Report on 2nd 2000 round challenge with Colt .38 Super Auto:
Just completed my 2nd challenge with the Colt. Nearly all rounds fired where my own handloads.
Pistol: Colt Government Model, bought new fall of 2012
Caliber: .38 Super Auto
Ammunition used: Handloads.
Dates of testing: 12/12/16 to 5/24/17
Total Rounds Fired: 2000
Stoppages: 3, failure to go into battery
Malfunctions: Zero
Breakages: Zero
Bullet weights ranged from 115 JHP's to 135 coated RN. Lots of plated [Extreme] 124 RN's. The 115's where all loaded near maximum for the powder used, VV N340 and Ramshot Silhouette. The pistol was running just fine so long as the powder used was VV N320-340. When the Silhouette was introduced the slide slowly got sluggish and fine soot started to build up. It mixed with the lube to become gummy, the very last range session was where the last two failure to go into battery occurred. Soot was caked up around the breech face and along the slide rails. There was no comparable soot build up using the VV powder until the introduction of the Silhouette. The Ramshot powder is still a good powder but the VV is just a bit better for cleanliness. My takeaway is powder burn quality is important if one isn't going to clean the weapon frequently.
Lube used: Enos Slide Glide [SLG3, the thick stuff] on frame rails, a little on the locking groves and lugs, Ballistol everywhere else. The gun cleaned up easily using the Ballistol, even the bore.
Magazines: Tripp Research, Wilson, MecGar, Checkmate, Colt. The Wilson ETM's are good magazines but the plastic follower gives me pause, I have one 47D with a Wilson 10 round conversion kit. Surprisingly it works just fine, I just wasn't expecting it to. In the future I will buy more of the Tripp mags for their steel follower and fine function. Tripp told me that I could get 13-14 rounds in one of their 10 round 10mm magazines, something I'll try later.
Springs: mainspring, factory Colt. Recoil spring, Wilson #15 flatwire with shokbuff. The same shokbuff used in the previous test and it's still in there. I think I'll leave it there until I shoot my next match, which may be a while. I do have more, it's just so nicely broken in..