SA Milspec 1911 will not feed hollowpoints

Status
Not open for further replies.
My Springfield GI feeds JHP's no problem.

Now that I think about it, coincidently, the first 1500 or so rounds I shot through it were 230 grain FMJ. Not on purpose, just happened that way... so the "500 round trick" that others have mentioned probably has some merit.
 
As long as a 1911 will feed 230 ball, I don't have a problem with it. That is what they were designed for. Genuine Colt or Metalform mags are what usually works more reliably for me in 1911's.
 
First, there is no such thing as a new "mil spec" SA.

It may look like it. It may feel like it. But, it is not mil spec.
Yes there is. It is what Springfield Armory has named their pistol. So it exists.
1911s and JHP ammo are one of the most well known issues I can think of. The weapons simply was not designed for JHP ammunition,
I hope nobody tells any of mine that.


The Springfield mags that came with my Mil-Spec are not all that whoopie!
Mine came with 7rd metalforms. They are hard to beat. My MilSpec won't feed right with Wilson's though, fmj or jhp. My extra's are all Checkmates now.

500 rounds won't change a thing. If it doesn't feed right now, it won't then. Something isn't quite right.



This is simple. You bought a Springfield, with some of the best customer service out there. CALL THEM. They will fix it.
 
I agree with kc, they have a lifetime warranty. They will make it right. From what I understand they have great service and do great work, even on 1911's that they don't make. It's a production gun that has a flaw. That even happens to Wilsons, Browns, and Baers.
 
spiroxlii, the gun just needs breaking in. I went through the same thing with my GI.45. Go through few hundred rounds of ball ammo and then will feed anything.


500 rounds won't change a thing. If it doesn't feed right now, it won't then. Something isn't quite right.

That's nonsense! While this might be true for the polymer guns, 1911s need break in, unless they are Willson Combat and few other high end brands. Go to the 1911 forums and read about this. The breaking in for the 1911 is the rule not the exception.
 
Last edited:
Just from what I read here you may have a mag spring problem or a feed ramp problem. I would first try a diffrent hi quality mag or replace the mag spring by what ever means(buy one or return the mag) If this fails to fix it I would suggest a reliability package by what ever means(factory or gunsmith) 1911's can be funny with hollow points. Some will work better then others. My SA did good with Hydra-shoks but gold dots failed. I got a reliability package and all was well.
 
There may be something wrong with the fit. Wouldn't hurt to get it checked out by a 1911 "smith".My Mil-Spec eats JHP just fine, always has right out of the box. In fact I've yet to come across a brand or type of ammo that it won't eat. Maybe I just got lucky.
 
Some of the things I read in this thread just slay me.

Me too, WA...me too. I don't even know where to start...so I'll just take a pass.

Spiro...You're not too far away, and it's a straight shot north on 85.
Check your PMs.

Cheers! :)

PS

Real USGI "mil-specs" will feed hollowpoints and even lead semi-wadcutters. I've got about a dozen...original and un-tweaked...that'll prove it. Come see/Come say.

Bye now...
 
I have two GI Springfields, full size and Champion. I polished the feed ramps before I ever went out with them. I have the original mags, one Chip McCormick, and a handful of surplus 1945 military versions I ordered on line. The Champion will not always lock back after the last round with the McCormick, but other than that I have never had an issue with feeding or ejecting with various brands of FMJ and HPs. I don't carry either of mine, but tried HPs just to see what happens. I don't subscribe to the "don't polish the ramp" theory. A Dremel with jeweler's rouge on a felt buffing wheel works great and I'm not sure you could polish long enough to remove too much metal. Don't give up on it. You will like the SA.
 
My Colt WWI reissue wont feed semi wadcutter lead bullets. I suspected that this would be the case before I bought it because unmodified 1911s and 11 A1s almost never work with anything but round profile bullets. It wouldn't surprise me if it wouldn't feed a lot of JHPs though I haven't tried them. I use ball and lead round nose handloads and it works like a top. If I just had to have bullet expansion with this, I suspect that corbon powerball or remington golden saber would function.

first thing to do would be see if that springfield armory will work with generic ball. I've owned two basic SAs-the old no frills model and a MilSpec with the light strike titanium california firing pin. Both worked with ball right up to 900 rounds at which point the way non-milspec extractors relaxed and they quit functioning. With the second one, I put in an Ed Brown extractor and standard firing pin (to eliminate light strike failures to fire.
 
Just to throw in my 2 cents and maybe some salt on any wounds....
My springer loaded had some FTE and a few FTF issues with any ammo from start all the way to approaching 1000 rounds. Sent it back to SA; they "modified" the breach, replaced the extractor, tested it, and pronounced it good. I got it home and was still having some issues. I went to the 1911.org and stated my issues when along came Tuner and suggested mag springs be replaced. (I had been using the factory mags, Chip McCormack, and Wilson Combat). So, I replaced the mag springs in the factory mags and have had zero issues since, using both FMJ and JHP; all 230 grain.

Now, that said, I just told you everything I know that worked for me. May not be the same for you, and I am the first to say I am no expert, just a rambling contributor to this post.....

I'd say get a bunch of FMJ, give that a whirl, and see what happens.

By the way, SA did offer to take mine back again and they paid shipping the first time and offered again the 2nd time - so I am pleased with their customer service.
 
