[Andrew Wyatt]

How many people have had reliability problems with their 1911?

What kind of 1911 was it? was it a reasonably stock 1911? Did it have work done to it before the reliability problems happened?


Pretend the last choice is "no problems with it"

[LeonCarr]

Reliability problems in every type of 1911 from Auto-Ordnance (duh) to a Series 70 Colt, built by reputable 1911 gunsmith, and the only thing original Colt on it was the frame and the slide. Every type of malfunction, from failure to go into battery to double feeds to stovepipes, and 99% percent of these malfunctions happened during matches, using both factory ammo, and handloads that gauged perfectly. Numerous modifications to correct problems, from ramped barrels, perfectly tensioned extractors, Wilson magazines tuned to specific guns, etc. 1911s just flat out do not like me. Those are my experiences, and your mileage and the mileage of others on this forum may vary, but after numerous bank account draining experiences with 1911s, I shoot Glocks now :).

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

[sm]

NONE

[Bren]

I couldn't vote for one of those options.

I have two Norinco's that were 100% reliable out of the box and cost $300 and less.

I did to mods to "fit me".

Most 4" and 5" I've owned and have been great, a few had week extractors tention but I tweeked them in a few minutes at the range.

Most mods I do are to fit me or to make them more accurate. (trigger job, sights, tighter bushings.) Some mods are to make me feel better. (polish feed ramp, tune, and so on)

I've had good luck with 1911's but I know what to look for when buying new and used and know how they work. Some aren't worth it the trouble while others are Keepers for life. Money has nothing to do with it really, the people who say you have to throw money at 1911's don't know squat about how they really work.

They are very simple guns and are my favorite. Bren

[Black Majik]

No problems from a NRM Colt Government.

New trigger and trigger job installed, thats it.

btw, might wanna change your poll... the last two are the same

[James Bondrock]

The one 1911-style pistol I owned (a Para-Ordnance P12-45) was a dreadful lemon. I have shot a full-size Springfield Armory at a rental range, and it shot well for me ... almost as well as a Glock 36 that I shot at the same session. I would still not mind acquiring a 1911-style pistol, however, just in a little handier size. One of the variants with the Officer's ACP-sized grip and Commander-sized slide/barrel (4 or 4.25 inches) is very appealing. (I distrust the ability of the 3-inch barreled variants to function reliably.)

[jercamp45]

But no 7 and 9 are the same or I would have added had not problems with that one too!
I have owned 9 Colt 1911's(3 Governments, 3 Commander varients and 3 Officer's), a ParaOrd LDA Companion and a AutoOrdnance 1911A1(older model). Only one of those was heavily modified. I have fired 4 1911A1's that were military issue, and about 15 others from Kimber, Colt, and Springfield.
The ONLY one I had problems with was the AutoOrdnance!!
It is a sweet system of handguns...the only type I currently own and they only own I plan to buy...at the present time.
I have also owned 2 Glocks(both 30's), a Taurus, A Beretta, A Walther, A S&W, An H&K, a CZ-75, P-35 and a Makarov. I have shot another six Glocks, three HK's, another Beretta, another P-35, a pair of Ruger's and 3 Sigs. The only one of these I had a functional problem with was one of the Glock 30's!
I have had pretty good luck with my pistols!!
I just like the 'feel' of the 1911 over all others..I hit better with it and like to carry it more than anyother type of handgun.
Jercamp45

[Rob96]

I have a NRM Colt Gvernment with no problems. The only thing changed on it, was the recoil spring.

[garrettwc]

What Bren said!!!

One bone stock Colt, no problems other than a bad extractor which I promptly replaced.

One modified (cause they come that way) Kimber Custom, again no problems.

[seeker_two]

The only mod I've made to my 1991A1 Stainless is to replace the fixed sights w/ LPA adjustables.

To date, no jams or other failures.

Most of the 1911 malfunctions I've seen come from either EXTREMELY dirty guns or guns w/ so many modifications that JMB would just shake his head & cuss....:D

[Obiwan]

Generally magazines and reloads are the leading causes of problems

Not any of YOUR reloads of course!

[Jammer Six]

1911's are The Way, and the True Path. :D

Springfield Milspec.

Failure to eject, solved by adjusting the extractor.

Loose plunger tube, replaced.

Failure to lock back, operator error. Solved by new grip.

Many, many problems with a Springfield Micro.

Two trips back to Springfield, the recoil mechanism on the Micros is not as designed, and the recoil mechanism in the one I had disintegrated and vanished, presumably somewhere downrange.

The second trip back to the factory was because the slide lock beat itself to death on the slide, and stopped locking back.

