1911 brass cruncher

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poco loco

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I've a early '90's iirc springfield armory that just crunchs the heck out of brass. I use mil surp hardball and it feeds and shoots fine with an occasional stovepipe but a lot of the brass is left unusable.

Any pointers on where to start looking? I've read the 1911 stickies but maybe I just missed the answer.

It does appear like someone tried a kitchen table ramp job but luckily it doesn't look like they took off much metal. The spaceing between the ramp and the barrel seems ok and this happens with both mags I have at this point.

It's the open lip that gets eaten sometimes just a little nick, sometimes totally destroyed.

Thanks in advance for any help available, would love to take it in but way too broke .....
 
How many rounds have you fired since the last recoil spring change? If this spring goes soft, it may close too fast or hard, causing issues. I'd start with that...
 
I'll give it a try, it's been a while I'm sure

This one is fairly new to me and I haven't yet, who knows when the last owner did. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
Have you tried any other kind of ammo?

It may be that the surplus ammo is surplus for a reason. Perhaps it isn't taper-crimped quite enough, and the case mouth is getting snagged on the break-over into the chamber.

rcmodel
 
Sounds to me like the OP is asking about the case mouth getting mangled on ejection, not feeding (only "an occ stovepipe"). A too soft spring would not close more rapidly than an overpowered one.

I'd guess that whoever did the ramp adjustment was having feeding problems and probably installed an overpowered spring in an attempt to fix it. Put a known 14# or 16# spring in and try it.

If the ejection port is a highwall, like the current GI vs the lowered MilSpec port, then the ejector angle is more finicky to get the case out cleanly.
/Bryan
 
sometimes just a little nick, sometimes totally destroyed
Click to expand...
I think more info is needed.
To me, this sounds like he is saying the case mouth is getting crunched and rolled over by contact with something as it is feeding.
Otherwise, the brass would not be "sometimes totally distroyed".

An unmodified 1911 almost always dents or flattens the case mouth during ejection.

But this does not "totally distroy" the brass.
All you do is use a tapered punch or a pair of closed needle-nose pliers to straighten it enough to get it back in a sizing die.
Sizing will result in perfect brass again.

rcmodel
 
seems to feed fine it's on ejection that

it crunches and sometimes, heck more often than not, actually rips chunks out of the brass.

I was told the gun would only feed hardball but the other day I tried some lead ball reloads and they seemed to feed ok with the same results on extraction. Haven't tried wads or hollows yet, it's hard to get out of the house but i hope to this weekend.

I get maybe one jam out of a box or so otherwise it's just what it does to the brass.

Seems to be fairly accurate and a nice shooter if I could cure this problem so I coud reload them, I'd be a happy man.
 
I just grabbed some brass from the last shooting,

it looks almost like a w crimp with the fold being inwards and in so far it rips the shell. Out of three mags shot there are 11 salvegable shells all with some inward compression like described above. The rest are badly crimped.
 
This is a pistol that you obtained used?

Any signs of feedramp or barrel mouth work? Both? Polished? (angles altered?)

Are you able to tell whether the case damage is to the top half or bottom half of the cases as they (presumably) exit the ejection port?
If you can't tell, put a mark on each case with a majic marker and load your mags with your new mark facing upwards.
 
yes used pistol and I'm not sure

whether it's top or bottom. I hope to take it out this weekend and I will mark the cases and give it a shot.

It looks like someone tried a kitchen table ramp job but it doesn't look like they took off too much metal, I honestly am not sure if they took enough off to affect the angles. Both the ramp and the barrel look slightly worked. If anything when stripped it appears the ramp may be slightly off square from the frame now but that could be my eyes also.

I found a set of new springs in the shed. I'll change them, mark the rounds and try to run a few mags through it tomorrow.

I do appreciate all the advice and will report back the results tomorrow.
 
If you haven't noticed the stickies at the top of this section of the forum have a look through them. The first one by RodgersPrecision shows the correct angles very well, and the two part threads titled "Ramp and Feed Job" by 1911tuner will give you a thorough education on how the feed process works and what to look for if feed problems arise.

Without being able to see or shoot your pistol it does sound like whatever was done to it may be the source of the problems you're having now.

Good luck!
 
A few more details are needed.

Is the case crunched at two points, about 30 degrees apart?

Does it happen only...or most often...on the last round?

Have you ever had the slide fail to lock on the last round...try to return to battery, and crush the case between the slide and the barrel hood?

Have you ever had the last round actually get stuffed partway back into the magazine?

If the answer to any or all the above are yes...it points to an extractor problem.
 
I have a springfield loaded that I bought back when they first came out, for the first few hundred rounds I also used to get the crunched brass (slide closing on the brass before it cleared) I thought about sending it back but was having too much fun shooting it, it would crunch about one or two out of every mag, all of a sudden it quit doing the crunch and have not had that happen again so your gun probably needs a good break-in, I would definatly put in the proper spring if you believe it's been changed.
 
sorry Tuner the connection went down here

in order yes, yes, no and no.

It is in 2 places usually and bent in good, like a w crimp with wire pliars.

It has never failed to lock on me I do get an occasional stovepipe. All the brass is slightly crushed but those are saveable. I didn't get to go out yesterday so I have no new info yet. I would say the last round is usually crunched but it does it on others also. I need to take it out to be sure.

The the mags are marked SA45NM.

Sorry I didn't get back sooner, the joys of country living include a spotty internet connection. Thanks for your help.
 
thanks, I'll give it a go and hopefully get out

to see the results today. Dang animals eat more time than I have in a day, then again I move kinda slow any more........
 
A few more details are needed.

Is the case crunched at two points, about 30 degrees apart?

Does it happen only...or most often...on the last round?

Have you ever had the slide fail to lock on the last round...try to return to battery, and crush the case between the slide and the barrel hood?

Have you ever had the last round actually get stuffed partway back into the magazine?

If the answer to any or all the above are yes...it points to an extractor problem.
Click to expand...

Yep, my first thoughts, too. I encountered that with a Commander one time. Insufficient tension on the extractor.
 
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