What did I do wrong (1911 Failure to Feed)?

[dburkhead]

I detail stripped my 1911 (Taurus PT1911AR) for the first time for cleaning and reassembled it (following instructions found here: http://www.m1911.org/stripin1.htm). However, once assembled, it would not chamber the first round in the magazine. I noticed that there was a little "play" in the magazine vertical position and when I pulled back and locked the slide, then tapped the magazine upward and released the slide, the first round would chamber. Additional rounds would chamber with no problem.

I removed and replaced the magazine catch several times. Finally, after about three or four iterations, I could seat the magazine, draw back the slide, then release it and the first round would chamber.

My guess is that I didn't get something quite right when I reassembled the pistol.

Does anybody have any idea what the likely problem was? The ammo in question is JHP rather than FMJ but I hadn't had any problems with it before.

 

[rcmodel]

Most likely a burr or metal chip in the magazine catch spring tunnel, or inside the hole in the frame itself was keeping it from seating fully in the magazine cut.

There is no way to put a 1911 together wrong and still get it to work at all.

Nothing you can do would prevent it from feeding, except as noted above.

rcmodel

 

[dburkhead]

I just want to say that there weren't any parts left over when I was done.

 

[rondog]

I just want to say that there weren't any parts left over when I was done.

Mos' def a GOOD thing! Did you look to see if a grip screw is protruding into the magazine well? Look around in there with a flashlight.