Question on a 1911.

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J

Just One Shot

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I'm a new owner of a Metro Arms American Clasic II .45acp 1911.

Sat. I took it to the range for the first time.

I was getting alot of powder burn on my face when I shot the thing.

There was no wind and I was holding it in a Weaver stance with the gun about 20-21" away from my face.

I was wondering if the problem is with the recoil spring being too light.

Would an aftermarket guide rod and recoil spring prevent this?
 
by Powder burn - do you mean muzzle flash?

You might also state what ammo you were firing.

I doubt the guide rod type has anything to do
with what you are experiencing

R-
 
Fiocchi ammo. No it was not muzzle flash. My face was being burnt by the gun powder coming from the ejection port.
 
I would think it is the ammo --- try this test , take a sheet of heavy paper and tape it to make a full circle -- insert gun and fire , look to see exactly where there are powder burns etc. ---- I've never had problems with gas/powder etc. from the ejection port -- you sure it is not from the rear of the slide ; rails or extractor ??
 
I was just on the 1911.org site and someone there asked about the ammo.

I guess I'll have to try and find a different brand and see if the results are the same.

Thanks for the replies.
 
There is nothing mechanical, no springs, guide rods, barrel bushing that you can add to change the burn rate of factory powder.

You could plug up the barrel. This would provide complete combustion of the powder, prior to splitting the barrel like a banana.

Till your Italian ammunition is used up, shoot with the wind to your back.

Save your brass and reload with American powders that don’t have this problem
 
Plain and simple it IS the ammo you were using and to be specific the Powder they used in it , it was not burning completely and being tossed out of the brass as it ejected it was too slow of a burn rate to completely burn or perhaps the primers weren't hot enough to make it all burn .

I have never used Fiocchi so I have no idea if this is typical with it or if it was just this Lot of it .

I have on occassion had this same thing happen over the years just not quite as bad as you describe .

You might notice some times when you go shooting that this wont happen but when your done your face will just feel dirty , like you had gotten caught in a dust storm or something and your pores were all clogged up .

Try different brands some will be better than others normally , or better yet reload your own and make sure you use a fast burning powder like Winchester 231 or BullsEye for the 45 ACP .

There is nothing you can do to the gun to prevent this so don't waste money modifying it trying .
 
I agree, it can only be slow, dirty powder.

I drop the full-length guide rod from all my 1911s. After much research and trial, the only barely perceptible advantage I can discern that they give is more muzzle weight, giving (again almost imperceptibly) less felt muzzle flip.

And it's a good example of why to wear eye protection at least, and shooting gloves. (I have a nice blood blister on my palm from last weekend, reloading very quickly and pinching my hand in the mag well.)
 
FWIW - I've yet to shoot any .45 ACP in my 1911 where it had a flash out of the ejection port. I have had this happen with my CZ 75B in 9x19 - I think it was Rem JHP 115 gr. but the flash went out to the side and up sligtly
not back at me - yeah I always wear shooting glasses.
 
It sounds like the barrel is unlocking before the pressure has dropped. Not a good thing.
 
I would replace the recoil spring with an 18.5 or 20 lb Wolff ($7.95 from Brownell's). If you're shooting full-power hardball you ought to, anyway. The factory spring in my Colt Combat Commander let the hammer bounce and caused peening of the disconnector cut in the bottom of the slide - changed to a 22 lb & no more problems whatsoever. I am a fan of higher weights since I don't shoot CF matches any more and the lightest bullet I use is a 200 gr at medium-top velocities. Cheap and easy fixes, and I would guess it will help your blow back as well. Give it a try... :cool:
 
Maj Dad I would replace the recoil spring with an 18.5 or 20 lb Wolff ($7.95 from Brownell's).
Click to expand...

I did a search and found listings for the Commander and the Standard. Also listed are 20 lb. and 20 lb. variable.

Which would you recomend 20 lb. or 20 lb. variable?

I would assume the American Classic II would use the Standard spring and not the Commander, does that sound correct?
 
Adding a 20lb spring to a 5" 1911 is not necessary unless you are shooting overpressure loads. A 16lb spring is stock, and I tend to run either a 16lb or 18.5lb variable rate Wolff spring.

Moving to a heavier spring will not fundamentally alter the symptoms as described. Moving to a 20lb spring will likely introduce a new set of niggling intermittant problems.
 
I did a search for the 18.5 wolff but came up empty. They had 2 other brands in the 18 lb.

I'm not ordering anything until I try some different ammo.
 
Wilson Combat Spring Caddy

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/a_spring_caddy.asp

Whether you need to change the current recoil spring
or not, the spring caddy is a good thing to have around.
FYI - most recommend the rrecoil spring be changed
every 2,000 rounds

FWIW - only way I'll go to a 20 Lb Recoil SPring is
when i get the .400 CorBon Bar STo Barrel fitted. SIW

Randall
 
Whether you need to change the current recoil spring
or not, the spring caddy is a good thing to have around.
FYI - most recommend the rrecoil spring be changed
every 2,000 rounds
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up! I was not aware they recommended changing the springs that often.

But, why would you need the lighter springs in the kit if they come with 16 lb. springs from the factory?
 
Thanks for the heads up! I was not aware they recommended changing the springs that often
Click to expand...

They sell springs, what do you expect?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

--wally.
 
One Sure SHot

the 9mm/.38 Super 1911s use a lighter spring.

Also prior to the 70 series Gold CUp National Match "1911"s
had a lighter slide due to internal cuts and should not be
fired with GI Ball ammo just light target wadcutters which is what
they were made for. Since the 70 Series the slides are the same.

I suspect the 8 lb recoil spring is for the .22 LR conversion
kits that come with an aluminum slide.


FWIW the Caddy kit includes a spare bushing wrench as well as a
spare firing pin spring, and the Shok Buffs - It's generally not
recommended to use the shok buffs on an HD/SD weapon. They go
on the recoil guide rod - I've never used them and use the slot in
the caddy for a different item.

Randall - I'm also a member of the 1911 Forum and on
this list if 1911Tuner ( moderator ) responds to a question
listen up and learn is what I've found - Good Man .
 
At the risk of being called a niggler :evil: I would still recommend trying a heavier spring. My pistol's spring was changed by Alex Hamilton of Ten-Ring Precision in San Antonio ( http://www.tenring.com/ ), and it was he who suggested heavier springs to me for a steady diet full-power, and I don't think over-pressure, loads. I am sure rbernie knows whereof he speaks, and I respect his opinion. In this case, changing a recoil spring is almost trivial compared to other approaches and certainly worth a try if problems persist after changing ammo. Brownell's link for the 18.5 lb (I've used both fixed & variable and see no difference of note) is:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=51015/pid=24563/sku/Extra_Power_18_1_2_lb__CS_Recoil_Spring
Very Respectfully,
George Jacoby, Maj, USAF (ret)
 
'
Heavier or lighter, regardless yah never know what the factory
puts in them - a 'caddy' from Wilson COmbat or Wolf might
be a good investment -as well as- getting some baseline 230 gr.
FMJ WWB or Remington - there's vaolue packs for 100 rds
and you can baseline to find out what's up - kinda like tuning a
carb - lean or rich but know what fuel you're running.

Randall
 
DasFriek It may be possible that whats burning you could be oil from an over lubed gun.
Click to expand...

:scrutiny:

That would have to be alot of oil.

I can assure you, this is not the problem. I own a number of other semi autos and the only place that has a slight amount of visible oil is on the slide.

Besides, if it was oil my face would be wet from the residue and that is not the case.
 
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