Springfield Range Officer 9mm owners-How well does it handle cast?

[tazman]

Question for Range Officer in 9mm owners, how well does it handle cast boolits?
Also what size does the barrel slug?
I shot one yesterday with hardball and was impressed. The range where I rented the pistol would not allow reloads to be used in their weapons(understandably).
Looking for your experiences.

[bluelund79]

Mine handles cast very well. I didn't slug the barrel, and used what I had on hand, .356 125gr truncated flat points. I won't win too many bullseye competitions, but I haven't had any malfunctions, limited leading, and can hit a baseball or clay pigeon at 25 yards to the point where it gets boring. Can't say the same at 50. I loaded some 115gr coated round nose to try next. Too many other project toys get into the way of shooting those. With vacation starting next Wednesday, I should be able to report back then. Buy one, you won't be disappointed.

[tazman]

Mine handles cast very well. I didn't slug the barrel, and used what I had on hand, .356 125gr truncated flat points. I won't win too many bullseye competitions, but I haven't had any malfunctions, limited leading, and can hit a baseball or clay pigeon at 25 yards to the point where it gets boring. Can't say the same at 50. I loaded some 115gr coated round nose to try next. Too many other project toys get into the way of shooting those. With vacation starting next Wednesday, I should be able to report back then. Buy one, you won't be disappointed.

That was the kind of report I wanted to hear.
Thanks for posting

[pergoman]

Gotta be honest, my 9mm RO is one gun I regret buying. It is a safe queen until the next time I get motivated to dump it off to a dealer. I won't sell it directly to anyone. It is far from bullseye grade and shows no liking for any of the dozens of different pills I have fed it, cast or jacketed. My Rock Islands will out perform the RO all day every day. I compete in several different disciplines including a few that demand accuracy like bullseye and PPC. I have custom built guns and high end guns to compare to. My RO is a plinker. Other guys I shoot with have similar experiences. Some have sent guns back and found no improvements when they were returned.

[Bigslug]

My Pop bought the Stainless Loaded (same gun - just stainless and ambidextrous) about a year ago to have a lower recoil 1911 option for his deteriorating joints.

It took a little work; it's a TIGHT tolerance gun running a match chamber that isn't as forgiving as a cavernous P-85. Forgive me if I'm off on a couple of points, because we learned to generally load for 9mm at the same time we learned to load for this thing. We ended up with a Lee .38 S&W sizer for the slightly larger expansion to prevent the brass sizing down the slugs which took us to Leadingville. On that topic, it likes a harder projectile.

I do not recall what it slugged at offhand, but we're running the 135 grain NOE/Ranch Dog TLC-357-135-RF in plain-base format with no sizing, Ben's Liquid Lube, and no problems.

The gun and load totally have me hooked on the 9mm 1911 concept. Presently working to orchestrate a LW Commander for the petite missus.

[tazman]

My Pop bought the Stainless Loaded (same gun - just stainless and ambidextrous) about a year ago to have a lower recoil 1911 option for his deteriorating joints.

It took a little work; it's a TIGHT tolerance gun running a match chamber that isn't as forgiving as a cavernous P-85. Forgive me if I'm off on a couple of points, because we learned to generally load for 9mm at the same time we learned to load for this thing. We ended up with a Lee .38 S&W sizer for the slightly larger expansion to prevent the brass sizing down the slugs which took us to Leadingville. On that topic, it likes a harder projectile.

I do not recall what it slugged at offhand, but we're running the 135 grain NOE/Ranch Dog TLC-357-135-RF in plain-base format with no sizing, Ben's Liquid Lube, and no problems.

The gun and load totally have me hooked on the 9mm 1911 concept. Presently working to orchestrate a LW Commander for the petite missus.


I load 9mm for my Beretta 92FS. It seems to have a less than tight chamber as well. It also has a .357 groove diameter. I use the NOE-358-135-FN as cast and tumble lubed in it with excellent results. I am hoping that this same ammo will work in the RO 9mm since I crimp the rounds with a Lee FCD. The FCD doesn't do much more than brush the sides of the brass unless the case is really thick walled.
I get no leading whatsoever.
When I was shooting the RO yesterday, I noticed the decidedly reduced recoil and muzzle flip. Since I was shooting factory full power loads, I was expecting more recoil and was pleasantly surprised by the the lack thereof. The gun is easy to control and feels more like a hot 22lr than a 9mm.
This particular RO was much more accurate than I am(which may not be saying that much) with my Beretta. It actually equaled the groups I get with my good revolvers. I ran 50 rounds through it without any malfunctions of any kind.

