Colt New Agent Talo 9mm: Jamming...Bummed Out

[KyJim]

Aristides --

I'd love to know who the LGS was but I won't ask. But I will ask if it was in Louisville since that's where you live.

Glad you got it worked out, even without the help of your LGS. The call to send it back is not their's. That's between you and Colt.

[curmudgeon1]

I have two New Agents, both are .45acp, but I experienced feed malfunctions similar to the ones you describe when the guns were NEW out of the box. There are three things I've done to eliminate these problems:
1. Polished off the sharp corner/burrs underneath the magazine feed lips.
2. Use a wet patch at the range to wipe off the burned powder residue from
the feed ramp every once in a while.
3. Maintain a firm-grip/stiff wrist on the little 3-incher when firing it to
prevent "stove pipes".
Be patient, it'll come around after a little firing.

[Aristides]

KyJim: Yes, the LGS is in Louisville. I don't know why I should "protect" their reputation -- they're the ones who screwed up -- but I don't feel comfortable disclosing their name on this forum. On the other hand, I don't want to put all Louisville LGS's under suspicion by not singling out the culprit. If you'd like to know who it is, send me a PM.

[Carry_24/7]

Curmudgeon1; great info. As I've said a few times, any gun manufacturer can put out a problematic gun. In many cases just a few simple self-steps can cure the issue, especially when guys like you are willing to report and share such info.

[Aristides]

I sent my Colt 9mm New Agent back to them for the THIRD TIME several weeks ago. Same problem...consistent mis-feeds using PDX1. Each time I've sent it to them, I've asked them to repair and then test it with PDX1, and they told me explicitly that they would. My contact, Alex, has been nice enough, assuring me that there shouldn't be a problem with PDX1, or any other common JHP.

This last time I sent it in, I told Alex that I wanted the gun to be replaced, since they've already tried twice to fix it. Alex said he would discuss that request with management, and that my gun and request would get special treatment by supervisors in the technical area. He promised that I would promptly get a personal phone call from someone in management to reconcile my problem.

After waiting another week or two, I called back to get a status...nobody had called me. Alex apologized and told me things were busy there, and I would hear from somebody soon.

After another week, I received my original gun back from Colt. Nobody had ever called me, and they apparently ignored my request for a replacement gun. They also totally failed in correcting the problem. At the range yesterday, I had at least one jam in 5 of 6 mags that I shot. The jamming was happening in both of the two mags that I have.

When I speak again with Alex after the Christmas holiday, I will again insist on a replacement. I'll mail my current pistol to the president of Colt, if necessary.

[robmkivseries70]

If this is a 1911 pattern piece (in 9mm) it sounds like the extractor is to tight. Possibly the breech face is rough preventing the case head from sliding up under the extractor. Does the cartridge have much of a jump across to the feed ramp and is the ramp smooth? HTH
best,
Rob

[Aristides]

I don't know what Colt has done to it. The repair order simply says "repair for feed, adjust to factory spec, test for function."

It has said the same thing each of the three times they've had it.

The ramp looks smooth to me, but I'm not a gunsmith. You would think that they would have done some polishing and adjusting of things after three trips, but it's not functioning any better than when I first sent it in.

[hogwiley]

Have you tried other types of hollow points besides PDX1 since the last trip to colt?

Theres almost no chance they are going to replace the gun, especially if the problem is occuring mainly with one brand of ammo.

Its a 3 inch 1911, not a glock 19, which means reliability is going to be hit or miss. It appears you missed. I wouldnt buy a short barrelled 1911 unless I was willing to monkey around with the gun extensively to get it working perfectly.

[MythBuster]

Since there are no "official working do this for a living gunsmith" in our area myself and another guy keep all the problem guns running around here.

Everytime our local dealer gets a gun back that the customer says will not function one of us checks it out before it gets sent back. The vast majority of the time they don't need to go back.

Here are a few good examples. A guy buys a NIB Ruger 10-22. Brings it back the next day claiming it jams at least two time a mag.

I took the gun and fire 100 CCI Mini Mags through it without a single problem. Turns our the guy was using junk ammo.

