Problem with a Combat Commander

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harmonic

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This is a Colt Combat Commander that I purchased new in July, 2005. I immediately had a gunsmith replace the stock right handed grip safety with a quality ambidextrous safety. I also replaced the stock grips (wood panel, no medallion) with Pachmayrs.

I fired maybe 100 rounds the first time I took it to the range shortly after buying it. It was then I discovered that the front sight was loose, a problem that I understand Colt has had with some of their 1911s. The Colt factory fixed the sight and there has been no further problem re the front sight.

I moved from kalifornistan late in 2005 and didn't fire the gun again until July, 2006. I fired 62 rounds reloads (200 grain SWC plated, 6.8 grains Unique) and a new problem surfaced: the slide locked back with shells still in the magazine on rounds 4 and 54. I changed magazines and swapped out the mainspring housing to eliminate those possibilities.

Then in October, 2006, I fired a total of 125 rounds (230 plated round nose, 7.7 grains Unique) and the slide locked back on round 72 with shells still in the magazine.

I shipped it back to Colt after that because I was sure it was a flaw in the gun. Colt replaced the plunger tube assembly and said that fixed the problem.

Back to the range on 11/24/06 when I fired 80 rounds (230 grain round nose, 5.7 grains Unique). Functioned flawlessly except one round jammed on feed ramp.

1/25/07
125 rounds 5.8 Unique, 230 grain round nose plated. Functioned flawlessly.

6/11/07
150 rounds 230 RN plated, 5.7 grains Unique.
1 round jammed on feed ramp. Slide failed to stay open on last round of mag, twice. Faulty magazine spring?

11/20/07
50 rounds 200 SWC lead. Functioned flawlessly.

1/7/08
100 rounds 200 SWC Ranier, 5.0 gr Unique. Constant stovepipes. The load was so light that my Sig 220ST wouldn't even cycle the cartridge out of the gun. Purely the fault of a too light load.

12/30/08. Back to the range where I fired 75 rounds (200 grain lead SWC bullets, 6 grains Unique). Slide locked back twice with rounds still in magazine.

It's had a total of 867 rounds down the pipe and everything else is in excellent condition. It's just that intermittant problem where the slide is locking back with rounds still in the magazine.

To recap, Colt replaced the plunger tube assembly. I replaced the mainspring and housing and swapped magazines.

Advice before I sell it?
 
All you need to do is look at the slide stop and note where it has brass or lead tracks on the inside sharp edge that contacts the magazine follower.

Your more blunt or SWC bullets are hitting it as they come up in the magazine and bumping the slide lock up.

Whatever has bullet tracks on it needs to be filed & polished slightly until it stops doing that!

BTW: Another way to visualize this is take the slide off, then put the slide stop back in the frame.
Now try different bullet shapes in a magazine and see what hits it where.

rcmodel
 
Your more blunt or SWC bullets are hitting it as they come up in the magazine and bumping the slide lock up.
Click to expand...

Here's a pic. I can't see where the bullet is/might be contacting the slide lock.

DSCN1073.gif
 
Top round in the mag may be sliding forward under recoil.

Look for bullet drag marks on the edge of the slide stop.

You could put a small demple in the rear face of the slide stop "down" position that lines up with the spring plunger.
Not much though, or the mag follower won't over-ride it.

rcmodel
 
Go back to the 5.8 Unique. 1911's are finicky beasts. You have to find an ammo they like and stick with it. Roundnose bullets also tend to feed better because they lack a pronounced lip between the bullet and the cartridge.
 
You have been given the right advice about looking at the slide stop for brass or lead marks, etc and filing that area.

Unless you are holding the gun in some way that during recoil you bump the slide stop, I can suggest two other alternatives.

Try another slide stop and see if the problem reoccurs. Maybe there is some tolerance issue with the one you have.

Another alternative is to cut a very, very slight indentation in the rear of the slide stop where the plunger contacts the slide stop. They idea is to create slightly more resistance. (This is sometimes needed with extended slide stops to counteract the added weight of these stops.)
 
These are all good advice.

The thing to realize is that when operating the cartridges will move past the edge of the slidestop, and one might make contact with it. IF that happens the slide will lock open. It can be a very intermittent problem and it's possibility can't be determined by the static position as shown in your photo.

If you take just enough off of the contact point as determined by rcmodel's advisement the slidestop will soon be unable to contact any cartridge and work on the upraised edge of the magazine follower as it's supposed to do.

Tuning to the ammo used.
 
Is there a shock buffer in the gun?
Click to expand...

No.

Like I said, I've swapped slide release levers and magazines, all to no avail.