[Forrest r]

I've had nothing but good luck with the ro's. Bought a 45acp ro several years ago & liked it enough to buy a 9mm version.

Owned 1911 9mm's in the past, used to take the 38 supers raceguns and fit 9mm bbl's to them. The 1911/9mm are extremely soft shooting.

I've posted this picture before, it's a 10-shot group @ 50ft. I tested @ 50ft because I only shoot nra bullseye @ 50ft anymore. This is not a cherry/hand picked target. This is the actual group I shot while testing different bullets/loads.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/ro9mm50ft_zpslprjmumk.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/ro9mm50ft_zpslprjmumk.jpg.html)

I slugged the bbl and it was .3555", but I use .358" bullets for everything anymore in the 9mm/38spl/357. It's a matter of convenience.

Anyway that's what I got from my ro/9mm. I did take awhile to find an acceptable load (50+ with 3 different bullets & several powders doing ladder tests). It seemed I couldn't get away from 10-shot 1" to 2" groups with everything I tested. But then again I was trying to make target/plinking loads. I heated the loads up and the groups shrank. That load pictured above is nothing more than the Mihec 125gr hp's sized to .358" with 5.0gr of wst chronographed @ 1100+fps. Even with the hotter load the ro's are heave enough to shoot that load 1 handed/nra.

A 500 round + range session with pc'd bullets in the ro/9mm. Pictures are only as good as what you know what to look for. I see no leading, nice star pattern on the muzzle, cases aren't all dinged up & very few cases have powder burns on the size of them.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/crown_zpsbapei3xm.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/crown_zpsbapei3xm.jpg.html)

[truckboss]

I have the loaded model and compete uspsa almost every week.The grove slugs at .3555.I also run the noe 135 fn at 1.40 oal and have not had a jam yet.There is alot of free bore,I think this is for you can run a long oal.Most 1911 9mm like alot of oal.Oh it will chamber a .358 but its almost to tight,I have a .3565 sizer on the way.Just like a .45 this gun likes a good mag.

[jimb16]

I've shot 124 grain rn cast in my Hi-Power for many years. Sized .356. No leading and completely reliable.

[blackpowder man]

I have a range officer champion compact in 9mm and it runs like a champ. No issues or leading and pretty accurate. I've owned a couple of .45 ROs too and they were as good oe better than any 1911 I've shot. The triggers could be a little better, but they are miles ahead of others in their price range. I love my little champion, it is a really nice balance and size for the 9mm. I've had really good experiences with cast and springfield barrels.

[tazman]

I started the waiting period for a Range Officer (stainless)today. I'll get to try it out some time next week.
I couldn't make up my mind between a 9mm and a 45 ACP. It was bugging the daylights out of me so I did the only logical thing I could think of.
I also started the waiting period on a Springfield Mil spec 45 ACP (parkerized) as well.

[Piedmont]

The old buy both solution. You done good.

[iMigraine]

Love my Range Officer 9mm! One of my most accurate handguns too. I've used Lee 356-125-2R with decent results. Lee 358-105-SWC I've had trouble with feeding. Just got a NOE HTC358-133-RN mold but it will be awhile till I can play with it too. No regrets! Sorry to hear Pergoman had frustrations with his RO. Nothing sucks more than buying a firearm you want and finding out it doesn't work for you after hearing good things about it too.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
We have a RO in 45 ACP. It shoots our cast as well as any 1911 we have ever had. No regrets buying it. Was a turn in from a police force. The "desk" officer it was assigned to fired it just 100 rounds. Near new and no wear sitting in the desk.

[Forrest r]

There's a lot of good 1911 mfg's out there anymore. The springfield ro's bring accuracy to the table for little $$$.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/ropair_zpsjjjmkgtp.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/ropair_zpsjjjmkgtp.jpg.html)

Nothing but quality range time with either of these ro's.

[Ramjet-SS]

I have nothing but absolute reliable expereince with my 9mm RO. Double taps and all drills run with complete co ride nice and high degree of accuracy even under stress and duress. This 1911 is an out standing stock gun that is as effective accuracy as one can expect for the price point. In fact I will go so far as to say it exceeds the expectation of a gun a thesis price point. I carry mine on daily basis and have confidence if ever pressed into action it will be my advantage to stop any threat of injury or grave bodily harm.