How do you fix a 1911's tendency to kick brass in your face.

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The Real Hawkeye

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I have had to replace several glasses lenses due to this problem, and it's getting expensive. I have started wearing safety glasses outside my regular glasses for this reason. How do you fix this. Some of my 1911s never kick the brass in my face, and some do almost exclusively. Help. :confused:
 
Sounds like the extractor needs to be tuned, maybe an ejector problem. Do a search for posts with the words extractor, ejector, ejection by 1911_Tuner in the Gunsmithing sub-forum. There should be a plethora of info there.
 
Do the ones that hit you have standard sized ejectors? Guns with lower ejection ports and extended ejectors typically throw brass to the right instead of back.
 
I have had to replace several glasses lenses due to this problem, and it's getting expensive. I have started wearing safety glasses outside my regular glasses for this reason. How do you fix this. Some of my 1911s never kick the brass in my face, and some do almost exclusively. Help. :confused:
 
Don't know about 1911s

but on my other pistols, the recoil spring has this effect. Too heavy on my CZs and the brass seems to come straight up and back.
 
Have owned and shot 1911s since the early 1980s. I don't have any full sized ones that do this. My Smith and Wesson 1911Sc Commander doesn't do it. My Colt Lightweight Commander doesn't do it. My Ed Brown Commander (Kobra Carry) does though. So it cannot be me.
 
I would contact Ed Brown and ask them to fix it.
Click to expand...
You don't know Ed very well, do you? Surly cuss. He's already had it sent back to him. Sent it back to me with no comment. Had to call to have his secretary tell me he says there's nothing wrong with it. I've spoken to the man on a few occasions. Not something you want to do if you can avoid it. If it needs a gunsmith, I will send it to Ted Yost. Pleasant guy and a great gunsmith.
 
Hey hawkeye,

Check my post... "SA Ultra Compact -- 3 problems"... I have the same issue with my pistol. The fella's provided me with some good advice and a nice drawing to go by.

I have not done the mod yet but hope to get to it pretty soon.

Hope this helps,

Mike
 
"Getting hit in the face with hot brass?

Most extractor hooks are square on the bottom corner. Use a medium India stone to radius that corner a little by swiping the hook on the stone with a rocking motion. This will let the case twist off the extractor at a slightly different point, and kick it out at more of an angle. It also works to relieve any contact with the case as the round climbs the hill to enter the chamber. If you have lazy return to battery, and notice gouge marks in the extractor groove, look to that corner."

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59533

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=61238
 
one method of redirecting the brass is to tune the ejector. putting a bevel on the face of the ejector in the direction you want the brass to go will help. i don't reccomend filing away at it unless you really know what you are doing otherwise you may wind up with a pistol that does not eject the round properly. send it off to a reputable gunsmith to have this done. ejectors are not easy to replace so you do not want to screw it up.
 
How do you fix a 1911's tendency to kick brass in your face?

Buy a Glock. :evil:

All joking aside, I noticed that you said that some pistols hit you with the brass while others don't. Are those pistols kicking brass at other shooters as well, or just you?
 
Head Shots

If you have an extended style ejector, feel along the top edge for a burr or flange. If it's there, dress it down lightly and see if that makes a difference. Sometimes it does.

Radiusing the extractor hook on the bottom corner can help, along with lightly breaking the top corner. The ejector itself can be reshaped a little to change the angle of release. Sometimes something as simple as a little more tension on the extractor can make a big difference. All my range beaters' extractors had taken a set with the well-used lot of brass that I've been using for the last two years. When I switched to a new lot of once-fired brass, ejection became a little erratic, tossing the occasional case straight up...back...even forward. I reset the tension on all the extractors to match the rim diameters of the new lot, and they now pile the brass up 3-4 feet to the right again. Try setting the tension before modifying anything, unless a burr is noticed on top of the ejector.

What is happening is that the brass is being released into the path of the slide in recoil, and getting batted straight back. This can happen if the brass releases at 12 O'Clock or at 3 O'Clock...but it normally happens with a low release. The case bounces off the lower port wall and up...and the slide strikes it. Look for brass smears around the port to evaluate it and determine which it is.
 
The 1911's I've seen that do this all had the short ejector in them, and when switched out the long one, all was well.

As well, if Ed Brown doesn't have enough courtesy to speak with his customers respectfully or spend time helping them with questions/solving issues THEY are having, I would not consider buying a gun from him even if the world knew that when you did buy that gun you would be able to win every gun battle and never have to replace or fix anything with the gun.

It's a hell of thing to be able to get better customer support and courtesy from the likes of SA, Para, etc than from a custom maker at 1/5 the price for the gun.

Brownie
 
I too have a Kobra Carry. It's at about the 2000 round mark now and it has always happened. I've lost a polycarb lense to this feature and I also have to carry a rag to wipe my forehead to remove the power marks when the shells hit me.:eek: I picked up a set ESS ICE eyshields with the prescription inserts so I don't have to keep buying new glasses. I have just been accepting it since I am in love with the Kobra Carry otherwise.

Let us know what you finally come up with.

ocam
 
File Away

FWIW:

File on the ejector to put a big bevel on it. You could also try putting in a different ejector -- I lije the EGW extended ones.

Sam Spiteri
 
Head Shots

Whoa! Before you file, cut, grind, sand, lap, or beat on anything....try a few less invasive tweaks. An extended ejector may help and it may make it worse. It could go either way.

Already addressed here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=233380

Since this is a duplicate thread, I'll merge the two. Hawkeye, in the future, please limit it to one thread/one forum.

Thanks
 
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