1911 break-in, jams, help!

[BenjaminR]

Pro_Gun,
Thanks for the comments. I have no problem field stripping & cleaning as I do it after shooting every time. I haven't disassembled it beyond that, tho. How do I know if the extractor is tuned properly? I have no problem going in to check it out if someone can tell me what to look for.

Old Fuff,
In regards to your comments about "today's 1911 are nothing like the originals"...besides the MIM parts and the mix&matching, are there other changes to the design?

Regards,
Benjamin

 

[Old Fuff]

BenjaminR:

Any carbon steel (not stainless) pistol, or parts therein, can be Parkerized. The process is so simple that you can do a handgun on a kitchen stove if you want to, and know some small shop with a sand blaster. The materials are available at www.brownells.com, and they will send you a copy of the instructions for free. Brownells also have different tool steel (but not spring steel) extractors. Also look for shops in your area that do "phosphate coat" which is another name for Parkerizing. Ask to see a sample of their work first.

 

[VA27]

I guess I'm just lucky. My Springer GI ran fine right out of the box, with new ball, old ball, Blazer, Wolf, HydraShok, Remington +P 185's, Gold Dot, some Federal Match of uncertain vintage and some old reloads that I put away back in the 80's. Go figure.

 

[1911Tuner]

Go Figger

VA27...I'll go ya one better. I've got a 1919 GI Colt...three Remington Rands...an Ithaca...two Union Switch and Signals...two WW2-era GI Colts, and a 1925 Commercial Government Model
that'll do the same thing...and they haven't been smiffed at all, other than to replace the springs.

How cool izzat?

 

[Old Fuff]

BenjaminR:

In regards to your comments about "today's 1911 are nothing like the originals"...besides the MIM parts and the mix&matching, are there other changes to the design?

Well they all seem to have holes in the trigger fingerpiece...

Anyone who wants can buy a set of USGI/1911A1 blueprints from Eric Nicolaus at www.nicolausassociates.com

For anyone that seriously interested in the 1911 pistols this can lead to some interesting experiences when one starts checking out the current crop of guns. While they all look like the original pistol they don't always come close to the original dimensions and tolerances. And nobody pays attention to the material specifications. They are often modified at the back of the frame so that the now popular "duck-butt" grip safeties will fit, and funnel the bottom of the magazine well - both never seen on a USGI gun.

Colt is probably the closest, but they have tweaked things to, because today everyone wants a tight gun, and don't seem to complain if it won't run...

Colt's are also often in short supply - at least whatever model you want seems to be, and very expensive. So much so that they sometimes exceed the price you can find one of the older guns for. Finish doesn't concern me, as I said I can Parkerized a gun on a kitchen stove so long as I can boil water.

Don't think I'll spend the money on a current clone, if for somewhat the same I can find one of the older, more likely to work, forged steel guns.

 

[Old Fuff]

I've got a 1919 GI Colt...three Remington Rands...an Ithaca...two Union Switch and Signals...two WW2-era GI Colts, and a 1925 Commercial Government Model

Well now...

Box 'um up and ship them to Fuff's Home for Neglected and Unloved Old Government Iron...

 

[Pro_Gun]

I can only suggest going here

Go here and run the test first if its good leave it alone.

Many 1911 maintenance tips. "Search for text extractor on the page"
http://www.m1911.org/technic.htm Bill Wilson has a blurb there.

What I do if adjustment is needed is remove the slide, barrel etc.

Use a small pin to push in the firing pin to remove the firing pin plate. Careful of the eyes wear safety glasses, the firing pin is under spring pressure.

I leave the firing pin out while inspecting or adjusting. Run the test above do not file anything it probably does not need it. Just tune if and only if needed.

You will have to insert the extractor and retain with the plate to check

"Generally" follow the procedure at the link"

 

[edison]

Tuner wrote: The problem with the 8-round magazines equipped with the Devel folded follower is that it's not stable front to rear, and doesn't promote keeping the round properly oriented. If the feed ramp angle is at or close to minimum spec...or even a little out...the round hits the barrel ramp...which it's not supposed to do...because it pushes the barrel forward.

Put another 150 rounds though my PT1911 today. I bought a seven round magazine as has been suggested by others and did not experience one failure to go into battery. Nor did any of my eight round mags fail to go into battery on the first round when loaded with seven rounds. The fact that even the eight rounders will load the first round from slide lock just by hitting the slide release still has me puzzled (but not disappointed as I don't lose any capacity).

I did a quick search on 1911 magazines and there were more posts than I could read at one setting. I guess this has been hashed out a time or two in the past. A handy thing that search function. Now to read some more and figure out how to make those eight round mags function properly.

edison

 

[BenjaminR]

Maybe I just need a polish job?

Benjamin...One way to find out if the extractor is a player is to remove it and see if the gun goes to battery smoother than it does with it.

Tuner,
I did this test and while I didn't see much of a difference without the extractor I did notice something else; when the magazine is full (7 rounds) and I release from slide stop, it seems to struggle a little more than when there's only about 4 or 5 rounds in the mag. I assume this is just the mag spring causing a little extra friction while under pressure. However, if I slowly work the slide forward with a live round in the magazine, the round seems to get hung up somewhere around the ramp or throat (I don't really have this problem much when I release the slide under normal conditions). So maybe I just need a polish job on the ramp, throat, and breech face? Is this something Springfield would do under warranty or should I have a gunsmith do it for me?

Regards,
Benjamin