1911 feeding problem

[colbyjack]

i bought a 1911 springfield. it has problems feeding semi wad cutters. i called springfield today and gave them my serial number to find out what model i got. they said its a mil-spec model, made in feb of 2002. i looked on their website and the mil-spec now says it has a throated barell and a polished feed ramp. i dont know if my model has that or not. im assuming it does.

will it hurt or help if i polish the feed ramp some more? -chris

 

[PotatoJudge]

Polishing probably won't help and may hurt.

Describe the jams and we can go from there.

What kind of magazines are you using? One, or more?

 

[colbyjack]

im using Chip McCormick shooting star 8 round mags. i got 5 new ones and 2 old no name mags. the gun feeds everything good except wad cutters. lets say out of 50 shots i had 7 or 8 misfeeds. looks like to me the bullet jams up near the top of the slide or top and to the left. i dont know much about it, but if i had to guess. it looks like it starts to go in, and either hits the ramp or barell and then gets pushed up or up and to the left and jams before it goes in the chamber. which it dont make it in the chamber. -chris

 

[trickyasafox]

funny you say that colbyjack. i had the same thing happen with the mil-spec i got today. multiple mags, OEM, Metalform, and Colt knockoffs. rounds would go to high up and hit the top of the chamber and lock up.

LSWC were seated to the shoulder. my ramp looks pretty polished, the pistol is brand new today. i was gonna give it another 3-400 rounds to break in, but maybe it just doesn't like that profile. i might try loading them a bit longer, i think the OAL is almost too short, i'm gonna try to stretch it out and see if that helps.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

May I ask why you insist on using ammunition that causes malfunctions? If the gun is reliable with the round-nose jacketed (ball or hollowpoint) bullets it was designed for, it can hardly be faulted.

This pistol design was not originally intended to feed this shape of bullet, especially at low "target softball" velocities (although you didn't specify this) and requires yet more modifications to do so.

 

[colbyjack]

correct i was using lead semi wad cutters. i was given 400 rounds to try. since then i switched to lead round nose flat points. no feeding problems with them. the reason i asked is because alot of shops local here has semi wad cutters lead in stock. none have that many round nose lead flat points. some times they sell out, and the wad cutter would be my only option. im just looking to maybe make it want to eat any bullet i feed it. i thought maybe the feed ramp isnt polished enough and the lead isnt sliding across it that well. but im new to the .45 scene and not sure what works and what dont. -chris

 

[colbyjack]

the load was 200 grain LSWC with 3.5 of clays, federal primers. -chris

 

[trickyasafox]

LSWC are great if your paper punching. they have their place. my load was a medium lead load with unique. i'd have to check the books to get you the exact charge. what was your OAL colby? i'm going to the range tomorrow, i'll try something different as far as length goes if you and i are still in the same boat.

also whats your round count? mine is 150 (gun is NEW today) maybe they aren't broke in yet. . . .

 

[sara bellum]

magazine analysis

This magazine analysis may provide some insight:

http://how-i-did-it.org/magazines/index.html . Some round shorter than those originall intended for the 1911 will never reliably load.

Let us know what you think.

 

[Ala Dan]

Most all 1911's will have issues within the first 500 rounds; even the
"high dollar" 1911's. L-SWC's are a known culprit, as the angle of the round
entering the chamber lacks the elevation required to feed properly. I try to
hold the tolerances as close to OEM specs as possible; and even then, I
have a few minor problems from time too time. Seems like when you enter
a match (or have money on the line); is the time a good 1911 decides to
lay down on you~! If one is not willing to compensate for the
1911's burps; perhaps they need to look for other choices, like a Glock-
SIG- or H&K.

 

[Jim Watson]

I figure you have two choices, shoot roundnose or have the feedramp properly shaped for semiwadcutters. Polishing probably won't be enough and I just fail to see how "breakin" will change a gun to where it will handle an entirely different bullet shape than what it is known to shoot reliably.
Emphasize properly, it isn't hard to screw up. And even the old impossibility "polish without removing metal" can be done wrong. There is a picture on another thread where a DIY "polishing" job rounded off the wrong corner and did more harm than good.

 

[Mad Magyar]

I concur with Jim and all the other sound advice...Above all, be careful with a Dremel....

 

[yomama]

Find out if the rounds were crimped first. It could just be that they needed to be run through a crimp die. Or the OAL wasn't suited for your pistol.

 

[nicholst55]

Back in the early 80s I had access to hundreds of Uncle's weapons and all the free ammo I could shoot. I took a box-stock M1911A1, lightly polished the feed ramp (frame and barrel), and shot many, many hundred rounds of SWC ammo through it. I used both WW match and my own cast bullet reloads. The gun never had any problems. I was using aftermarket mags, however.

Much will depend on the design of the particular bullet - some feed well and some don't. I was using the Lyman 452460 200 grain SWC. Some of the short, blunt 185 grain bullets tend to hang up.

I would strongly recommend that any throating/polishing be done by a professional. I can recommend a couple if need be.

The Shooting Star mags MAY also be part of the problem. The three that I own were next to useless as-issued. I replaced the followers and springs with Wilson parts, and now they function flawlessly.

YMMV

 

[unrealtrip]

I have a dumb question, how would polishing the feed ramp hurt?

 

[briang2ad]

You can easily mess it up.

The feed ramp polishing. You should NOT round the top of the ramp at the frame, and you must be careful NOT to change the angle.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Originally posted by unrealtrip:
I have a dumb question, how would polishing the feed ramp hurt?

The 1911 design's feed ramp is in the gun's frame, unlike those that have the feed ramp as part of the barrel. There is nothing wrong with light and careful polishing or recontouring - in fact it is a common modification to get them to feed hollowpoints - but metal that has been removed cannot be put back - there is no room for "oops!" If done wrong, the gun's frame will be ruined.

 

[Candiru]

There's also the fact that the ramps need some amount of friction in order to feed rounds reliably. Both the frame and barrel ramps require very specific angles and separation for proper feeding. Alteration by as little as a couple degrees or less than 1/32nd inch can impair feeding. Basically, unless you know exactly why what you intend to do will fix the problem, don't do it.

 

[unrealtrip]

Thanks for the info, good thing I asked! I was thinking about using a buffer wheel on a dremel to shine it up. I haven't tried HP in it yet and since it doesn't have issue with ball ammo, I think I'll just leave it alone for now.