M1A4ME,
I actually have been doing a better job of keeping the gun clean, at least the barrel and ramp and slide rails and extractor. The frame parts...not so much.
I think it was a year or two ago that I at least first starting noticing that I could put a drop of the lightest oil I had on hand on the top round in the magazine and the gun would cycle normally. It was worse AFTER cleaning than before because the chamber was bone dry in my opinion. In matches, since we shoot slow fire first, I have just been oiling the top round in each magazine and shooting them. That is enough to last a 900 point/90 round match if it isn't cold. But I used to not even have to do that.
I put in a new firing pin a few weeks ago. Splurged and changed the spring at the same time.
So, for now, I'll go the other direction--high velocity ammo, 18 lb hammer spring, new recoil spring, light oil on a clean slide and frame, and see if this works. I remember a day in Ruidoso when it was 9F and calm and the gun ran fine on Federal Automatch. I like CCI also, but I get just a few misfires even in warm weather with the 17# spring, so I put the 18 in. This way, I can test both the Federal Automatch and the CCI mini mags without worrying about the primer pinch. The Norma ammo generally ignites with slightly lighter pin impact than the CCI.
After this, it is a chamber polish or a new barrel. I don't want to change the barrel since this one is nearly epoxied in place to absorb some of the impact and lower the impact on that pesky barrel retaining pin, which I replace periodically even if it doesn't look shattered.
I don't think the Norma will cycle with an 18 lb hammer and fresh recoil spring and a tight chamber. So I'm off the Norma for a week or two.
I'll shoot some 50 yard groups from a rest with whatever ammo cycles the gun, just for my own education. I recall excellent results, however with both candidates when I tested them 5-6 years ago.
Enough already. I'm supposed to be working.
Joe