Colt 1911 firing pin strike .

cw308 · March 23, 2019, 05:27 PM

Is it common to have a pin strike off center no the primer ? The pistol fires 100% but I noticed when getting brass from my friend that doesn't reload , his are dead center. Will be testing with those new FC cases with small pistol primers .

**Aguila Blanca** · March 23, 2019, 07:20 PM

It's common to be slightly off center, but centered is obviously better. It should never be almost to the outer edge of the primer.

cw308 · March 23, 2019, 09:37 PM

Aguila Blanca
Thanks for answering , it's slightly off . Have you shot any 45's with the small primers ? Those may be close to the edges . Being the pin strike isn't dead center , is it the slide wasn't cut perfectly . I guess it's something I have to live with for now .

Chris

Oliver Sudden · March 23, 2019, 10:01 PM

Place a primed unloaded cartridge in the chamber and note how it’s indexes. The head stamp can be useful for that. Fire the primer and remove the caseing to determine if the dent is to the side or top to bottom. High or low would be due to how the barrel locks up.

Jim Watson · March 23, 2019, 11:19 PM

Old NRA said offcenter by up to .050" would not hurt and might help in a gun accurate enough to tell. That before the small primer stuff.

cw308 · March 24, 2019, 06:47 PM

Oliver S
I was thinking of shooting one at a time and marking the case in the magazine to see top bottom or side to side , may be nothing , will have to measure how far off from from what area .. Once you mentioned lock up I can see now how fitting the barrel come into play . At this point I don't think it could be corrected without causing other problems . It's shooting 100% Just ordered CT Laser grips , have them on a carry Colt New Agent , just adds alittle fun in practice . Thanks for taking the time in answering my post . Be Safe out there .
PS
It is hitting alittle low at 6 o'clock , I guess I could use a unprimed case , remove the firing pin , look through the tunnel with the unprimed case in the chamber . Firing pin hole and flash hole should line up in a perfect world ..

Chris

**Aguila Blanca** · March 24, 2019, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cw308

Thanks for answering , it's slightly off . Have you shot any 45's with the small primers ?

Yes. I have a few 1911s (two compacts for carry, and a couple of full-size for range use). None of them strike the primer exactly dead center, and none of them has ever failed to fire with the small primer, non-toxic ammo. (Not that I make a practice of shooting that small primer stuff.)

cw308 · March 25, 2019, 07:51 AM

Aguila
It looks like Federal is going that way using the small pistol primers . I have reloaded up 50 Federal cases with the small primers , I found no difference , cases may hold up better for reloading with the case head having a smaller pocket . We'll see .

Chris

March 23, 2019, 05:27 PM	#1
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	Colt 1911 firing pin strike . Is it common to have a pin strike off center no the primer ? The pistol fires 100% but I noticed when getting brass from my friend that doesn't reload , his are dead center. Will be testing with those new FC cases with small pistol primers .

March 24, 2019, 06:47 PM	#6
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	Oliver S I was thinking of shooting one at a time and marking the case in the magazine to see top bottom or side to side , may be nothing , will have to measure how far off from from what area .. Once you mentioned lock up I can see now how fitting the barrel come into play . At this point I don't think it could be corrected without causing other problems . It's shooting 100% Just ordered CT Laser grips , have them on a carry Colt New Agent , just adds alittle fun in practice . Thanks for taking the time in answering my post . Be Safe out there . PS It is hitting alittle low at 6 o'clock , I guess I could use a unprimed case , remove the firing pin , look through the tunnel with the unprimed case in the chamber . Firing pin hole and flash hole should line up in a perfect world .. Chris Last edited by cw308; March 26, 2019 at 09:48 AM.

March 23, 2019, 07:20 PM	#2
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,476	It's common to be slightly off center, but centered is obviously better. It should never be almost to the outer edge of the primer.

March 23, 2019, 09:37 PM	#3
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	Aguila Blanca Thanks for answering , it's slightly off . Have you shot any 45's with the small primers ? Those may be close to the edges . Being the pin strike isn't dead center , is it the slide wasn't cut perfectly . I guess it's something I have to live with for now . Chris

March 23, 2019, 10:01 PM	#4
Oliver Sudden Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2017 Location: Colorado Posts: 272	Place a primed unloaded cartridge in the chamber and note how it’s indexes. The head stamp can be useful for that. Fire the primer and remove the caseing to determine if the dent is to the side or top to bottom. High or low would be due to how the barrel locks up.

March 23, 2019, 11:19 PM	#5
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,544	Old NRA said offcenter by up to .050" would not hurt and might help in a gun accurate enough to tell. That before the small primer stuff.

March 25, 2019, 07:51 AM	#8
cw308 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2010 Location: Plainview , Long Island NY Posts: 3,863	Aguila It looks like Federal is going that way using the small pistol primers . I have reloaded up 50 Federal cases with the small primers , I found no difference , cases may hold up better for reloading with the case head having a smaller pocket . We'll see . Chris