Dangerous day at the range

[71Commander]

Dangerious day at the range

I went to the range today to sight in a mini 14 that I had recently purchased. I took along a Mark IV Gov't 380, also newly purchased. Lastly, I took a Springfield Micro 45 widebody which has only has 200 round through it.

The mini 14 shoots like a champ. The 380 is equally a keeper. NOW the Springfield gave me nothing but a massive headache. This is the 10 round model. 1st mag I got 3 shots and then had a misfire. ***. I drop the mag while keeping it pointing down range. Lay it down and wait 5 minutes. Nothing. I cycle the slide. Round ejects. Primer is barely dented. Insert the mag and continue. 2 shots later another misfire. Now i'm getting worried. I repeat the waiting process. After ejecting this round, I notice the primer is completely punched. These were not handloads.

Any suggestions ? Weak firingpin spring ? problem headspacing ? what ??
Any and all advice will be most appreciated. Thanks, Dennis.


Edited to change hangfire to misfire by tenntucker.

 

[Jim K]

You didn't have hangfires, just misfires. A hangfire is where the round fires after a noticeable interval, sometimes several seconds. Your caution was wise, though, as misfires can sometimes turn into hangfires.

I suspect the problem is in the ammunition. How old is it and what brand? There are other possible causes of misfires, or weak firing pin strikes, but I would first try another brand of ammo.

FWIW, a misfire often leaves a primer looking only lightly dented because there is no pressure to force the primer metal back around the firing pin; it is that flow of primer metal that causes the "normal" firing pin mark.

Jim

 

[71Commander]

Thanks for the clarifacation. I knew a hangfire was a delayed discharge. I just never seperated the two problems.

the ammo was about 20 years old.

 

[Jim K]

Given good storage conditions, 20-year-old ammo should be no problem, but one never knows. Still, I would try fresh ammo before spending a lot of time or money on the gun.

Jim

 

[stans]

I would suspect there is something wrong with the ammo.

 

[cidirkona]

Nope, they're both wrong. Your Springfield is shot... sell it to me for $20 and I'll use it for parts...

-Colin

(just kidding, btw)

 

[pax]

Your Springfield is shot...

No, it wasn't. That was the problem!

pax

 

[71Commander]

Thanks all.

I guess I gotta go to the range again.

 

[BluesBear]

Jim Keenan said;
... a misfire often leaves a primer looking only lightly dented because there is no pressure to force the primer metal back around the firing pin; it is that flow of primer metal that causes the "normal" firing pin mark.

The Springfield, like most 1911 pattern pistols, has an intertia firing pin. It hits the primer and then the firing pin spring pulls it right back. So, unlike a revolver, there is no protruding firing pin for the metal to "flow" around. A light dimple in the primer indicates a light strike.

I agree that it very well could be an ammo problem. I all depends on how that ammo had been stored for those 20 years.
But then again it might be something else.

I bought a Wilson checkered flat mainspring housing for my Colt Government. I was experiencing 1 or 2 failures to fire in every magazine. Usually another strike would fire the round but once or twice per box I'd have to triple it. When this happened with the 3rd brand of ammo, Wolf, Blazer and Federal I knew it wasn't ammo.

I dug out the original Colt nylon arched housing and compared the springs. The Colt was definately stiffer. So I switched the mainsprings and everything's fine now.