Spent casings in the face.

[KAS1981]

Went and shot a little over 100 rounds through my Taurus 1911 today. No malfunctions using 230 grain UMC ammo.

However I had two rounds where the empty brass came straight back at me. All the other rounds were flung consistently between 3:00 and 4:00 from the ejection port. The ones that ejected properly went zinging quite a ways out, the rounds that came straight back kind of lazily hopped out of the pistol.

What causes that? Is it an ammo thing? Extractor?

 

[Remllez]

Ammo thing...

 

[W.E.G.]

I knew this was going to be a 1911 thread before I even clicked on the link.

I've had the following 1911-style pistols all throw hot cases in my face.
Colt (series 70 - unmodified)
Para-Ordnance (unmodified and still did it after it was modified)
Smith and Wesson
Springfield Armory
Ballester Molina

 

[Mr.Blue]

The FNP 45 seems to do this initially, but stops over time. I had a case fly under the brim of my baseball cap and bounce inside my glasses, burning my eyelid. Now I use goggles.

 

[Fishslayer]

My light target loads tend to jump down the shirt of any females who happen to be shooting my 1911. This would be funny if the instinct wasn't to spin away from the line with a completely forgotten cocked & ready .45 waving around with a panicked finger on the trigger.

I suspect you got hit by cases from rounds with a touch less powder than the others.

 

[wally]

I suspect you got hit by cases from rounds with a touch less powder than the others.

That, or a loose grip that let the pistol twist under recoil, or the extractor is clocking a bit.

You can test the extractor by removing the slide and twisting the extractor -- it should have barely detectable movement.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

There can be several reasons for ejected cases coming back at you. To understand it, examine the extraction/ejection cycle.

The case is coming straight back when it is pulled from the chamber. The lower left quadrant of the case head hits the ejector (which is fixed in the frame) and is bumped to the right, spinning out of the ejection port. The slide by this time has reached the rearward part of its travel and starts forward, bumping the case and throwing it to the side or front.

If ejection occurs too soon (usually due to a long ejector) the case will be out of the ejection port too soon and will be thrown almost straight back. If ejection occurs too late, the case may be trapped by the ejection port causing a stovepipe jam.

These conditions, early or late ejection, can also be caused by ammunition (over or under-powered rounds) or by your hold on the gun.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Another example of the ALWAYS eyes 'n ears rule.

I've had a 45 ACP case richocet back off a barrier hard enough to break the skin. No fun.

Most likely it's a slight variance in your grip.

 

[Walkalong]

It should not normally eject cases into your face, although it can happen from time to time. It is easily fixed though.

http://www.brazoscustom.com/magart/ejection perfection.htm