1911 Help

drummer · October 30, 2005, 04:30 PM

I have a Colt 1911 that's giving me some trouble. Its a 5" barrel new production series 70. The problem i'm having is that sometimes it will extract and eject the spent casing, but the next round is driven into the barrel hood. This only happens when using JHP Winchester Ranger carry ammo, not ball. I've noticed that it occurs once every 2-3 mags when using Wilsons, but only occurs every 8-9 mags when using McCormick Power mags.

I thought that slide velocity might be a bit too high, so I swapped the factory springs out with a 18 lb recoil and 19 lb. mainspring. That didn't help the problem any.

What has me the most confused is that it occurs infrequently. It has occurred with other people shooting the pistol, not just me. It also occured while shooting the factory Colt mags, so I don't think its the mags.

My next step is to try some Speer Gold Dots. But, its been my experience that the Rangers feed better in some pistols than Gold Dots. Has anyone had this problem before, or heard of something similar happening?

I searched this and other forums for anyone else having similar problems but the searches didn't turn up anything.

Thanks- Drummer

cntryboy1289 · October 30, 2005, 09:12 PM

Sounds like the feed ramp needs polishing as well as taking care of the throat area of the barrel. If you are not experienced in this type of work, I would definitely let a pistolsmith do the work for you.

**Unclenick** · October 31, 2005, 01:26 AM

Ditto CB's comments. The standard Colt feed ramp is too narrow and often a bit too rough for anything much other than a round nose bullet. The barrel throat is often too narrow and may not lie flush or slightly forward of the end of the feed ramp as it should in counter-battery. A properly polished throat and feed ramp will feed spent casings, near-wadcutter shapes, etcetera. This is a very standard bit of work and you shouldn't have any trouble finding a smith to do it.

Nick

RickB · October 31, 2005, 12:20 PM

If the gun has the new "dimpled" barrel throat, don't let a "gunsmith" alter it. If it has the old G.I.-style throat, then opening it up in the accepted fashion should help your feed problem.
Switching from a 23# main to a 19# main will allow the gun to unlock early, increasing rearward slide velocity; not what you want. Replacing the 16# recoil spring with an 18 will increase the closing velocity; also, not what you want.

drummer · November 1, 2005, 09:09 PM

Thanks for the replies. I don't feel that this is a feeding problem. For starters, it doesn't occur often enough to suggest that its a problem with feed ramp geometry. Also, I had the barrel throated/feed ramp polished by a competant pistolsmith.

It seems to be a timing issue. Now i'm wondering if a lighter than factory recoil spring is in order.

cntryboy1289 · November 2, 2005, 01:00 AM

I guess my next question for you then is how long has it been doing what you described? Has it ever fed correctly using hollow points or other loads that aren't round ball after the work was done to it. If it has, I would look to the magazine feed lips and make sure they allow the round to feed correctly. I have seen mags that will feed the different loads quite differently allowing certain bullets to stub like what you are describing and it not be the ramp or throats fault at all.

I would replace the stock spring and examine the feed lips of the magazines with the rounds loaded and check to see if the round pops straight up or if it has to be pushed forward and clear like it should be. I really don't think this is a spring issue that you have, unless it is possibly the springs in the magazine themselves.

If it has never fed correctly, then I would suggest looking at the feed ramp and the barrel and making sure you have the 1 1/2 to 1 jump between the ramp and the bottom of the barrel. If it does have this amount of jump from the ramp to the barrel, I would suggest that maybe the mag lips are the problem. If however, there is not a 1 1/2 to 1 jump between them, I think that maybe this wasn't accounted for by the smith that did the work for you. This alone will cause stubs against the bottom of the barrel as well as make a round bounce up against the top of the barrel. if the top lip of the barrel wasn't chamfered slightly, the round can and will stub against it. what you are describing to me is a 3pt bind which the jump from the ramp to the barrel not being enough can cause all of the problems you are experiencing.