Another guy buys a NIB Ruger P-89. Claims he can't fire over three rounds through it without a malfunction. I shoot about 100 rounds of assorted ball and HPs through it without a problem. He decides it does not want it so he trades it in. The new owner is happy and has no problems in two years of shooting. I have no clue what his problem was. If it was sent back to Ruger they would not know either.

Guy buys a NIB Remington 700. Says it will not group well enough to keep the rounds inside a three foot circle at 100 yards. Demands it be sent back to the factory. The other "gunsmith" takes it to the range and puts 5 rounds in just a bit over a half inch with factory ammo.

Another one buys a semi auto shotgun designed to fire very heavy turkey hunting loads and demands it be sent back because it will not cycle using very light loads.

I could write at least ten pages of this if I wanted.

The gun shop owner did the right thing by testing the gun himself before sending it back.

[MythBuster]

hogwiley said,
"Its a 3 inch 1911, not a glock 19, which means reliability is going to be hit or miss. It appears you missed. I wouldnt buy a short barrelled 1911 unless I was willing to monkey around with the gun extensively to get it working perfectly"

Exactly. In fact that almost applies to most any factory 1911 these days.

I have got to where I am surprised when I see one that is 100% out of the box especially a 9mm 1911 of any kind.

[Aristides]

So, I'm supposed to be ok with spending almost $1,200 for a top-brand pistol that might work with standard JHP, and might not?

Sorry, I'm just not.

[MythBuster]

No one thinks you should be happy. None of us would be happy after spending all that money on an unreliable pistol. That is why most of us would not buy what you bought.

We already knew to expect trouble. Now you know that.

[Aristides]

It isn't just the Winchester PDX1 that it chokes on. I also tried Hornady Critical Defense. It jammed on the 2nd round of the first mag.

I didn't try to shoot any more of the CD or the PDX1 in that range session. I packed up the gun to return to Colt.

[SJ1]

No offense intended but you have posted your issues on several forums and have received the same answers on each forum. Some 1911 pattern pistols will not function well with some ammo. Period, that's it. I am fortunate to have been shooting 1911's for 40 years and have several hand built competition guns built by master level gunsmiths. They each have their own unique likes when it comes to ammo. They all malfunction with ammo they don't like. My advice is to find ammo your gun likes and use it or sell the gun and move on. SJ1

[dgludwig]

Exactly. In fact that almost applies to most any factory 1911 these days.

I have got to where I am surprised when I see one that is 100% out of the box especially a 9mm 1911 of any kind.

If that is true, then I only think it would be fair for the manufacturer to include a disclaimer with every pistol they ship. Said disclaimer apparently should read something like this: "Congratulations! You have just spent (fill in price amount) for one of our pistols that may work fine straight out of the box-but most probably won't. We thought you 'already knew to expect trouble'. Sending it back to us for fixing most likely won't make any difference. You may have to 'monkey around with the gun extensively to get it working perfectly' or buy a lot of different kinds of ammunition and try that (oh, and we are not recommending what ammunition will work best in our pistols. We'd rather save some money and have the customer do the 'trial and error' and hope that he gets lucky sooner than later). If all that fails, you're probably limp-wristing it. Either develop stronger wrists or 'sell the gun and move on' ".

[Aristides]

SJ1:

As best I can remember, I've given extensive information about my ordeal only on this thread, on this forum. I may have mentioned it in passing on another forum, probably THR, as the issue of 1911 reliability has come up. In any case, I don't see why it's a problem to share my insights or experiences on another forum. I don't really expect a different answer, I'm just participating in the discussions. That's what the forums are all about. Readers can learn and benefit from my contributions, or not.

Meanwhile, after my New Agent came back from Colt the third time and was still jamming, after several calls to Colt, I learned today that they will be replacing the gun. Apparently they agree that my gun should run on PDX1, or any other industry standard ammo.

I'm still deciding whether I will keep the new one, or sell it.

[kokopelli]

just stumbled on this when searching 'new agent'

can I guess that the LGS was 'SS'?

pm'ing you...

[Carry_24/7]

Aristides, your keeping everyone posted on the problems with that Colt and their CS leaving you with an inoperable pistol is appreciated....

Keep us posted.

How many types of ammo have you tried?

[Aristides]

To answer your question: I used three types of ammo: Federal Champion FMJ, Winchester PDX1, and Hornady Critical Defense.