My advice is to avoid the small 1911's, and stick to the True Gun.

[denfoote]

No problems with my Springfield loaded!!

[Tamara]

I could check nearly every box on that list... :rolleyes:

[Tomac]

Rock Island Armory Milspec .45, no problems so far, the only mods being a Wilson 18 lb recoil spring, night sights & Pachmayr rubber grips.
Tomac

[Siggyboy]

Springfield Professional, Colt Combat Commander, Wilson Protector, Kimber TLE: No problems with any of them yet! :D

[Sean Smith]

The poll choices are messed up. Read them again.

My experience runs something like this:

3 stock Colts (1 new production 01991, 2 Delta Elites), no problems
1 stock Kimber, no real problems but fussy with certain brands of ammo
2 custom Colts (2 Delta Elites by 2 different 'smiths), no problems
1 Para-Ordnance, unreliable piece of crap, sold for scrap

7-1, or about identical to my record with Glocks if you lump all 3 1911-style brands together.

[Prodigalshooter]

I have two 1911s, one regular size and one shorter version, both Springfields. The full size has been flawless, but just recently, the Champion (4") has been having some FTE problems, right in the middle of a match.:(
I just sent it off to Springfield for warranty tuning, hopefully they will fix 'er up and all will be well. I'm gonna have the front strap stippled and the pistol refinished (wanted to do that anyway) so figured I'd have the factory do it, cheaper anyway.
My ejection problems were intermittant, but very annoying when they happened. I suspect it's just a tuning of the extractor that's needed, but with a lifetime warranty, I'll let them fix it, rather than try and find someone local. My first interface with the Customer Service Dept. has been very good, so I'm encouraged.:)

[boogalou]

Springfield Mil-Spec - No problems so far except didn't shoot to point of aim and had to send back to Springfield. Have shot nothing but my own reloads in this gun.

Colt Sistema - No problems either but sold to finance another pistol.

Just picked up a old Colt Series 70 and have put about 200 rounds through it so far. No problems except that I can't see the small sights. :)

[Dorrin79]

Springfield Mil-Spec,

no real problems through the 3-400 rd mark.

had some mag related problems that have since stopped.

[FPrice]

I have a Stainless Steel Series 80 Colt that has feeding problems. I think it is partially magazine problems but it may also be a throat problem. I've had problems getting out to shoot on a regular basis this year so I haven't been able to make a really good effort at trying various mags and bullet shapes.

[Tamara]

Every time I hear "My Capbuster Mark X jams every time I use KillOZap bullets," I'm reminded of the old gag, "Doc, it hurts when I do this..." ;)

[taoshooter]

Have P16-40 and the only problem I've had with it was caused by my own error - it has been totally reliable for me and I love the gun.
I do have slight modifications to the gun - but had no problems before or after they were done.

I also have a custom built gun that has no problems at all as long as I feed it what it likes.

[Silent Bob]

With the exception of the POS Kimber Ultra Eclipse I had (which exhibited every malfunction under the sun and could not get through a single magazine without at least some kind of malfunction), most of the 1911 problems I have experienced are due directly to the extractor. Every 1911 I have owned has had problems with the factory extractor.

[BigG]

Nope. I have Colts and have not had a hiccup yet. On my stock Remington Rand 1911A1 I got hammer follow and had to have it fixed, so you never know.

As my father said, anything man made is fallible.

[10-Ring]

The Colt I had was fine until I started having work done to it. My gunsmith said that it just needed a bit more fine tuning :rolleyes:

[Sean Smith]

"I hired a gunsmith who rode to his shop in the short bus, it must be the gun's fault!"

:D

[BigG]

That's a common problem with .45 Autos. People keep taking perfectly good examples and "fixin them till they're broke." :uhoh: :neener:

[Chupacabra]

I have a Kimber Custom II. The only problems I have had with it were operator (limp wristing) or magazine related (using some well worn out Wilson mags).

[Dobe]

Currently own 5 Kimbers from 4 to 5". They are sound pistols. Most of those that I have shot that had problems were Colts, when their QC was low, and those heavily modified by inept gunsmiths. Most others from the newer Colts to Springfields seem to be reliable out-of-the-box handguns.

Dobe

[garrettwc]

Every time I hear "My Capbuster Mark X jams every time I use KillOZap bullets," I'm reminded of the old gag, "Doc, it hurts when I do this..." ;)

Oh testify sister Tamara!!!

[1911Tuner]

are simple...and just as simple to fix.

A good extractor, with the right tension. Good magazines with good
springs are paramount. Most 1911 feed problems begin with the magazine.
Most magazine issues begin with the spring. The rest are usually the fault of the follower. Most magazines can be tweaked for good function.

