1911 Feed Problems

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hello,

1911 style pistol, built by me from an RIA.

Ammo is 185gn LSWC, BH of 18, loaded over a charge of 6.3gn W231 using Rem LPP. I am satisfied this load is a bit warm, but safe. Alternate load, however, is the same, using 5.6gn of W231.

COL is 1.250-1.256. The bullet is a long nose profile:



Out of 100 rounds, I have, on average, two failures to feed all the way. The rear of the case seems to hang on the breech face. Slapping the bottom of the mag will usually allow it to close, as will slapping the back of the slide with the heel of my weak hand.

This is my carry weapon, so everything's been stoned, deburred, whatnot, and the chamber has been lightly polished.

Feeding problems only happen within the last 25 rounds, when the pistol starts getting dirty. I have the recoil spring at 18.5# for carry and don't want to go heavier.

Extractor tension is about perfect. In fact, the case rim isn't even at the extractor when it hangs.

The problem is most prevalent with surplus magazines, but also showed itself with a Wilson (though this happened before I polished the chamber...)

It's almost as if the nose is catching on something in there when it's feeding, but the chamber is so smooth, there's nothing left for it to catch on. (I used 800 grit wet paper with a slight crosshatch to keep the expanded brass from sticking).

I adjust the rounds out to 1.270, problem totally disappears. That leads to unburned powder though, and I don't like that.

I don't recall if it did this with AA#7, though I seem to recall a couple malfs of this nature.

I've not tried any other brand of powder yet, due to lack of availability. Got the gunshop's last pound of 231 in fact.

Any thoughts here? The LSWC is not used for serious purposes, but could cost me an IDPA match if they hold them this summer. Past couple summers I placed 5th, then 3rd, and I want first on the local circuit.

FMJ and LRN feed perfectly all the time, any length, any magazine.

The only thing I've noticed at all is that some of the brass is a bit rough in the rear from multiple reloadings. I wouldn't think this would affect much though, as long as the breech face is smooth. Seems to stick more in the chamber, anyway, like the nose hits something and stops.

Can't reproduce the problem hand feeding.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Josh <><

 

[243winxb]

The only thing I've noticed at all is that some of the brass is a bit rough in the rear from multiple reloadings.

It can be a problem. The Rim Diameter can expand with many hot loadings. Check the cases that give you the problem when they dont feed. My S&W 645 bolt face is a lot larger than my Gold Cup. From firing HOT loads in the Smith, then target loads in the Colt, had problems. Took a file to the rim to make them all .480" The head of the case must slide up the bolt face without a lot of drag.

 

[243winxb]

45acp bullet, only the lead bullet is giving the problem.

The bullet shoulder does not look right. Were the bullets run fully into the sizing die? Looks like they stopped short by a few .010" On loading, you might be making a ring of lead that is left in the chamber. The build up would stop the action from closing full. Also, seat bullet, then taper crimp in a seperate operation.

 

[loadedround]

I have seen this problem before in using lead 200 gr SWC bullets and the solution is to have as little bullet shoulder showing above the case mouth as possible, approx +/- 1/32" and just a touch of taper crimp. Sounds like a simple solution I know but it's worked for me and others...give it a try.

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hello,

Here's what was happening:



and what I did to fix it:

First, the mag lips were not all equal. The person I inherited the mags from was a Navy bullseye shooter from the '60s and ran SWC loads. He had adjusted the lips somewhat for better feeding, but a bobble now and again was to be expected back then.

So, I put up the surplus mags.

That left me with four: A Wilson 47, a Triple K, a Novak, and a Kimber.

I loaded up 50 rounds and took them out. Everything ran well, then the Kimber failed. I stuck that one in my back pocket to throw in with the surplus mags.

The rest ran very nicely, with the Wilson feeding the smoothest of the three remaining mags. I ran out of brass at 75rnds, so testing will conclude tomorrow. But things look promising.

I was surprised at the Triple K. Very inexpensive magazine, I figured it would be one of the ones to go. It was not.

Josh <><