Goofy problem with 1911: any ideas as to why?

[critter]

I have a Les Baer that I have put exactly 1400 rounds through. It is just an awsome gun! VERY tight, slick and smooth, unbelievably accurate and reliable--except!

Anything 230 ronund nose is 100%. I also have a lot of 200 SWC's that are the fully plated (not jacketed) bullets loaded with various loads. They are also 100% reliable loaded with any and all powders that I have used EXCEPT W231. Bullseye and 200's-fine. Likewise with Greendot. Likewise with--whatever-EXCEPT W231.

Jams are about 1-3 per 50 rounds. Some of them, the nose of the jhp hangs up on the feed ramp-barrel junction and sometimes it is a '3-point' jam where the round stops at an angle before going fully into battery. And, yes, I have been very careful to make SURE it is not due to limp wristing when shooting. NO OTHER FAILURES OF ANY KIND AT ALL WITH THE GUN IN 1400 ROUNDS WITH ANY AMMO WHATSOEVER.

Now, I KNOW how to cure that problem-don't use W231. And it is not a big deal 'cause I will not be using any SWC's for any kind of 'social purposes', ESPECIALLY using W231.

However, it is just a curious, puzzling, nagging, pesky, aggrivating question as to why that one powder would cause the problem. Any ideas?

 

[Double Naught Spy]

My guess is that your W231 rounds are generating a bit less pressure and the gun isn't fully cycling or isn't fully cycling with as much power. As such, the slide isn't moving forward with as much power to collect the new round and push it up the ramp into the chamber.

 

[Onmilo]

Yeah, You don't say what your chosen grain weight of 231 is.

Baer guns are tight no doubt and it probably has an 18 pound tested recoil spring weight.

Green Dot is quite a bit dirtier than 231 in my experience so I doubt the malfunction is fouling related

Look toward the maximum grain charge in your manual for 231 and work from that.
If that doesn't help look to replacing the recoil spring with a 16 pounder.

 

[Jim Watson]

Agree with Double0.
Work your loads back to the same velocity with a chronograph and the problem might disappear.
I never could get the Rainier plated SWCs to run in guns set up for the "No 68" cast bullet, so you are a step ahead of me on that already.

 

[Angus Podgorney]

It's not the powder per say, it can't be. It's the charge you are using.

 

[kellyj00]

how many grains?

 

[critter]

I've been using 5.5 gr W231. Sounds like you guys are probably on to something. I'll try upping the charge to 5.9-6.0 grains for about 50 rounds and give that a try.

I never suspected the gun and I knew it had to be something with the burn rate of the load vs the timing of the cycling of the gun. It just bugged the crap outta me! I had tried every OAL known to man already. The gun did cycle (even when absolutely new and too tight to seem like it would work at all!) with some other very low powered loads.

Thanks guys. I'll report back later in a week or two when I get time to experiment with some warmer loads.