Resist the urge to overspring the slide. Most of the problems that
aren't the fault of the magazine come from too much recoil spring.
JMB specified a 16-17 pound spring on the 5-inch gun. Best leave it
be. A heavy spring won't prolong the life of the gun. It will just
change the area that gets beat up.

Good ammo. Most would be surprised at how far some ammo is out-of-spec, and not just dimension-wise. Powder burn rates and bullet weight and velocity are all players in the function of the pistol. Out-of-spec ammo affects the timing of the cycle. It was designed around a 234-grain bullet
at about 830 fps...Stray very far from it, and it will eventually cost you.

The 1911...Well, it ain't exactly a Swiss watch.

Be of good cheer and mindful of your muzzle,
Tuner

[keederdag]

Ive had occasional probs with most of mine, the stock ones seem to be better after about 250-500rds of course. The enhanced ones probs were mostly due to bad parts. Broken castings, weak springs, bad instalation ect. I own 7, I love em, but I dont think It's meant to be 100% in the reliability area. I think it was desighned well; for what it was desighned for. I think the problems arise when people forget that.:D Should have been able to vote more than one box.:confused:

[1911Tuner]

He said:

I love em, but I dont think It's meant to be 100% in the reliability area.

But of course it is...and was from the outset. It was designed for
men to fight with...It had to be reliable...and it still could/would be
if merchandisers would just stop tryin' to outsmart old John Moses.
They've been tryin' to for so long, they really think that they HAVE.

I have several beaters that have been shot upward of 50,000
rounds each. I clean'em and change recoil springs at the same
time...about every 2500 rounds. I have a near 0% malfunction
rate...Maybe one hiccup every 5,000 rounds, and that's usually
a weakened magazine spring issue. A fresh spring, and a mark
on the magazine to ID it, and it's usually fixed.

Cheers!
Tuner

[MoNsTeR]

I don't know what to vote for.
It seems by the listed criteria that a Kimber, Springfield, etc. qualifies as "highly modified", which doesn't seem right.

[Skunkabilly]

Kimber Custom Stainless Target II, extractor problems.

Wilson KZ45, hammer falling to half-cock.

[1911Tuner]

Kimber Custom Stainless Target II, extractor problems.
---------------------------------------------------------

Inferior material not holding tension or wearing at the hook.
Install good extractor/set tension. 15 minutes.


Wilson KZ45, hammer falling to half-cock.
-----------------------------------------------------
Hammer hooks too short. Mainspring too light or sear spring
overtweaked. Recoil spring too heavy maybe.

Square up hooks and recut to .021...Install 23# mainspring...
Check/install 16-pound recoil spring. Install new sear spring.
45-60 minutes, max.

Cheers!
Tuner

[sm]

Hey 1911Tuner ,
Out in field how long to install a new external extractor? Just curious, still using the antiquated internal myself. You know that old design that one could use the gun itself as a tool. Maybe after being in the mud and sand, you could clean everthing up. Worse case with time being a factor after dropping slide on chambered cartridge...and you busted one, just insert a new one, you know the one you have pre-tensioned and keep as a spare. Oh this one is really antiquated no lowered and flared port, ejects fine because it is adjusted properly. Never had it fail though...
So how long after you dropped slide with a external and needing a new external does it take...need any tools?;)

[Edward429451]

I've got a Series 80 Colt, 5". It stovepiped a little when new. I had it ramped, throated, lowered port and an extended ejector put in and polished the trigger & disconnecter myself. Oh and better sights & grips. Not much really. I've changed the springs a few times. A few mag problems. All other problems I've ever had (very few) were absolutely tied to my funky reloads here & there. Its always the ammo. That gun gobbles up anything that chokes my G21. Its probably approaching 12 or 15K rounds and the original extractor is nada problem. No cracks in it but I can see the wear. Actually, I'm a little skeered to change it out cause it works now and then it might not. :uhoh:

The Colt I had was fine until I started having work done to it. My gunsmith said that it just needed a bit more fine tuning

Like he said.

[standingbear]

yup..a new colt 1991 with a cracked barrel link.i coulda bought another 1911 with all the upgrades and customizing that was done on that pistol-it shot like a champ until the worst possable time-then couldnt even hit the outside edge of a silouette target at 25 feet.put some more money into it to fix the link and was assured by the smith it couldnt happen again.couldnt believe it did to begin with.lost faith in that gun.

[1911Tuner]

Ain't got a clue on the teardown time on an external in the field...
Never had a 1911 that had one. That little tiny spring and pin
could be a problem if the barbarians are at the gate, though...

