Transfer from the old forum:

May 22, 2018 at 10:34am daveindenver likes this

Post by ncjw on May 22, 2018 at 10:34am
I decided to try a red dot on a pistol, so I began the process working backwards from the red dot. I did a lot of research and decided on the Vortex Venom. This was due to excellent online reviews and my own experience with my other Vortex scopes.

In researching the actual pistol to hold the Venom, I came across the Canik SFX. Coincidentally, a buddy of mine was visiting and had a Canik SF Elite, so we took that out to the range. I rate the trigger very highly in firearm selection (other guns include Kimber Target II, Kimber Micro .380, Ruger SR9C and all of my AR's have Geissele triggers). In any case, the Elite trigger was flat out great right out of the box, which was very impressive. As a result, I purchased an SFX.

So in the first range outing, I decided to test the claim that it was ready to shoot right out of the box. I took it to a local indoor range and was extremely disappointed in the trigger. Apparently the Elite that I shot was pre-SDU "upgrade" and the SFX was a post-SDU mess. Luckily, I had found this forum ahead of time and knew that there were solutions.

Also, Sig 115gr and S&B 115gr worked flawlessly but Freedom 115gr HP stovepiped about twice per mag. The iron sights seemed to be off to left by 1-2" at 15yds but I am not going to fault them at this point since it was a new gun with a heavy trigger and I was going to replace it with the Venom anyway.

I bought a spring kit from my gun shop when I picked up the Venom (Wolff or Ghost, sorry, I don't remember) and replaced the striker spring with a 6# spring, replaced the safety plunger spring with a reduced and manually stretched spring and polished the plunger and trigger bar with 1500 grit and JB. I didn't want to fool with the trigger return spring and maybe go too light since I was going to get the Sprinco RSA. I also cleaned everything up and lubed with Mobil1 5w30.

The next outing was night and day. The takeup was almost nil and the trigger broke very cleanly and at a much lighter point. I sighted the Venom in from a rest at 25 yards and got about 3 inch groups for 10 rounds (Fed 124gr HST) but again, I can't fault the pistol just yet as I stripped one of the screws when I installed it so my bad. A replacement mount is on order.

The Sig 115gr (150 rounds), Hornady 124 gr (10 rounds) and Fed 124gr HST (25 rounds) all worked perfectly, the Freedom 115gr now stovepiped once per 100 rounds, so a major improvement there.

Also, in exchanging emails with Sprinco, it seems that they are recommending the yellow spring now for general shooting with red as the next option (both are on order). They said that the white was only for 147gr rounds trying to make minor PF. FWIW.

The red and blue striker springs are also on order from RYG, so I am looking forward to a lot of tinkering to see which combinations work best. "Unfortunately", it will take quite a bit of ammo to test out all of the different combinations....
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Post by soleace on May 23, 2018 at 5:57pm
Hate to hear you had some issues but it sounds like you got them fixed. Only thing I’ve done to mine was add the AAF Magwell. It shoots 115 gr FMJ with no problem. I’m getting 2” and under groups at 25 yards (with the Venom) consistently. I did have a few FTE/Stovepipes during the first 400 or so rounds but nothing since. I’m close to 1000 rounds now.
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Post by LT USN (Ret.) on May 23, 2018 at 6:22pm
ncjw, good to see it all worked out in the end.

Welcome to the Canik life.

ncjw Avatar
May 22, 2018 at 10:34am ncjw said:
The red and blue striker springs are also on order from RYG, so I am looking forward to a lot of tinkering to see which combinations work best.
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Range reports requested post-shoot. There's a great mod/fix thread to add to with your results.

So after an additional close to 1,000 rounds with the Sprinco RSA and yellow spring, reduced plunger spring and Red 28N striker spring, I am glad to say that I haven't experienced a single failure of any kind. Shot Freedom 115gr RN, WWB 115gr, Sig 115gr, Speer 124gr RN, Syntech 115gr and a box of 124gr HST.

If this was my 1911, even with a 10 round extended mag, I'd have to load mags twice as often and at a higher cost. The SFX is a great deal of fun. Friends have also been impressed by the SFX/Venom combo's shootability and its reliability.

ncjw wrote: ↑Mon Jun 11, 2018 3:57 pm So after an additional close to 1,000 rounds with the Sprinco RSA and yellow spring, reduced plunger spring and Red 28N striker spring, I am glad to say that I haven't experienced a single failure of any kind. Shot Freedom 115gr RN, WWB 115gr, Sig 115gr, Speer 124gr RN, Syntech 115gr and a box of 124gr HST.

If this was my 1911, even with a 10 round extended mag, I'd have to load mags twice as often and at a higher cost. The SFX is a great deal of fun. Friends have also been impressed by the SFX/Venom combo's shootability and its reliability.

Good news. Glad to hear it's running flawlessly for you.

Today's update FWIW:

100 x Speer 124gr + 200 x Fed Aluminum 115gr (I never shot aluminum before) + 300 x WWB 124gr NATO. Three different shooters at some point during the day.

Flawless.

Just out of curiosity I looked up when I posted my first review of my SFx. Four years ago, sheesh. Easily 5K rounds through it since, probably a few K more.

Took it out to the indoor range last week and figured that I would toast it a bit. Three mag dumps at an 8" target at seven yards as fast as I could pull the trigger. Cheap 124gr Norma range ammo. Dropped two just off the target. No failures. This thing just keeps on rockin'.

Then 20 at a 3" target slow fire. All good.

To the best of my memory, the differences from the posts above is that now I am using the FS Master trigger and W74 guide rod. I haven't tinkered with it in a long time.