ChecK Your 1911's Breech Face...

[charliemopic]

Last June as part of a trade deal I got a brand new in box Taurus PT1911. It's their basic no acc. rail, no frills blue model. Its works perdy good and I am pleased with it's function.

Below is a pic of the above mentioned Tauri breech face. (Click on the pic for a larger version)
Not a good pic but i think you can see the area I have circled where it appears the mill/mill operator has missed leaving a high spot!

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Below is a pic of a typical case fired in the Taurus PT1911. (This case has been loaded/fired a few times in 3 different 1911's) You can see where the high spot on the BF has left a low spot on the case head,

I also have a brand new Springfield 'Mil-Spec' in stainless that has the same high spot in the same place but not as high.

The Taurus and the S/A have few if any unwanted tool marks and look well finished inside the slide and frame.

My 3rd 1911A1 clone is a Made in China 'Norinco' that has all kinds of left over odd ball type tool marks on the inside surfaces, kinda like it was chiseled into shape. But, the breech face surface is nice with no high spots.

Take a look at your own 1911 breech face, see if there are any high spots on the breech face.
Is this high spot by design or instead of making the complete cut they are cutting costs?
Any info or comments on this type of thing?

Thanks everyone.
-charliemopic-

 

[Shipwreck]

I have owned many 1911s over the years, and currently have a Springer Custom and Ed Brown. But even when I owned entry level Kimbers and Springers, I never had that on my brass.

 

[Walkalong]

I have had two Kimbers with the identical problem. Fixed em myself. I attached a pic of the CDP III Ultra. I sold the CDP III Pro in favor of the Ultra

Similar thread

Pic of CDP II Ultra Breechface with high spot removed

 

[Silent Bob]

Looks like your extractor is push-feeding and snapping over the rim of the rounds rather than the rim of the case slipping up under the extractor hook like it should be doing. Your extractor may need to be retensioned.

 

[rduckwor]

Naw, there is a "ledge" machined into the breech face. Typically the left side as you look down from above.

I've seen it and returned S&W 1911's for this error.

RMD

 

[Craig M. Arnold]

Yes this ledge is very common in S&W 1911 pistols. I've had three and all had it.

Best regards.

 

[Eightball]

Never seen that.

 

[wally]

Maybe its the new MA/NJ/CA/MY "macro-stamping" special edition

--wally.

 

[Jim K]

That happens where the cut made by the vertical broach meets the cut made by the rotary mill. The rotary cut wasn't quite as deep as the broach cut, resulting in that little "shelf". It is something that should have been caught by an inspector (do they have such things any more?) and corrected, but since the gun works, maybe they just let it go.

Just FYI, that breech face is cut two ways. One is by a broach which also cuts out the notch in the slide into which the hood of the barrel will fit and cuts most of the breech face. (In fact, filling the gap with the barrel hood is a nice touch but that is not the real reason the notch is there.)

The other breechface cut is by a rotary mill (like a drill but with a flat end which does the cutting) inserted from the front of the slide. That cuts the case support surface in the breech face. In this case, the two cuts didn't quite match. A touch with a Dremel tool grinder will take care of the problem.

Jim

 

[outerlimit]

I saw some .45 brass at the range like this awhile back. I was trying to figure it out, every round had a bent rim.

Interesting..

 

[MT GUNNY]

I use it to determine the amount of times Ive shot the brass. It has absolutely no affect on the function of my S&W.

 

[rondog]

Just stone it down smooth and stop fretting about it.

 

[Drail]

This is actually very common on semi auto pistols. All brands. If it really worries it can be stoned down. I have seen many 1911s with that ledge on the breechface. It does kind of beat up your brass if you reuse it long enough.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

This is actually very common on semi auto pistols.

It is so common that many of us have never seen it! I have semi-autos in several brands and calibers and it is present on none of them, including several 1911s. It isn't present on the guns of my friends who reload (as I help them scrounge their brass off the ground at my range).