New Colt 1911 - One Issue Need Advice

[CTGunner]

I picked up a brand new Colt 1911 LW Government Model. The gun is great overall. I ran it for the first time today with 100 Rounds of Factory ball ammo and I had one somewhat consistent issue using multiple different types of Mags, including Wilsons. The slide will at times lock back before chambering the last round in the Magazine. So, the round just sits there and then falls out of the gun. This only happens on the last round. I am not riding the slide stop - happens shooting left and right handed.

Question - So with 100 rounds down range is there anything I can try to fix the issue OR should I send it back to Colt. Everything else cycled great and the guns is accurate. The gun was super clean and well lubricated before shooting.

 

[Ken41]

If I read this correctly, the slide is locked back, and the round is out of the magazine, but not chambered. If the round is out of the mag, and the mag is empty, I think that the slide would be locked back, but that does not explain the last round being out of the mag.

Ken

 

[CTGunner]

Yes you read it correctly. The last round is out of the mag and not chambered because the slide has locked back. If I remove the mag or just tilt the gun to the side the unfired round falls out.

 

[Devonai]

Are you using eight round mags? Your pistol may think you are using seven round mags.

 

[Jim K]

I didn't know pistols could think!!

But I can, and what I think is happening is that as the magazine follower comes up, its spring exerts less force. So when the magazine is down to the last round and the gun recoils (light pistol equals heavy recoil) the top (only) round tries to stay in place from inertia as the magazine recoils with the gun. The top round thus moves itself forward and out of the magazine, resulting in normal slide lock back. If the slide stop were held down, the slide would likely go forward and chamber the round, but with the slide held back, the round just sits there and will fall out if the gun is turned upside down or the magazine removed.

Solution? A harder grip might help to reduce that recoil in the light gun, or stronger magazine springs might work. Also check the magazines to be sure they have the little "tit" in the follower; some magazines don't have it because the makers wanted to make for a smoother feed and didn't know what it was for.

Jim

 

[Ken41]

If you think about it, the last round should not be out of the magazine, unless the slide has moved forward and stripped the round from the mag. If the last round pops out of mag when the slide is still moving to the rear, the slide would stay back, since the mag follower would pop up. Just trying to think this through.

Jim K's reply makes sense.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

Honestly, I can't help you with this and really I'm just posting to bookmark this thread because I'm interested in learning out how this could happen.

In theory, the only way for the round to come out of the magazine is for it to be stripped out by the forward motion of the slide... which would preclude the slide being locked to the rear. It just shouldn't be possible.

 

[JTQ]

Inertia feed.

The impact of the slide at the end of the recoil travel causes the last round to pop out of the mag. Since there is no round in the mag when the slide starts to go forward, the follower engages the slide stop and stops the slide in the retracted position. The round is laying loose in the ejection port.

It could be weak mag springs, spreading feed lips, or possibly the lack of the dimple/pimple in the follower.

I've chased this problem with some of my mags to no avail. I consider it a mag specific issue. I know which of my mags do this and avoid them for anything but playing around at the range.

 

[CTGunner]

Thanks guys. I will test various mags to see what works best.

 

[Drail]

Definitely an inertial feed. The mag is not holding the last round against the feed lips and the gun is being jerked back away from the mag. Either weak magazine springs, too heavy a recoil spring or possibly oil in the magazine. First thing to do is to clean and dry the insides of the mags and number them so you can tell which ones are doing what. New extra power mag springs usually help a lot.

 

[Hamfisted]

What ammo are you shooting ? When I shoot +P 230gr I've had that issue with the stock recoil spring. I went from the 16.5 lb stock spring to an 18 lb and that cured it. Worth a try before sending it back to Colt. A tuning pack of springs from Wolff is always nice to have in the range bag anyway.


-Mike

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

You only ever had a loose round and a locked slide with the final round from the magazine?

 

[CTGunner]

Went back to the range today and didn't experience the issue again in 100 rounds. I made sure to maintain a firm 2 hand grip. The gun also didn't experience any other failures. So far this is turning out to be a good decision. I get nervous with new 1911s but this Colt seems to be well put together.