held accountable. These days I find that buying about anything can be like buying a pig in a poke. These kinds of problems should always be fixed before being released.
 
The results are in. Out of 5 magazines (75 rounds), I experienced 2 FTE's. One of the FTE's could possibly have been caused by a limp-wrist (I'm still adjusting my grip to the gun). While this isn't perfect, it's enough improvement for me to justify another range session. The gun now has 175 rounds through it since it came back from the factory. I'll give it one more 75-100 round range session to see if the new extractor spring just needed a bit of time to break-in. I still prefer my guns to function properly from the factory with a zero-round break-in, but I'm a glutton for punishment.
 
wmg1299 said:
The results are in. Out of 5 magazines (75 rounds), I experienced 2 FTE's. One of the FTE's could possibly have been caused by a limp-wrist (I'm still adjusting my grip to the gun). While this isn't perfect, it's enough improvement for me to justify another range session. The gun now has 175 rounds through it since it came back from the factory. I'll give it one more 75-100 round range session to see if the new extractor spring just needed a bit of time to break-in. I still prefer my guns to function properly from the factory with a zero-round break-in, but I'm a glutton for punishment.
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I have never had a metal framed pistol shoot without some FTF until gun was broken in, I’m sure once you get more rounds through it, it should be fine
 
wmg1299 said:
The results are in. Out of 5 magazines (75 rounds), I experienced 2 FTE's. One of the FTE's could possibly have been caused by a limp-wrist (I'm still adjusting my grip to the gun). While this isn't perfect, it's enough improvement for me to justify another range session. The gun now has 175 rounds through it since it came back from the factory. I'll give it one more 75-100 round range session to see if the new extractor spring just needed a bit of time to break-in. I still prefer my guns to function properly from the factory with a zero-round break-in, but I'm a glutton for punishment.
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Be sure to run some hollow points through it.
 
wmg1299 said:
The results are in. Out of 5 magazines (75 rounds), I experienced 2 FTE's. One of the FTE's could possibly have been caused by a limp-wrist (I'm still adjusting my grip to the gun). While this isn't perfect, it's enough improvement for me to justify another range session. The gun now has 175 rounds through it since it came back from the factory. I'll give it one more 75-100 round range session to see if the new extractor spring just needed a bit of time to break-in. I still prefer my guns to function properly from the factory with a zero-round break-in, but I'm a glutton for punishment.
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Good thing you didn't purchase a Kahr. They recommend a 500 round break in!
 
nmedge said:
Good thing you didn't purchase a Kahr. They recommend a 500 round break in!
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I didn't mind a bit of break-in when 9mm was $7.99-$9.99 per box of 50 rounds. At the current $19.99-$26.99 in my area, 500 rounds of 9mm costs more than I've paid to purchase some decent used guns.

I love my 911 Alpha in .380 acp, but it had some extraction issues when I first brought it home. Springfield recommended putting 250 rounds through it to see if the problem would fix itself. At the time, that cost me $50-$60 worth of ammo and I didn't think twice about it. The cheapest brass .380 acp FMJ in my area (when it's in stock) is currently $29.99 per box. At current prices, 250 rounds of ball .380 acp would have cost more than half of the gun's purchase price. I might change my views about break-in periods when ammo returns to 2019 prices, but I'm not expecting that to happen anytime soon.
 
wmg1299 said:
…I might change my views about break-in periods when ammo returns to 2019 prices, but I'm not expecting that to happen anytime soon.
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Yeah, about that. I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think you will be lucky to see $15.00 a box again. I know some people claim to be at that price already, but in the big world, we’re not even close. Just spent $19.99 a box for Federal today and thought that was a decent price.
 
nmedge said:
Good thing you didn't purchase a Kahr. They recommend a 500 round break in!
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Wrong. Kahr recommends a minimum of 200 rounds. (From Kahr FAQ page). My PM9 didn't even need that to be 100% reliable.

BTW - Les Baer calls for a 500-round break in for their 1911s. I don't recall anyone disparaging Les Baer because of that.
 
Talyn said:
Wrong. Kahr recommends a minimum of 200 rounds. (From Kahr FAQ page). My PM9 didn't even need that to be 100% reliable.

