New Gun Jams

[Canuckhab]

Good Morning
I'm in need of some consolation. I just purchased a new TS Chechmate. The look, feel, grip and slide were wonderful as I dry-fired the gun. However, frustration set in as I went to fire the weapon at my local range. Used regular 115 grain 9mm ammo. Every single shot failed to eject the casing. It would jam and get caught in the port as the slide would recoil. I called CS-usa and they told me that the gun was made with competition in mind and that I would have to shoot "competition loads" if I wanted to you the gun with the compensator. Then they suggested a change to a lighter load recoil spring might be helpful. Or change the compensator to the regular sighted bushing and it should shoot just fine.
My desire is to shoot with the compensator and I can't seem to get 9mm +P FMJ in my area so I started by changing the 14 lb recoil spring to a 9 lb spring. Went to shoot and the best the gun would do is 3 continuous rounds and then jam as before. I just purchased some 9mm ammo with 124 grain and will try those momentarily... Then adjust to an 8 lb spring if that doesn't work. Short of changing the compensator does anyone have any good suggestions? Does this problem negate itself the more the gun is used and is "worn" in? What are these "competition loads" and where can one purchase them? (I do not want to load myself.) Or should I just give up and return the gun? Thanks for any constructive input.

[GM4469]

if the gun is brand new it may need a small period of break in. Some competition gun, especially with compensators sometimes just need a few rounds through them to seat all the parts and then they will run. I had one experience with a compensated 38 super gun and for the first 200 rounds it was single shot. then on a magazine it began to run and from then on it was trouble free. Made me a believer that some guns just need a break-in period. Just my experience though.

the lighter spring is good advice. as factory ammo just doesn't have enough velocity to run the comp and reliably have enough energy to run the slide also. We had one in the shop that would do the same thing and when we changed the recoil spring it ran perfectly with factory fiochi 9mm ammo.


On competition loads..the gun with compensator is designed to run at USPSA/IPSC major power factor.
for USPSA that is 165PF which is calculated by velocity X bullet weight = Y/1000  so for a 124 grain bullet to meet USPSA power factor it would need to go at least 1330fps
IPSC powerfactor for open division is 160 so it would need to go 1290FPS

[Canuckhab]

Thank You for the advice. You are correct. Fired the gun this morning using 9 lb recoil spring and 124 grain FMJ. Worked beautifully. And, to my surprise I was also relatively accurate. Now for the aha moment. Shot approximately 30 rounds of 115 grain after the 124s and no glitch. Obviously not a long break-in period but it appears that one is certainly needed.

[GhostWarrior]

        BTW I would like to Welcome you to our Forum. Not sure if anyone else has yet, I sort of catch up as I go through my mail then check the other boards after that. Allways liked the CZechmate just can't afford one, but now that I know about this if I ever do I will have at least 2 answers to things I may need to know. Which is more or less the point of this forum, Helping, teaching, learning, having fun and making new friends.
 
      Best wishes on your competition shooting.

[kneelingatlas]

What are these "competition loads" and where can one purchase them? (I do not want to load myself.)

Do you plan to shoot your Czechmate in USPSA competition?  If so, the minor loads you're most likely shooting now will be scored differently than Major loads.

Like the Grand Master said, the "competition loads" the Czechmate was designed for are 9mm Major (aka .355 Super), the only factory ammo available I know about which can make Major power factor is Buffalo Bore 9mm +P+ (http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/80753), but at over a buck a round, it's not exactly plinking ammo.  DC ammo will load custom 9mm Major ammo, but they don't offer anything with an overall length short enough to work reliably in a CZ.

All the research I have done leads me to the conclusion that hand loading ammo is essential to getting the full benefit of a compensated center fire pistol.