October 30, 2005, 04:30 PM	#1
drummer Junior Member Join Date: October 30, 2005 Posts: 2	1911 Help I have a Colt 1911 that's giving me some trouble. Its a 5" barrel new production series 70. The problem i'm having is that sometimes it will extract and eject the spent casing, but the next round is driven into the barrel hood. This only happens when using JHP Winchester Ranger carry ammo, not ball. I've noticed that it occurs once every 2-3 mags when using Wilsons, but only occurs every 8-9 mags when using McCormick Power mags. I thought that slide velocity might be a bit too high, so I swapped the factory springs out with a 18 lb recoil and 19 lb. mainspring. That didn't help the problem any. What has me the most confused is that it occurs infrequently. It has occurred with other people shooting the pistol, not just me. It also occured while shooting the factory Colt mags, so I don't think its the mags. My next step is to try some Speer Gold Dots. But, its been my experience that the Rangers feed better in some pistols than Gold Dots. Has anyone had this problem before, or heard of something similar happening? I searched this and other forums for anyone else having similar problems but the searches didn't turn up anything. Thanks- Drummer

October 30, 2005, 09:12 PM	#2
cntryboy1289 Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2004 Location: Ms Posts: 1,160	need to polish the feed ramp Sounds like the feed ramp needs polishing as well as taking care of the throat area of the barrel. If you are not experienced in this type of work, I would definitely let a pistolsmith do the work for you.

November 2, 2005, 01:00 AM	#6
cntryboy1289 Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2004 Location: Ms Posts: 1,160	couple of things to check I guess my next question for you then is how long has it been doing what you described? Has it ever fed correctly using hollow points or other loads that aren't round ball after the work was done to it. If it has, I would look to the magazine feed lips and make sure they allow the round to feed correctly. I have seen mags that will feed the different loads quite differently allowing certain bullets to stub like what you are describing and it not be the ramp or throats fault at all. I would replace the stock spring and examine the feed lips of the magazines with the rounds loaded and check to see if the round pops straight up or if it has to be pushed forward and clear like it should be. I really don't think this is a spring issue that you have, unless it is possibly the springs in the magazine themselves. If it has never fed correctly, then I would suggest looking at the feed ramp and the barrel and making sure you have the 1 1/2 to 1 jump between the ramp and the bottom of the barrel. If it does have this amount of jump from the ramp to the barrel, I would suggest that maybe the mag lips are the problem. If however, there is not a 1 1/2 to 1 jump between them, I think that maybe this wasn't accounted for by the smith that did the work for you. This alone will cause stubs against the bottom of the barrel as well as make a round bounce up against the top of the barrel. if the top lip of the barrel wasn't chamfered slightly, the round can and will stub against it. what you are describing to me is a 3pt bind which the jump from the ramp to the barrel not being enough can cause all of the problems you are experiencing.

October 31, 2005, 01:26 AM	#3
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Ditto CB's comments. The standard Colt feed ramp is too narrow and often a bit too rough for anything much other than a round nose bullet. The barrel throat is often too narrow and may not lie flush or slightly forward of the end of the feed ramp as it should in counter-battery. A properly polished throat and feed ramp will feed spent casings, near-wadcutter shapes, etcetera. This is a very standard bit of work and you shouldn't have any trouble finding a smith to do it. Nick

October 31, 2005, 12:20 PM	#4
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	If the gun has the new "dimpled" barrel throat, don't let a "gunsmith" alter it. If it has the old G.I.-style throat, then opening it up in the accepted fashion should help your feed problem. Switching from a 23# main to a 19# main will allow the gun to unlock early, increasing rearward slide velocity; not what you want. Replacing the 16# recoil spring with an 18 will increase the closing velocity; also, not what you want.

November 1, 2005, 09:09 PM	#5
drummer Junior Member Join Date: October 30, 2005 Posts: 2	Thanks for the replies. I don't feel that this is a feeding problem. For starters, it doesn't occur often enough to suggest that its a problem with feed ramp geometry. Also, I had the barrel throated/feed ramp polished by a competant pistolsmith. It seems to be a timing issue. Now i'm wondering if a lighter than factory recoil spring is in order.