Problems reported with Lipseys Combat Operator 9mm

[HCM]

JHC, Volgrad and myself have been trading messages about these.

I have about 250 rounds through mine with the following issues:

No malfunctions but the slide feels sluggish.

Trigger pull measures 5.5 lbs on a gauge but feels heavier. You can feel the trigger drag and there are drag marks on the sides of the trigger. I think both of these issues relate to the frame finish which I believe is cerakote rather than SA's usual AK.

Mine also hits low - though not as bad as Volgrad's - it hits just below the dot at 25 with ammo ranging from 115 to 147 grain.

My prior positive experience with my SA MC operator 45 influenced my purchase of the 9mm. I'm rather disappointed for a gun with an MSRP over $1700 and will be requesting an RMA as well.

[Drang]

If I had a link to Bruce Willis in Die Hard "Welcome to the Party, pal!" I'd stick it in here now...

I have a meme, too... somewhere...

[VolGrad]

I just got off the phone with SA and have already printed a FedEx label. Mine begins its 2-4 week journey to the motherland tomorrow. I'm pretty pissed overall.

I actually have someone wanting to buy it or trade me for it but I can't in good conscience do it knowing what I know. Sucks too as I'm pissed enough to just wash my hands and walk away.

[VolGrad]

Forgot to add .... the CS rep I spoke with said she had not heard of any issues with these guns as they were brand new. She said she would pass the info along. I told her I had a buddy whose gun was en route back to him now with much the same issues as mine. She seemed unimpressed but did take care of my needs at the moment.

[VolGrad]

The note I put in the box included the following;

Issues;
• Erratic ejection – forward, sideways, in my face
• Sluggish slide – can feel the entire motion when it cycles
• Heavy trigger – not sure what they are supposed to measure at but this is heavy
• Over 150rds of 124gr ball ammo had multiple stovepipes & failures to return to battery (light touch to rear of slide would send it the rest of the way – this makes sense considering how sluggish the slide feels)
• POI is at least 4” low at 10yrds – consistently low, I didn’t try multiple distances

I went on to tell them I had high hopes for this my first SA 1911 but was sorely disappointed. As it is is a $1500 paperweight. I stated I have heard SA has excellent CS and hoped they could get me back up and running and make this gun the tack driver it should be.

If it comes back and is anything less than exciting to shoot I will probably cut my losses and dump it.

[HCM]

So I made a quick trip to the indoor range, with the Lipsey's gun and my MC operator 45. The lighting at the indoor range and my eyes are not the greatest combination.

I fired 50 rounds of Monarch brass, 115 grain FMJ and nine rounds of Speer gold.124 grain plus P. There were no malfunctions but I did get some brass to the face with the Monarch. I also noted some vertical stringing with the Monarch at 25 yards.

I was alternating between the Lipsey's gun and my MC operator in 45 to see how much it was user error. I did not note any vertical stringing with the 45.

The Lipseys gun at 25 yards. For some reason my pictures are rotated 90° left.

[Trooper224]

Nine millimeter 1911's have always been problematic. You can get one to run with round nose ammo with some work, but I've never seen one that would run with any sense of reliability with hollow point ammo. With it's current popularity a lot of people are new to this particular rodeo. This is my shocked face.

[SLG]

Let me get this straight. You bought a gun called a "Combat Operator" and it is giving some problems? Inconceivable!

[SecondsCount]

The slides will feel sluggish on 5" 9mm pistols.

When it comes to accuracy, my Springfield Loaded 9mm is sensitive to different loadings and likes 124 much better than 115 grain ammo. Gun runs great with ball and most hollowpoints including Gold Dot but there are a couple bullet profiles that it doesn't like.

[joshs]

Nine millimeter 1911's have always been problematic. You can get one to run with round nose ammo with some work, but I've never seen one that would run with any sense of reliability with hollow point ammo. With it's current popularity a lot of people are new to this particular rodeo. This is my shocked face.

This one worked ok.