BTW - Les Baer calls for a 500-round break in for their 1911s. I don't recall anyone disparaging Les Baer because of that.
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If I could afford a Les Baer, the price of 500 rounds of ammo wouldn't really matter to me. I want to buy a premium 1911 one day after I finish raising my kids, but right now an extra $200 still means a lot to my family budget. It certainly doesn't help that $200 means about half as much as it used to at the grocery store or gas pump.
 
wmg1299 said:
I didn't mind a bit of break-in when 9mm was $7.99-$9.99 per box of 50 rounds. At the current $19.99-$26.99 in my area, 500 rounds of 9mm costs more than I've paid to purchase some decent used guns.

I love my 911 Alpha in .380 acp, but it had some extraction issues when I first brought it home. Springfield recommended putting 250 rounds through it to see if the problem would fix itself. At the time, that cost me $50-$60 worth of ammo and I didn't think twice about it. The cheapest brass .380 acp FMJ in my area (when it's in stock) is currently $29.99 per box. At current prices, 250 rounds of ball .380 acp would have cost more than half of the gun's purchase price. I might change my views about break-in periods when ammo returns to 2019 prices, but I'm not expecting that to happen anytime soon.
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Completely understand that, but some guns do require that, my Kimber Pro Carry II needs this break in period, but .45 is about 30.00 a box in my area right now, so I understand, but if I want this gun to be reliable, I will have to do it, I am on a fixed income, retired here, so I know the feeling.
 
Good luck on your range day. But I must ask have you tried different ammo? I have a pistol from another manufacturer it runs Federal, CCI, Remington and Armscor ammo just fine. However the gun just hates anything from Winchester. I have 3 mags and have tried 4 different loads from Winchester.
Sometimes I can empty the mags no problem, other times Fail to Eject hard jams. One range session I was trying a new box of Winchester ammo and loaded 5 rounds in each magazine. Every last round was a hard FTE jam.
Had 50 rounds of Federal in bag loaded 15 per magazine and emptied all 3 magazines. Range session ended as only ammo I had left with me was Winchester. Got home gathered all the Winchester ammo and gave it away. No problems since.
 
Kaiser69 said:
Good luck on your range day. But I must ask have you tried different ammo? I have a pistol from another manufacturer it runs Federal, CCI, Remington and Armscor ammo just fine. However the gun just hates anything from Winchester. I have 3 mags and have tried 4 different loads from Winchester.
Sometimes I can empty the mags no problem, other times Fail to Eject hard jams. One range session I was trying a new box of Winchester ammo and loaded 5 rounds in each magazine. Every last round was a hard FTE jam.
Had 50 rounds of Federal in bag loaded 15 per magazine and emptied all 3 magazines. Range session ended as only ammo I had left with me was Winchester. Got home gathered all the Winchester ammo and gave it away. No problems since.
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Ammo sensitivity is one of the things that I try to rule out prior to sending any gun in for repair (magazine issues are the other big one). Prior to being sent back to Springfield, my SA-35 suffered multiple FTE's with Federal Champion, Remington Green & White Box, and Winchester White Box 115 gr. FMJ rounds.

After returning from Springfield, with a new extractor spring installed, the first range session was with Winchester White Box. The second was with Federal Champion and American Eagle. While the gun performed better with the Federal ammo, I think this was more due to the extractor spring breaking-in than the ammo. My next 100-round session will most likely be with one box of Federal Champion and one box of Blazer Brass (both 115 gr. FMJ). If the gun continues to improve, then I'll try some JHP rounds (Speer Gold Dot is what I have on-hand).
 
Bought mine in March, 5xxx serial. FTEs after approx 300 rds, using a mix of Winchester white box 147gr, Blazer Brass 115gr, and American Eagle 115gr - all FMJ hardball. FTE every 3-5 rds, with both factory 15rd mags and 13 rd Meg-gar mags. Sent it back, returned with new extractor and extractor spring. 1st trip after repair, 100 rds of same mix, no issues. 2nd trip, at about 250 rds, same issue. FTE every few rounds. Another RMA, sent back, waiting for the response. This is my 2nd Springfield, my RO Elite 10mm has been flawless for at least 1000 rounds. Was hoping to introduce the SA35 into the EDC rotation, but not now! Suggested that they replace the unit, we'll see what they do.
 
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