Had a few FMJ jams early on, but FMJ did better later on.

Failed consistently on PDX1. Last time I had the gun, it had FTFeed on 6 of 7 mags.

Since I use PDX1 in my other guns with never an issue, I had been reluctant to bother with other brands, believing if the gun was "right", I shouldn't have to go on a hunt for ammo that works. Nevertheless, curious that it may be something peculiar with the PDX1, I tried the Critical Defense. When it failed on the second shot, I stopped waisting ammo, packed it up, and sent it back to Colt.

Most recent UPDATE: I exchanged several emails over the past few weeks with one of the CS guys, who kept telling me that I would be hearing soon from someone in management. He had earlier told me I would be getting a new gun, then in one of the emails he told me they were "working on" my gun over at the repair/range. This made me antsy, sounded like they were reneging on the new gun decision.

In any case, I sent an email telling CS that I was upset at the slow resolution to my problem, that it had been months since this all started, and my next communication would include a copy to Colt's president.

A couple of days later (ie, this past week), I got a phone call from the guy who is their new Manager of Products and Customer Service. They had been going through some personnel changes, and I wasn't the only upset customer that he was dealing with. He apologized sincerely and profusely for my problems and Colt's slow response. He said that he had personally shot my gun together with the tech guys, and even after exchanging several parts, it was consistently jamming on them, too. Interestingly, they were even getting jams on FMJ, even though I hadn't had any for a while.

He said I am no question getting a brand new gun, which will get special treatment in the Custom Shop, including a trigger job and other goodies. The only issue is how/when they will get their hands on a new gun for me. They do production runs of the TALO version only a few times a year, and unless he can snag one somewhere else (he would think about that), I would have to wait until the next run. He is to get back with me on a date estimate.

Meanwhile, as a potential alternative, he said that I could have my pick of any gun they make, and he mentioned the Gold Cup as an example. I told him I would think about that, and I am. However, I really like the TALO New Agent 9mm, it's the gun I really want, and I'm likely to just wait for it.

I am bothered that this has been dragged out for so long, but the last phone call won me over. I have been angry and disgusted with Colt, and expecting to just sell (with full disclosure) whatever I get back from them, because I just didn't want to fool with them anymore. But now, after the last conversation, the sincere apologies, and the promise to make everything right, I am (sort of) patiently looking forward to receiving my New Agent TALO, straight from the Custom Shop, whenever that may be.

[Carry_24/7]

Good for you in holding Colts feet to the fire. I hope things work out as they quoted to you...

[Shadi Khalil]

This situation sounds like a nightmare. However the offer of anything they make is quite tempting.

[lcpiper]

Quite a story, at one point it looked like only a mag problem and thought you had it licked and then it went right into the crapper.

BTW, my opinion, the whole 3" 9mm thing is not endemic to the platform. There are way to many guys with excellent and reliable 1911 guns of all types for it to be only an issue with the 3" format and whatever caliber is running thru it. And as always you hear alot more from a guy with a problem then from a happy guy so it always sounds like it's worse then it is.

If this platform has issues it's issues with companies and poor CQ. Some just are not going through the right proceedures and I suspect it's in an attempt to cut costs. This is why special custom shop guns like Wilson and NightHawk don't have these issues and it's because they take the time to insure that they won't and this translates into a more costly gun.

And on a side note. Your LGS's approach may seem like a good idea on the surface in that it probably does cut down on some unnecessary returns, but it also leaves them open to real problems that they would be better of avoiding. You had a truely faulty product that could have been easily identified and corrected. Instead this issue drug on for months needlessly.

Still, you may come out in darn good shape with exactly what you want and better for it.

[m&p45acp10+1]

I they had offered me a Royal Comander I would have taken it in a heart beat. Though those were a limited run 400. That Royal Blue fininsh is just breathtaking. Though I doubt if I had that one it would have jamming problems I would never shoot it. I would make a display case for it.

[orionengnr]

Your experience with the New Agent 9mm sounds an awful lot like my experience with the Springfield EMP 9mm.

Two guns (the second a factory replacement for he first), two trips back each. Ended up with a functional gun on the fourth try, sold with full disclosure at a significant loss.

Never again.