Otherwise, why was it SOP to modify the throats for target loads and why have the people who make them been ramping them for the last several decades????
attachment.php


the colt copy of the 1911 has a feed path that is less rounded even than the originals.* It will not function with bullets that have pronounced shoulders- like many of the current commercial swc bullets.(*"Rounded" The lower part of the chamber on original 1911s/ 11 A1s has a round profile rather than the slightly ramped appearance of this factory stock WWI reproduction. Subsequent Obiter Dicta to the contrary, neither of the pictured chambers have been modified after leaving the Colt factory(left) and Les Baer (right). Ask any owner of the respective pistols.)
The Less Baer will function with just about any bullet shape.
Those of us who used to try shooting H&G SWCs and similar bullets in older, unmodified Colts/Reminton Rands, etc usually experienced stoppages. It may have been that we were just to stupid to know what we were doing. If so, the current premimum pistol makers have catered to us nicely
 
Last edited:
the colt copy of the 1911 has a feed path that is less rounded even than the originals. It will not function with bullets that have pronounced shoulders- like many of the current commercial swc bullets.

The current barrels that are used in the GI Springfields and all 1911-pattern pistols in the last 25 years or so have the ramps that are wadcutter friendly. It's nothing more than a widening of the ramp to clear the shoulder and provide a better chance of function...PROVIDED...the feed ramp and the barrel ramp geometries are within spec. Many aren't, and that's what has given rise to the myth that the 1911 pistol won't function with anything except hardball unless modified.

I'll tell ya what. Bring me a WW2 USGI pistol that has the original barrel and hasn't been hacked at by Bubba the Dremel Champ...like the one pictured above obviously has...and I'll have it feedin' hollowpoints and lead SWCs in about 15 minutes..without altering a thing.

Those of us who used to try shooting H&G SWCs and similar bullets in older, unmodified Colts/Reminton Rands, etc usually experienced stoppages.

Again...I've got several that'll lay waste to that misconception...some predating WW1...and a 1925 Colt commercial Government Model that can't tell the difference between ball and holoowpoints and lead SWC...even fed from the old "Hardball Only" GI magazines.

Most likely, the pistols that "everybody" has problems with have either been smiffed...or they're parts guns that an unscrupulous gunshow vendor slapped together and sold them as originals...and very likely with out of spec/government rejected parts.

It's a common misconception that just because the 1911 was designed around hardball, that hardball is the only thing that they'll function with. It just ain't so.

And, yes. If anybody would like a demonstration...I stand ready. Say when.
 
hasn't been hacked at by Bubba the Dremel Champ...like the one pictured above obviously has..
the opperant word here would ber "Has Not" unless Bubba works for Colt or Les Baer. Both are exactly as they came from the factory.

Best bet with a 1911 that isn't working as you believe it should is to put it in the hands of a responsible pistolsmith. The best way to find one of those is to take a look at the specialties of member of the American Pistolsmith's Guild. They will avoid making diagnoses via telephone or e-mail but can take take care of business if they actually have the pistol in front of them.
 
1911Tuner said:
I'll have it feedin' hollowpoints and lead SWCs in about 15 minutes..without altering a thing.

Is that because that's how long it takes you to load 150 mags or so for "testing"? :neener:
 
mine acts up sometimes with JSWC did the same thing m rack the slide and jam. funny thing is when i do get it to chamber the round it feed the rest with no problems.

hope it will eat the 1000 jhp i just ordered
 
Ok. I've been to the range, and I have fired 200rds of FMJ (mix of Atlanta Arms & Ammo and Magtech) and 25rds of JHP (Remington Golden Sabers... the Remington UMC JHP still won't even feed the first round off the magazine).

Good news:
1. The pistol eats FMJ ammo fine, as expected.
2. This pistol is easier for me to shoot accurately than any of my other handguns. I don't think my other handguns are inaccurate. I just think the size, shape, and weight of this 1911 are a good fit for my hand.
3. The pistol seems to feed FMJ well from the original SA mag and from two new Kimber mags I bought with it.
4. The pistol functioned 95% with Remington Golden Saber JHP.

Bad news:

The pistol would, for the most part, feed Golden Sabers, but the UMC hollowpoints are still jamming their noses into the feed ramp and sticking there.

To my amateur eye, the recoil spring seems weak. I say this because sometimes when I rack the slide, it will strip a round off the top of the magazine and begin to load it into the chamber, but it will stop just slightly out of battery. It doesn't matter if I pull the slide back and release it myself or if I lock the slide back and use the slide release to send it forward. This phenomenon occurred once or twice with both JHP and FMJ ammo when loading the first round off the magazine. The weapon never stopped out of battery while feeding the rest of the magazine with FMJ ammo, but it did stop out of battery after only partially loading a Golden Saber JHP once on the third round of a magazine.

I have other semiauto handguns, so I know how to rack a slide. I know to pull it back all the way and just let it go forward under its own power instead of riding the slide forward with my hand, which could cause it to go too slowly. I noticed that I could make this problem pretty much go away on my 1911 if I paid extra special attention to racking the slide with a smart "snap," but I never have to baby my Bersas or my XD this much while racking their slides.
 
I had similar troubles with mine. Hardball fed fine but JHP's were just catching and not going all the way into battery.I found at lot of parkerizing between the frame and slide rails that needed lapped out to make everything run smooth.

A couple drops of Remclean (the stuff with the DE in it) and some frame/slide working while watching Tv fixed it.
 
I bought a brand new SA GI a few years back and it wouldnt feed anything.
I thought it was the ammo or the mags or maybe it needed a break in but I tried everything and it still wouldnt run.
I ended up sending it back to SA, when I got it back it ran fine but only with ball ammo.
I ended up selling it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top