1911 feed ramp polishing

dusterdude · December 25, 2010, 11:12 AM

well i tried my new mccormick mag yesterday to see if it would help with my hollow point feeding issues,alas no luck.so it seems im going to have to polish the ramp on this thing.does anyone know of any books or videos i can peruse before i attempt this?thanks

mete · December 25, 2010, 12:40 PM

What gun , how old ? There's polishing and there's reshaping. Reshaping an older ramp requires some knowledge !

**Tom Servo** · December 25, 2010, 01:52 PM

What kind of failures are you having?

**Shane Tuttle** · December 25, 2010, 02:23 PM

Have you ruled out the Chip McCormick mags being the culprit?

dusterdude · December 25, 2010, 02:25 PM

its a springfield about 25 years old,it feeds ball rounds just fine,but the hollow points run straight into the frame of the pistol just below the ramp into the chamber.ill take a pic and post it later

dusterdude · December 25, 2010, 02:30 PM

shane,im sure the mag isnt the problem,first its brand new and i have had this problem for years with this gun,im just finally getting around to doing something about it.

45Badger · December 25, 2010, 03:22 PM

Be insanely careful to polish only. You do not want to remove material or change angles.

dusterdude · December 25, 2010, 06:49 PM

thanks,ill darn sure keep that in mind

GURU1911 · December 25, 2010, 08:45 PM

I have 25 years experience working on the 1911 pistol. After reading the description of the problems you are experiencing, i can tell you what the problem is & how to correct it.

Problem: The lower edge of the barrel throat is protruding into the feedramp. This slight over-hang is what is catching the nose of the hp bullet as it is attempting to slide up the feedramp and into the barrel throat.

The lower edge of the barrel throat, must be reshaped to about 1/32" in front of the top edge of the feedramp. In other words, there should be a small gap between the edge of the barrel throat & frame feedramp. If you are not skilled enough to do this delicate piece of work, please take it to a local pistolsmith near you who can.

Please consult the american pistolsmiths guild for the closet to you.

**Tom Servo** · December 25, 2010, 09:23 PM

Quote:

In other words, there should be a small gap between the edge of the barrel throat & frame feedramp.

Absolutely right. I've lost count of the number of 1911's I've seen reduced to paperweights because someone thought there shouldn't be a "shelf" there.

**Shane Tuttle** · December 25, 2010, 09:43 PM

Guru1911 stated it best. With the age of your 1911 variant, I'm willing to bet this might be your problem. Like you said, post some pics so we can get a better idea...

a7mmnut · December 25, 2010, 09:53 PM

You'll need a Dremel, some jeweler's rouge or similar compound, and a felt polishing wheel just slightly larger than the radius of your ramp. If you need to completely reshape the ramp or throat itself, take what these guys said in heed. Even 600 grit stones will ruin the throat if the angle is wrong. Send the pics of your barrel. There's plenty of experts here to help.

-7-

Sarge · December 25, 2010, 10:10 PM

From a Kuhnhausen manual, which I own and am sharing with friends.

RickB · December 26, 2010, 12:07 PM

I wouldn't be polishing, reshaping, or otherwise altering anything until determining with certainty that there really is something wrong with the size, shape, finish, etc. of the parts in question. Too many people fiddle with 1911s apparently because they can. Is the feedramp rough with heavy tool marks? Does the barrel overhang the frame feed ramp?

Sarge · December 26, 2010, 12:11 PM

I had to wonder about that myself. I've 'fixed' several of them that wouldn't feed simply because somebody had 'tensioned' their extractor (or installed a new one without tensioning it) excessively and the hook simply wouldn't ride over the rim.

GURU1911 · December 26, 2010, 06:36 PM

Thanks for enclosing the photos from mr. Kunhausen's shop manual. Hopefully this will give the gentleman having the feeding problems a better understanding of what is causing the problem & how to best correct it. Thanks !!!!!!

dusterdude · December 26, 2010, 07:03 PM

first off,thanks for all the replies and suggestions.i tried to take pics but they didnt come out worth a darn so that idea is out.i do think i will contact a gunsmith about this when i get around to fixing it.as much as i would like to take a whack at it im unsure if i should.thanks again guys

Nnobby45 · December 27, 2010, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Have you ruled out the Chip McCormick mags being the culprit?

Many a feed problem has been cured with #47 Wilson 7 rd. magazines.
I wouldn't overlook this tip, if I were you.

There isn't much of a trick to polishing a feed ramp with a Dremmel Tool---properly used.

I use #4 Foredom compound followed by Rey Green Rouge for high shine. Polish both the frame and bbl ramps. All you're doing is removing tool marks and making it smoother. I use a felt, bullet shaped tip.

