For 1911Tuner... Critique my 1911 fixes/tweaks.

[malakili]

For 1911Tuner and perhaps others with an insight... I have an Armscor-built GI-type 1911 with a "High Standard" rollmark. I bought it used, but it seems to be bone-stock. It came with one Shooting Star mag of unknown age.

This pistol functioned great the first couple of times I used it, but the last two sessions I experienced a malfunction each time. The first with WWB, the second with UMC 230gr JHP. In both cases the offending cartridge was the last in the magazine. In both cases the cartridge didn't fully chamber and the rim was sitting ahead of the extractor hook.

On getting home, I examined the extractor and found that it seemed to easily rotate in it's little home, it was "clocking" in other words. The stock firing pin stop is very loose and easily wiggles around in it's slot. To remedy this I bought the EGW oversized FP stop and filed it to fit. This was my first time fitting anything to anything and the work is sort of ugly, but the part fits tightly and the extractor seems very solid now. I also filed a slight 45 degree cut to the bottom edge of the FP stop per recommendations I've read.

I also considered the magazine, and figuring it could be worn from use/age I purchased a new Springfield Armory 7-round mag (with follower dimple) and replaced the stock mag spring with 11-lb wolff spring.

Lastly, I'm replacing the following tomorrow when I have some free time:
Recoil spring (replacing with Wolff 16 lb)
Mainspring (Wolff 23lb)
Firing pin spring (Wolff Xtra power)

I'll be testing the 1911 this friday, hopefully it all works out.

Any opinions on my tweaks, and other suggestions?

Thanks,
Malakili

 

[1911Tuner]

In both cases the cartridge didn't fully chamber and the rim was sitting ahead of the extractor hook.

Whenever there's a feed or return to battery problem...the magazine is always the first suspect. Always.

The misfeed is called "Jumping the Follower" and is pretty common. The cause is a weak magazine spring...or if your follower doesn't have a little pip on top...that'll do it, too. Overspringing the slide can be a contributor in case you installed a heavy recoil spring. Underspringing the slide is another contributor, for slightly different reasons, but the result is the same.

When it happens with the extractors that climb the rim and chamber as if all is well...it's the number one cause of loss of extractor tension and breakage. Whenever you hear somebody say that their extractor requires frequent retensioning...if it's a good quality extractor...you can bet that there's some push-feeding and rim climbing in the works.