STI Eagle 40 S&W 6" experience anyone?

jbauerly · February 21, 2014, 09:26 PM

Hello all;

I got a STI Eagle 6" 40 S&W caliber as an alternate bullseye gun. I love how it hits the paper out of the box. I do not like how it feeds. My 'jamamatic' as it is now called. continues to mis-feed. So far I have followed the Dawson's tuning guide for 2011 magazine. Changed ammo. Checked and tried to loosen the extractor. Tuning the magazine did decrease the problem or actually took care of one problem. It does not jam in the magazine any more. The biggest problem is the bullet jams in the chamber. Sometimes a tap on the back of the of the slide will loading the round. Other times it is extract and load again.This happening at least 25% of the time.

The next step was to cycle several dummy rounds through. After about the third time through they would not cycle. The bullet was smashed too far into the case. This prompted me to polished and check for burrs around the chamber. It seems smooth. I am hoping that maybe it will break-in and become another dream pistol. But now it is upsetting.

Has anyone had a similar problem? Any other ideas to make it reliable?

kcub · February 22, 2014, 07:19 AM

I have no experience with STI. However; my gun shop buddy has told me that .40 doesn't usually work as well as .38 Super, 9mm and .45 in 1911's, maker notwithstanding. This was his answer as to why there aren't many .40 1911's offered by the industry. Maybe it has a bit to do with truncated cone .40 fmj ammo?

jbauerly · February 22, 2014, 08:48 AM

The thought had cross my mind about the flat nose. I was tempted to find round nose bullets to cycle through. That doesn't seem to exist. But my Glock carry gun is a 40 and is very reliable. One of the reason for using that caliber. Otherwise it is not my first choice for competition.

Jim Watson · February 22, 2014, 09:18 AM

What do you mean by "jam in the barrel?"
Pictures would be helpful.

Some STI .40 shooters do better by loading to a longer OAL than what is required to fit a short action gun like Glock. You will be limited by the chamber throat. I would try loading them as long as would pass the "plunk test."

A USPSA oriented gunsmith like Benny Hill could probably make it work.

jbauerly · February 22, 2014, 12:42 PM

I guess in the barrel is not correct. It is the chamber. The bullet has started in the chamber and only the case part of the cartridge can be seen. The primer end of the case droops down about 20 degrees. Sometimes it makes it in far enough that tapping the end of the slide will finish loading the round. Most of the time the bullet edge of the case has just started in the chamber and goes no further.

My reloads are measuring the same length as the Winchester FMJ rounds. I use the Winchester as reference ammunition. I'll try increasing the OAL.

WESHOOT2 · February 22, 2014, 01:24 PM

Often, the 40 S&W STI will respond reliably to a longer OAL.

February 21, 2014, 09:26 PM	#1
jbauerly Junior Member Join Date: August 12, 2012 Location: Kansas Posts: 6	STI Eagle 40 S&W 6" experience anyone? Hello all; I got a STI Eagle 6" 40 S&W caliber as an alternate bullseye gun. I love how it hits the paper out of the box. I do not like how it feeds. My 'jamamatic' as it is now called. continues to mis-feed. So far I have followed the Dawson's tuning guide for 2011 magazine. Changed ammo. Checked and tried to loosen the extractor. Tuning the magazine did decrease the problem or actually took care of one problem. It does not jam in the magazine any more. The biggest problem is the bullet jams in the chamber. Sometimes a tap on the back of the of the slide will loading the round. Other times it is extract and load again.This happening at least 25% of the time. The next step was to cycle several dummy rounds through. After about the third time through they would not cycle. The bullet was smashed too far into the case. This prompted me to polished and check for burrs around the chamber. It seems smooth. I am hoping that maybe it will break-in and become another dream pistol. But now it is upsetting. Has anyone had a similar problem? Any other ideas to make it reliable? __________________ ---------------------------------------- John J. Bauerly NW0I

February 22, 2014, 08:48 AM	#3
jbauerly Junior Member Join Date: August 12, 2012 Location: Kansas Posts: 6	STI & 40S&W The thought had cross my mind about the flat nose. I was tempted to find round nose bullets to cycle through. That doesn't seem to exist. But my Glock carry gun is a 40 and is very reliable. One of the reason for using that caliber. Otherwise it is not my first choice for competition. __________________ ---------------------------------------- John J. Bauerly NW0I

February 22, 2014, 12:42 PM	#5
jbauerly Junior Member Join Date: August 12, 2012 Location: Kansas Posts: 6	re Jam in barrel I guess in the barrel is not correct. It is the chamber. The bullet has started in the chamber and only the case part of the cartridge can be seen. The primer end of the case droops down about 20 degrees. Sometimes it makes it in far enough that tapping the end of the slide will finish loading the round. Most of the time the bullet edge of the case has just started in the chamber and goes no further. My reloads are measuring the same length as the Winchester FMJ rounds. I use the Winchester as reference ammunition. I'll try increasing the OAL. __________________ ---------------------------------------- John J. Bauerly NW0I

February 22, 2014, 01:24 PM	#6
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	Often, the 40 S&W STI will respond reliably to a longer OAL. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

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February 22, 2014, 07:19 AM	#2
kcub Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2010 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 3,318	I have no experience with STI. However; my gun shop buddy has told me that .40 doesn't usually work as well as .38 Super, 9mm and .45 in 1911's, maker notwithstanding. This was his answer as to why there aren't many .40 1911's offered by the industry. Maybe it has a bit to do with truncated cone .40 fmj ammo?

February 22, 2014, 09:18 AM	#4
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,532	What do you mean by "jam in the barrel?" Pictures would be helpful. Some STI .40 shooters do better by loading to a longer OAL than what is required to fit a short action gun like Glock. You will be limited by the chamber throat. I would try loading them as long as would pass the "plunk test." A USPSA oriented gunsmith like Benny Hill could probably make it work.