SR1911 LW Commander losing control of its ammo ...

saands · April 23, 2017, 09:59 AM

Hey guys,

So I picked up a new SR1911 LW Commander this week and took it to the range. I LOVE the way it shoots. It was very reliable except with some truncated cone reloads (it double fed once out of a box of 50) and I blamed that on the reloads.

BUT ... being happy that it was reliable and accurate, I loaded up a couple of mags of Critical Duty ammo, popped a mag in, chambered a round and ejected the mag to top it off when to my surprise, the second round in the mag came rattling out on its own

I tried it again, same results. I tried it with 2 more kinds of ammo, same results - both factory mags did it and did it EVERY time. If I put the mag (now with 7 rounds on board) in and chamber a round it comes out looking like the pic below. I'm now pretty sure that the truncated cone rounds that double fed, did so because they weren't as long as the Critical Duty or FMJ rounds and that they were able to travel forward an additional mm or so and that was all it took to have them be totally unconstrained.

Sooooooo ... my question to y'all is do you have any experience with mags with spacers at the rear of the mag (like the Rugers) and do you see this kind of thing happening? I have a couple of other mags already inbound (a Mec-Gar and a W-C) ... I thought I would ask here before I call Ruger tomorrow.

I've had a couple of people tell me that this is normal, but I have ... well ... let's just say I have a "couple" of semi-auto pistols and none of them have EVER made me reload a loose round when topping off a mag. That being said, this is my first 1911 in 9mm.

Thanks,

Saands

pete2 · April 23, 2017, 10:11 AM

At least one of SR1911 CMD mags would puke out the ammo out some times , I sent it back to Ruger and it was replaced. It would puke ammo out, sometimes 4 or 5 rounds, Baer, McCormack, colt all work fine. My gun doesn't like truncated bullets, I normally shoot 200 gr RN. It's one of the funner 1911 I own.

Jim Watson · April 23, 2017, 10:28 AM

This is actually fairly common.
Chambering the top round pulls the second round forward in the magazine and if it gets out of the lips; ptooey, it spits it out.

A test you can run:
1. Insert Mag 1 and chamber a round. Do not take it out to top off. Shoot the gun. Does it feed reliably?
2. Insert Mag 1 and chamber a round. Take it out, don't worry about what it does. Insert Mag 2. Shoot the gun. Does it feed reliably?

No 2 is what I do for IDPA. We call the old magazine with one round used to load the chamber the "Barney Mag." The full magazine goes in under the Barney and you have a fully loaded gun with less manipulation.

And try the different brand magazines before you totally freak out.

saands · April 23, 2017, 10:50 AM

Thanks for the feedback guys ...

I did the #2 test for 11 mags worth of Critical Duty and CCI Blazer at my first trip to the range. ZERO feeding issues. I do think that the double feed I got with my shorter profiled TC bullets was a result of this, but maybe this gun just won't eat those ... not the end of the world if it runs 100% with my carry ammo and FMJ for practice.

I haven't tried test #1 yet, but I have every confidence that it will feed, fire, and eject all the full profile rounds without a hitch.

To be honest, I can't see how it can feed so reliably if it doesn't have control of the round

I would love to be able to see what is actually happening in there

... If I were working at Ruger, I'd have a slide with windows so that I could watch what was going on.

I actually have 3 different mags inbound at this point, so I guess I will see how that goes.

Well ... this may be common, but it certainly wasn't what I was expecting ... and my Star BM in 9mm doesn't do this

Saands

Jim Watson · April 23, 2017, 12:27 PM

If your Ruger was a .38 Super it would not strip rounds like that.
You are seeing the result of the combination of a short cartridge and a long action.

Your Star was designed for 9mm.

Although the phenomenon is not unknown in native 9mms. Sig Sauers are somewhat known for stripping the second round enough that a partly loaded magazine will not drop free for an IPSC Speed Load, the bullet is against the feed ramp and holds it in.

5whiskey · April 24, 2017, 11:32 AM

+1 as to this being fairly common, especially amongst certain magazines. I have some cheap 1911 magazines that do this with .45acp as well. Quality magazines either eliminate the problem entirely or make it so that it is only a mild annoyance. As said, 9mm in an action length designed for .45 makes it especially (and the single stack magazine design, IMO) prone to this.

T. O'Heir · April 24, 2017, 12:09 PM

Mags lips are likely too wide. Fixed with needle nosed pliers.
Kind of odd that 2 mags would have the same issue though. I wonder if they're .45 or .40 S&W mags. Just a WHAG ,that.

dahermit · April 24, 2017, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Kind of odd that 2 mags would have the same issue though. I wonder if they're .45 or .40 S&W mags. Just a WHAG ,that.

As is common to a lot of posters, he does not give enough information. Nevertheless, if you click on the last picture, you will see that the magazine has a groove down the sides of the magazine tube indicating either .38 Super or 9MM. Likewise a closer look at that same picture and one can see the spacer inside the back of the magazine tube indicating it was a 9MM not .38 Super. Or, he could have just mentioned that it was a 9MM at the beginning of his post.

Jim Watson · April 24, 2017, 06:11 PM

Quote:

That being said, this is my first 1911 in 9mm.

He mentioned it at the end of the first post.

dahermit · April 24, 2017, 06:29 PM

Whoops! I missed it.

