SA 1911 Loaded Model problems

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ratt_finkel

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To make myself clear, this is not a bash on Springfield. I have an XDm I am very happy with.

I recently purchased a NIB Springfield 1911 "Loaded" model ss/blk.
This is the 1st .45 I have owned. And I purchased it due to the quality and reputation of Springfield. Plus I got a stellar deal on it.

1st trip to the range and 30 rounds in, the rear sight all but falls out of the slide. Take it home and tighten it with the suplied Allen wrench.

Next time I get 50 rounds in and the same thing happened. This time I was smart enough to bring the wrench with me. Shot about 100 rounds total and it came loose one more time. Several jams and FTF's also.

3rd trip I brought a friend and the sight came loose once about 1/3 way through 150 rounds. BUT we also expierenced FTF near the end of magazine. The last round would just sit ontop of the mag but would not chamber. This also happened a few times as the 2nd to last round. This happend about 8-10 times.

Last trip to the range and I had a casing get stuck during ejection. Between the slide and barrel. Everything else was fine.

Went to clean the gun last night. Noticed there was a stupid amount of oil on the inside. Anyway, it appears the spring for the safety plunger is now broke. Put everything back together and it sticks out under the safety.

My options are send it back to SA. Or sell it. I'm really torn because it is such a joy to shoot when it works. And it's a work of art to me. But the issues have me beyond annoyed.

What say you?
 
Call Springfield, their customer service is excellent. They'll email you a FedEx overnight shipping tag so you can return it. Send a list of all the issues and anything else you want looked at in the box with the gun. They'll take care of the problems and return it to you via FedEx overnight.

About 2 months ago I purchased a new parkerized Loaded that had slide to frame fit issues. I never shot it, put it back in the box, called them and sent it back. I listed the issues in a letter and also asked that, because I'd purchased it for a duty gun, they go through it and make sure there weren't any other problems that might crop up as far as reliability, accuracy, etc. They replaced the slide to fix the fit issue and also installed a new stainless barrel and bushing, national match trigger and all of the trigger group parts, polished and hand fitted everything and returned it to me with a 25yd Custom Shop target with a 2" 5-shot 25yd group. The gun came back much tighter and smoother and with a much better trigger than when I sent it. They really went the extra mile.
 
you do realize that the Glock is also an import don't you? SA has great customer service and worth call. And while the M9 is a reliable and formitable weapon it did also compete agaist 1911A1 service pistols that had been in service for many many years and many rounds. Not saying that the 1911a1 would have beat the M9, but that the trials were not exactly a level playing field.
 
I have the same model in the "parkerized" finish. Never had any of the issues you list (or really, and issues) with it, but I am extremely interested to see what Springfield does for you if you call them. I'd say it's at least worth a try to see how they handle it.
 
I'm joining the party and recommending sending it in for repairs. It's unfortunate that a new gun has to go back, but it's worth it to get it fixed. I try to take my new guns down and clean them up before I shoot them. I've noticed an abundance of goodies in some of mine, too
 
I agree, give them a chance. I am a glock boy but the 1911's have always held a special place for me. And fwiw.......the m9 is scrap and should have never been put into service. I'm currently enlisted and when they tried to issue me one at my current unit I refused. Told them I will just stick with my m4. Nobody should be knocking the 1911.
 
put some lock tight on the sight and run some more rd's through it......you won't know much about it till about 700rd's...sounds new and tight to me....

sorry didn't see the part about broke safety......call them they will help you....
 
I have owned a few of the Springfield loaded models myself. They are great guns and I regret getting rid of at least one of them.

I must say though the stock Springfield mags are garbage and immediately got replaced with 47ds, that will address your feeding problem.

As for the sight, blue loctite will fix it but it is up to you whether or not to fix a simple problem or send it back to the factory for something that it should have never left the factory without.

IMHO any sight or scope screw gets blue loctited on any gun but that is my personal preference.
 
I had my front sight fall off early in my ownership and they made the repair.

As far as the ejection problem, I had them until I swapped out the magazines with Chip McCormack units. Solved most problems. Every now and them one jams but it probably due to the reloads more than the handgun itself.

I have no problem with the quality of manufacture. Compare to Kimber, a made in the US handgun. Far from flawless. Here's a interesting comment on the location of manufacture:

Those with "ww" or "n" prefix serial numbers are 100% Brazilian. Those with an "NM" serial number prefix are finish machined and assembled from components shipped from Brazil, but have enough U.S. value-added to escape the made-in-Brazil
stamps.
Click to expand...
 
Quick update: Went on vacation for a week. Haven't really had time to call or send it off yet. However, a friend and I decided to go to the range on Saturday. He insisted on me bringing the 1911. Even though the safety was broken the rest of the gun operated fine.