Do you think maybe Colt didn't really replace the plunger tube assembly? How difficult would that be for me?
 
I will give you this advice: take the time, get it fixed, and DON'T SELL IT! My father's vintage Colt Combat Commander is my favorite pistol ever. It's got one of the best feels to it of any pistol ever made.
 
i have seen shooters inadvertantly ride the bottom of the slide stop with their weak hand thumbtip resulting in a similar fashion.

it didnt take him long to realize that it was happening by watching the weakside of the pistol during firing and recoil.

actually, his thumb wasnt riding it but it was so close that sometimes during recoil it would barely contact the bottom of the stop and snick it up into the slide stop notch.

probably not whats happening with yours but i thought it was worth mentioning.

this guy has huge hands, lol.
 
I have seen shooters inadvertantly ride the bottom of the slide stop with their weak hand thumbtip resulting in a similar fashion.
Click to expand...


Harmonic...If you've made sure that the sides of the bullet aren't contacting the slidestop lug...this is the next thing to look at. If you shoot with your thumbs pointing forward...it's a very real possibility. All it takes is a nudge on the stop.

11/20/07
50 rounds 200 SWC lead. Functioned flawlessly.
Click to expand...

But this statement:

Causes me to suspect that slidestop lug contact is where the bug is nesting. Oddly enough, this problem is more prevalent with 230 ball than SWC or truncated cone bullet shapes.

Go shoot the gun with one hand and see if the problem disappears. If it does, you're bumping it with your thumb. If it doesn't...it's most likely bullet/lug contact.

Bottom line is that is something simple. Most problems are. It may require replacing the slidestop.
 
Causes me to suspect that slidestop lug contact is where the bug is nesting
Click to expand...

I swapped the slide stop lever with the lever in my Govt model. The Commander still malfunctioned. The Govt model, now with the Commander's slide stop lever, did not malfunction. Would that little test mean anything?


Go shoot the gun with one hand and see if the problem disappears. If it does, you're bumping it with your thumb. If it doesn't...it's most likely bullet/lug contact.
Click to expand...

I'm a left handed shooter. My index finger is nowhere near the slide stop lever.

Bottom line is that is something simple. Most problems are. It may require replacing the slidestop.
Click to expand...

What, if any, part of a new slide stop lever would require any minor "fitting?"








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I'm a left handed shooter. My index finger is nowhere near the slide stop lever.
Click to expand...

Then you're back to bullet/lug contact. Slide off...insert a loaded magazine, moving it up and down while you look at the area with a penlight to see where the contact point is. Dress with a small file to get clearance.
 
Then you're back to bullet/lug contact.
Click to expand...

I did what you said. There's no contact between the bullet and lug. The only thing I can think of is that during recoil, the inertia of the round moves it forward in the magazine, and then the bullet contacts the lug.

Is that feasible?





_____
 
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In looking at mine I see that the top bullet in the mag has already cleared the slide stop. If you insert the mag and press the top bullet down to the level of the frame you'll see that the next one coming up is the only one to have a chance for mischief. There's no telling what gyrations these bullets go through upon recoil. And don't forget the torqueing motion that would tend to throw the bullet in the mag to the left. Your picture shows the mag with the bullet nicely seated to the rear of the mag. I would be surprised if after recoil that is the situation. Slide a bullet 1/8" or so forward and run the mag up into the well. You'll be able to see then just how close the bullets may be getting to the slide stop. You briefly mentioned that you changed mags. What kind did you get?
 
Does the slide stop flap up and down - like is it loose when in place? Is there a front plunger protruding from the plunger tube? Does the plunger bear against the slide stop? If so, how much tension is there against the stop?

That plunger is supposed to friction the slidestop so that only the positive upward force from the mag lip will move it upward.

Any chance that the big end plunger pin, normally the safety end, is at the front slide stop end of the tube? If so, does it protrude?
 
The only thing I can think of is that during recoil, the inertia of the round moves it forward in the magazine, and then the bullet contacts the lug.
Click to expand...

It's a distinct possibility...and the fact that your glitch occurs near the last round or two suggests that's what's happening due to less spring tension available. Might be time for some Wolff mag springs...

I've also seen this happen with the slide oversprung. You didn't happen to install a 20-pound recoil spring?
 
You didn't happen to install a 20-pound recoil spring?
Click to expand...

No. It had the factory spring up until the last range trip. Then I installed a Wolfe spring also set to factory specs.

I'll try replacing the magazine springs, but it seems strange that I haven't had a similar problem in my Govt model, since they all use the same mags.
 
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