An ordnance-spec GI 1911 can be completely disassembled without
tools...part replaced, and reassembled in about three minutes total
time...It takes practice to be that fast, though. Do it three times,
and it'll take about ten minutes. Ordnance-spec parts drop in and
work 99.5% of the time, in any GI gun..no matter who made the
part OR the gun.

An Ordnance-spec pistol can be held underwater and fired to slidelock.
Proved it several times. It will also withstand pressures that would
blow many modern designs apart. Seen that one proved with
10 grains of Bullseye under a 230-grain bullet...ten times in a row.
(Kids...DON'T try this at home)

Inferior materials and a deviation from the original cause the reliability
issues seen on modern-day 1911s...Even Colt is guilty. So many
people have been trying to outsmart old John Moses for so many years,
they really think that they have.

Not many of us old-timers left to remember the truly good old days
when you could pick up a GI pistol at a gunshow for 50-75 bucks... and
know that it would work. I do, and I have several that came to me in just
that way. They worked then, and they still do.

During the testing phase that the Army performed on the 1911, the
test pistol fired over 6,000 rounds without a stoppage or parts failure.
When it got too hot to touch, it was dunked into a bucket of water to cool
it. No cleaning or lubrication was done during the test. Not intended to
be 100% reliable? I think not.

Good response re-73...Kudos!

Tuner

[1911Tuner]

Standing bear...Inferior materials or poorly fitted link. Too long or
too short. Smith likely didn't understand the link's job. Possibility
that the lower lug was also out-of-spec.

Tuner

[1911Tuner]

http://glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=193402

[Andrew Wyatt]

thanks for the responses.

I was eorking under the assumption that the guns that were farthest away from how JMB designed them would have the most problems, but that doesn't seem to be the case. perhaps the design changes are offset by quality manufacture.

[Old Fuff]

Over the years I've owned more Government Model pistols then I can remember, from U.S. arsenal match-grade target pistols to World War Two surplus. In between have been a lot of Colt commercials running from pre-World War One through the 1980's. A few I put together myself using Colt or aftermarket parts.

None of them caused me any grief. Occasional jams were caused by operator error, poor ammunition, or questionable magazines. On two occasions I broke the hook off of an extractor. Once I deserved too because I was shooting steel cased hardball.

Modifications were usually limited to better sights and trigger pull jobs. Several would hand-feed empty cases even though the barrel had not been throated.

I'm not sure why so many people have so much trouble, but I suspect the cause has something too do with inferior cast parts (all cast parts are not bad however), sloppy workmanship on the part of the maker, and too many questionable modifications. The practice of cutting back the slide to make sub-compacts doesn't help either. The reduction is slide mass & weight combined with a short recoil spring tunnel does not help in the reliability department. Neither does putting eight rounds where only seven are supposed too go.

Fortunately those who do experience a lot of trouble have a lot more options in available guns from other makers too choose from. That's what keeps Glock and SIG/Sauer (plus others) in business.

[Tamara]

I've had some that were excellent from the git go.

Some that were excellent after one or two substandard factory bits were fiddled with or replaced.

Some that were best suited to hardball only.

Some that were project guns.

Some that were tackdrivers that didn't like being dirty.

Some that were tackdrivers that didn't mind being dirty.

Some that rattled and shot anything, albeit with less than total precision, even when covered in filth.


The problem with saying "1911's are... anything" is that the term is so broad, relative to "SIGs are..." or "Glocks are..."

[Missouri Mule]

The only problems I have ever had with any of my 1911's is they always manage to run my ammo bag empty.

on the other hand I have had a few failures, but they were my fault.

[Ky Larry]

5000+ rounds thru my Kimber Custom Defender II(which I bought used) and haven't had a hicup yet. Same with my CZ's. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Cawdor]

I had a jam every two to three hundred rounds with my Springfield. One of Teddy Jacobson's action jobs (http://www.actionsbyt.com/brochure.html) solved the problem. It has been perfect since.

[Soap]

My Colt NRM is perfect thus far. I'm very pleased with this gun. Now my Springfield...my goodness. That thing didn't run through an entire mag out of the box. I sent it back to Springfield and they fixed the problem. The reason for the hiccups was that the breech face wasn't machined wide enough for the .45 ACP rim. Ooopsie! :rolleyes: Even after the fix, it would still malf about once every 500 rounds.

[clem]

I've used and/or carried a M1911 type pistol in .45 ACP for over 39 years, almost everyday either in the Corps or as a cop.

It is my first pistol choice in a gun fight. (Of course a shotgun or rifle would be better, ha!). :D