Kurgan
08-26-2004, 10:24 PM
8/19/2004
We have recommended Silvertip ammo since we first introduced the LWS 32 back in 1985.
Experiences with some recently produced Silvertip ammunition caused us to reevaluate that recommendation. Pistols that had been functioning flawlessly for years are suddenly experiencing a rash of feeding problems.
. 32 Silvertip ammunition has undergone a design change. Bullets are harder and shinier. They now have small expansion Cuts at the nose tip. While they look prettier, without exception those we have examined slide into the case when shooting. Unlike the old Silvertips, the bullets are not crimped into the case.
The new Silvertip bullets slide into the case even when they are still inside the magazine. As the gun recoils to the rear, inertia causes the bullets to collide with the front magazine wall with sufficient force to seat the bullets deeper into the case. When the bullets hit the feed ramp, an additional sliding into the case takes place that often causes jams.
The slide assembly on the LWS .32 is only 2.5 ounces. Because of its relatively small mass its forward momentum on returning to battery position is easily upset by an obstruction along its course. When bullets slide into their cases much of the forward inertia of the slide is lost.
I shall cite example of a recent "repair." A fairly new pistol was sent to me which had jamming problems. Prior to test firing, the gun was gone over with a fine tooth comb. The feed ramp was reworked and all parts related to smooth cycling were repolished.
Four magazines of Hydra-Shok were shot, followed by two magazines of old style Silvertips without hint of failure. Then two magazines of new style Silvertips were shot. Both magazines had failures. The unfired rounds still in the magazine were measured. From start length of about .912 they had all shortened. The shortest was .901 --this after only two rounds having been fired from that magazine. The two rounds that jammed were also measured. One measured .894 and one measured .887.
To verify that nothing had changed with the pistol, it was again extensively fired with old style Silvertips and Hydra-Shoks without incident.
It has since been brought to my attention that some recent manufacture old style Silvertips not properly crimped may also have this problem of bullets sliding into the case.
For this reason our ammo recommendation likely will be switching to Hydra-Shoks, which I am becoming familiar with and seem to work flawlessly in the LWS 32. I have also heard Gold Dots work reliably and will investigate this further. My rather limited experience with Gold Dots suggests excellent performance.
The new redesigned Silvertip ammunition is not the ammunition we have been recommending for close to twenty years. The harder bullets take away any advantage there might have been with increased deformation due to softness, and what we have seen thus far with the new ammo does not make us happy. We would hope this is a temporary problem and not a sign of things to come.
Sincerely,
Larry W. Seecamp
We have recommended Silvertip ammo since we first introduced the LWS 32 back in 1985.
Experiences with some recently produced Silvertip ammunition caused us to reevaluate that recommendation. Pistols that had been functioning flawlessly for years are suddenly experiencing a rash of feeding problems.
. 32 Silvertip ammunition has undergone a design change. Bullets are harder and shinier. They now have small expansion Cuts at the nose tip. While they look prettier, without exception those we have examined slide into the case when shooting. Unlike the old Silvertips, the bullets are not crimped into the case.
The new Silvertip bullets slide into the case even when they are still inside the magazine. As the gun recoils to the rear, inertia causes the bullets to collide with the front magazine wall with sufficient force to seat the bullets deeper into the case. When the bullets hit the feed ramp, an additional sliding into the case takes place that often causes jams.
The slide assembly on the LWS .32 is only 2.5 ounces. Because of its relatively small mass its forward momentum on returning to battery position is easily upset by an obstruction along its course. When bullets slide into their cases much of the forward inertia of the slide is lost.
I shall cite example of a recent "repair." A fairly new pistol was sent to me which had jamming problems. Prior to test firing, the gun was gone over with a fine tooth comb. The feed ramp was reworked and all parts related to smooth cycling were repolished.
Four magazines of Hydra-Shok were shot, followed by two magazines of old style Silvertips without hint of failure. Then two magazines of new style Silvertips were shot. Both magazines had failures. The unfired rounds still in the magazine were measured. From start length of about .912 they had all shortened. The shortest was .901 --this after only two rounds having been fired from that magazine. The two rounds that jammed were also measured. One measured .894 and one measured .887.
To verify that nothing had changed with the pistol, it was again extensively fired with old style Silvertips and Hydra-Shoks without incident.
It has since been brought to my attention that some recent manufacture old style Silvertips not properly crimped may also have this problem of bullets sliding into the case.
For this reason our ammo recommendation likely will be switching to Hydra-Shoks, which I am becoming familiar with and seem to work flawlessly in the LWS 32. I have also heard Gold Dots work reliably and will investigate this further. My rather limited experience with Gold Dots suggests excellent performance.
The new redesigned Silvertip ammunition is not the ammunition we have been recommending for close to twenty years. The harder bullets take away any advantage there might have been with increased deformation due to softness, and what we have seen thus far with the new ammo does not make us happy. We would hope this is a temporary problem and not a sign of things to come.
Sincerely,
Larry W. Seecamp