Jim Watson · April 24, 2017, 06:36 PM

I have too.
Gone off on a tangent because I overlooked a significant point.
My Internet Expert Consultant fee should be docked in such cases.

Wait a minute!
Where are my Internet Expert Consultant fees for the ones I got right?

April 23, 2017, 10:50 AM	#4
saands Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1999 Posts: 1,573	Thanks for the feedback guys ... I did the #2 test for 11 mags worth of Critical Duty and CCI Blazer at my first trip to the range. ZERO feeding issues. I do think that the double feed I got with my shorter profiled TC bullets was a result of this, but maybe this gun just won't eat those ... not the end of the world if it runs 100% with my carry ammo and FMJ for practice. I haven't tried test #1 yet, but I have every confidence that it will feed, fire, and eject all the full profile rounds without a hitch. To be honest, I can't see how it can feed so reliably if it doesn't have control of the round I would love to be able to see what is actually happening in there ... If I were working at Ruger, I'd have a slide with windows so that I could watch what was going on. I actually have 3 different mags inbound at this point, so I guess I will see how that goes. Well ... this may be common, but it certainly wasn't what I was expecting ... and my Star BM in 9mm doesn't do this Saands __________________ MAG-FAST: Your AR stands fast where you mount it, so it's ready fast if you need it! www.mag-fast.com

April 24, 2017, 12:09 PM	#7
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Mags lips are likely too wide. Fixed with needle nosed pliers. Kind of odd that 2 mags would have the same issue though. I wonder if they're .45 or .40 S&W mags. Just a WHAG ,that. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

April 23, 2017, 09:59 AM	#1
saands Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1999 Posts: 1,573	SR1911 LW Commander losing control of its ammo ... Hey guys, So I picked up a new SR1911 LW Commander this week and took it to the range. I LOVE the way it shoots. It was very reliable except with some truncated cone reloads (it double fed once out of a box of 50) and I blamed that on the reloads. BUT ... being happy that it was reliable and accurate, I loaded up a couple of mags of Critical Duty ammo, popped a mag in, chambered a round and ejected the mag to top it off when to my surprise, the second round in the mag came rattling out on its own I tried it again, same results. I tried it with 2 more kinds of ammo, same results - both factory mags did it and did it EVERY time. If I put the mag (now with 7 rounds on board) in and chamber a round it comes out looking like the pic below. I'm now pretty sure that the truncated cone rounds that double fed, did so because they weren't as long as the Critical Duty or FMJ rounds and that they were able to travel forward an additional mm or so and that was all it took to have them be totally unconstrained. Sooooooo ... my question to y'all is do you have any experience with mags with spacers at the rear of the mag (like the Rugers) and do you see this kind of thing happening? I have a couple of other mags already inbound (a Mec-Gar and a W-C) ... I thought I would ask here before I call Ruger tomorrow. I've had a couple of people tell me that this is normal, but I have ... well ... let's just say I have a "couple" of semi-auto pistols and none of them have EVER made me reload a loose round when topping off a mag. That being said, this is my first 1911 in 9mm. Thanks, Saands __________________ MAG-FAST: Your AR stands fast where you mount it, so it's ready fast if you need it! www.mag-fast.com

April 23, 2017, 10:11 AM	#2
pete2 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 2,566	At least one of SR1911 CMD mags would puke out the ammo out some times , I sent it back to Ruger and it was replaced. It would puke ammo out, sometimes 4 or 5 rounds, Baer, McCormack, colt all work fine. My gun doesn't like truncated bullets, I normally shoot 200 gr RN. It's one of the funner 1911 I own.

April 23, 2017, 10:28 AM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	This is actually fairly common. Chambering the top round pulls the second round forward in the magazine and if it gets out of the lips; ptooey, it spits it out. A test you can run: 1. Insert Mag 1 and chamber a round. Do not take it out to top off. Shoot the gun. Does it feed reliably? 2. Insert Mag 1 and chamber a round. Take it out, don't worry about what it does. Insert Mag 2. Shoot the gun. Does it feed reliably? No 2 is what I do for IDPA. We call the old magazine with one round used to load the chamber the "Barney Mag." The full magazine goes in under the Barney and you have a fully loaded gun with less manipulation. And try the different brand magazines before you totally freak out.

April 23, 2017, 12:27 PM	#5
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	If your Ruger was a .38 Super it would not strip rounds like that. You are seeing the result of the combination of a short cartridge and a long action. Your Star was designed for 9mm. Although the phenomenon is not unknown in native 9mms. Sig Sauers are somewhat known for stripping the second round enough that a partly loaded magazine will not drop free for an IPSC Speed Load, the bullet is against the feed ramp and holds it in.

April 24, 2017, 11:32 AM	#6
5whiskey Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2005 Location: US Posts: 3,657	+1 as to this being fairly common, especially amongst certain magazines. I have some cheap 1911 magazines that do this with .45acp as well. Quality magazines either eliminate the problem entirely or make it so that it is only a mild annoyance. As said, 9mm in an action length designed for .45 makes it especially (and the single stack magazine design, IMO) prone to this.

April 24, 2017, 06:29 PM	#10
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	Whoops! I missed it.

April 24, 2017, 06:36 PM	#11
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	I have too. Gone off on a tangent because I overlooked a significant point. My Internet Expert Consultant fee should be docked in such cases. Wait a minute! Where are my Internet Expert Consultant fees for the ones I got right?