Anyway, picked up some Winchester WB from Wal-mart instead of the crap at the range. The gun operated flawlessly. It wasn't as accurate as I remember, but I never did check the sites, so who knows. I'[m wondering now if the gun is just ammo sensitive. Either way, I'll eventually send it back to SA to get the safety fixed and I'll give it another whirl. As much as I like the gun, I still like the 92FS better ;)
 
The plunger tube has come loose. Not a major fix for someone with the right tool. Takes all of 5 minutes to restake...but there's about a 50/50 chance that it'll loosen up again if you use the safety a lot. The holes should be "belled" slightly with a burr so that the legs can rivet into the enlarged area. If that's done, and the legs are long enough to rivet...it'll likely last forever. Otherwise, a new tube should be installed.

As for the 500 or 700 or 1500 rounds to "break in" the gun and get it to function...Sheepdip. Break-in to seat everything and smooth out the action is one thing...but burning up expensive ammunition while fighting malfunctions...in hopes that the problems will iron themselves out is another matter. The gun was designed to function. If it's built correctly, it will function. It doesn't have a choice. It's a machine.

On the upside, your feeding/return to battery issues are likely either magazine and/or extractor related. Contact Springfield.
 
Just received the gun back from SA. Took maybe two weeks. Very impressed with that.

The work order said they replaced the rear sight, the plunger and the extractor. It also says they polished feed ramp and reamed the barrel.

Everything appears to be working so far.
Hoping to get to the range by Thursday.
 
The "Loaded" model, IIRC, has a Novak rear sight. These have a somewhat loose fit - you can move them with finger pressure - in the dovetail slot, to allow for easy windage adjustment. It is very dependent on the set screw remaining tight. After you get the adjustment where you want it, remove and degrease the screw, put thread locker on it and retighten. This is usually sufficient to retain it. However, since you indicate the sight was replaced, it might have been too loose of a fit.
 
I think i have owned 8 or 9 loaded models. All have been Cherry and its one of my favorite model 1911's.

Its an awesome gun for the $$$ and is a great base gun to really customize.



Glad to hear they helped you out and seems like they did you right. Best of luck on the next range trip!
 
The SA Black Stainless Target was my first 1911. My extractor hook broke within the first few hundred rounds. Being a new 1911 owner I sent it to the factory. Knowing what i do today I'd get a local smith to do that fix.

My trigger pull was the advertised 5-6 pound weight, at least. I wanted a lighter pull, so went to the gun smithing section here and on TFL. Thanks to the collective wisdom and continued good graces of the stalwarts on this forum I was able to install new ignition parts and a new mainspring housing. I now have Ed Brown ignition parts and a trigger to die for.

I put a Ciener .22 conversion on it, and like it so much the .45 slide is sitting in the safe in the Ciener box. Oh, I bought a real Ed Brown 1911. Watch out these things are addicting.

I now have a delightful .22 1911 with a replacement cost of around $1,700. lol. My daughter refers to it as her gun, but it lives in my safe. She owns it when I can't shoot it.

DSCN0183.gif

Don't let the little issues with the guns get to you. Learn how to fix them. Learn how to detail strip your gun down to a collection of pieces and put it back together. it's not that hard and all the resources are on line. There is a real satisfaction in knowing your gun inside and out. One of the beauties of the 1911 is that it is possible for anyone to take them apart and put them back together.
 
send it in to SA. they will fix it for free, and pay for shipping. i've dealt with them a few times--they rock!

when i bought my new EMP40, i got home and disassembled it and say all sorts of bad machining, gouges, and peening inside the slide and outside the barrel. i sent it to them requesting a new slide/barrel-and that's exactly what they did. hand fit it too.
 
Sounds like my experience exactly minus the malfunctions which i had 0 of in about 4k, however my extractor did break though at the 3,500rd mark. read below.

To make myself clear, this is not a bash on Springfield. I have an XDm I am very happy with.
Click to expand...
i have 2 xd service models in .40 and there are no guns in the world that i would rather carry and shoot. one has over 17,500rds, and i couldn't be happier.

And I purchased it due to the quality and reputation of Springfield.
Click to expand...
This is why at one time i bought an MC Operator approx $1100, and the fact that it was on my dream gun list.

the rear sight all but falls out of the slide. Take it home and tighten it with the suplied Allen wrench.
Click to expand...
same thing happened to me, i was conducting a 700+ rd training session after i got mine, and the rear sight came almost all the way out of the dovetail. FYI use locktite and tighten it, not just tighten it.

My options are send it back to SA. Or sell it.
Click to expand...
i personally would not selll it to someone if i knew it was broke and or didn't work, unless they knew that it was. SA does have a great cs and they will take care of you.
 
Posted by Mags:
I must say though the stock Springfield mags are garbage and immediately got replaced with 47ds, that will address your feeding problem.
Click to expand...

I have not found this to be true at all. I have 12 Springfield mags in .45 and 9MM and I have not had 1 mag related malfunction in thousands of rounds. :neener:
Joe
 
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