For deeper tool marks, I go with fine Craytex tips to start--then, as above.

guncrank · December 28, 2010, 07:47 AM

If the barrel is overhanging ramp , check that the link is not wore or altered that is allowing it move back to far.
CEW

dusterdude · December 28, 2010, 10:13 AM

ill check into that also,thanks

December 25, 2010, 11:12 AM	#1
dusterdude Member Join Date: September 28, 2010 Location: hopewell va Posts: 73	1911 feed ramp polishing well i tried my new mccormick mag yesterday to see if it would help with my hollow point feeding issues,alas no luck.so it seems im going to have to polish the ramp on this thing.does anyone know of any books or videos i can peruse before i attempt this?thanks

December 25, 2010, 12:40 PM	#2
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	What gun , how old ? There's polishing and there's reshaping. Reshaping an older ramp requires some knowledge ! __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

December 25, 2010, 01:52 PM	#3
Tom Servo Staff Join Date: September 27, 2008 Location: Foothills of the Appalachians Posts: 13,059	What kind of failures are you having? __________________ Sometimes it’s nice not to destroy the world for a change. --Randall Munroe

December 25, 2010, 03:22 PM	#7
45Badger Member Join Date: January 18, 2002 Location: Minn-eh-soh-ta! Posts: 41	Be insanely careful to polish only. You do not want to remove material or change angles. __________________ Live Free or Die! 9mm = 45acp set on "stun"

December 25, 2010, 08:45 PM	#9
GURU1911 Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2010 Location: SEALY, THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS Posts: 501	MR. DUSTER I have 25 years experience working on the 1911 pistol. After reading the description of the problems you are experiencing, i can tell you what the problem is & how to correct it. Problem: The lower edge of the barrel throat is protruding into the feedramp. This slight over-hang is what is catching the nose of the hp bullet as it is attempting to slide up the feedramp and into the barrel throat. The lower edge of the barrel throat, must be reshaped to about 1/32" in front of the top edge of the feedramp. In other words, there should be a small gap between the edge of the barrel throat & frame feedramp. If you are not skilled enough to do this delicate piece of work, please take it to a local pistolsmith near you who can. Please consult the american pistolsmiths guild for the closet to you.

December 25, 2010, 02:23 PM	#4
Shane Tuttle Staff Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 9,443	Have you ruled out the Chip McCormick mags being the culprit? __________________ If it were up to me, the word "got" would be deleted from the English language. Posting and YOU: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

December 25, 2010, 02:25 PM	#5
dusterdude Member Join Date: September 28, 2010 Location: hopewell va Posts: 73	its a springfield about 25 years old,it feeds ball rounds just fine,but the hollow points run straight into the frame of the pistol just below the ramp into the chamber.ill take a pic and post it later

December 25, 2010, 02:30 PM	#6
dusterdude Member Join Date: September 28, 2010 Location: hopewell va Posts: 73	shane,im sure the mag isnt the problem,first its brand new and i have had this problem for years with this gun,im just finally getting around to doing something about it.

December 25, 2010, 06:49 PM	#8
dusterdude Member Join Date: September 28, 2010 Location: hopewell va Posts: 73	thanks,ill darn sure keep that in mind

December 25, 2010, 09:43 PM	#11
Shane Tuttle Staff Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 9,443	Guru1911 stated it best. With the age of your 1911 variant, I'm willing to bet this might be your problem. Like you said, post some pics so we can get a better idea... __________________ If it were up to me, the word "got" would be deleted from the English language. Posting and YOU: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

December 25, 2010, 09:53 PM	#12
a7mmnut Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2009 Location: NC Foothills Posts: 1,150	You'll need a Dremel, some jeweler's rouge or similar compound, and a felt polishing wheel just slightly larger than the radius of your ramp. If you need to completely reshape the ramp or throat itself, take what these guys said in heed. Even 600 grit stones will ruin the throat if the angle is wrong. Send the pics of your barrel. There's plenty of experts here to help. -7-

December 25, 2010, 10:10 PM	#13
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	From a Kuhnhausen manual, which I own and am sharing with friends. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

December 26, 2010, 12:07 PM	#14
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	I wouldn't be polishing, reshaping, or otherwise altering anything until determining with certainty that there really is something wrong with the size, shape, finish, etc. of the parts in question. Too many people fiddle with 1911s apparently because they can. Is the feedramp rough with heavy tool marks? Does the barrel overhang the frame feed ramp?

December 26, 2010, 12:11 PM	#15
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	I had to wonder about that myself. I've 'fixed' several of them that wouldn't feed simply because somebody had 'tensioned' their extractor (or installed a new one without tensioning it) excessively and the hook simply wouldn't ride over the rim. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

December 26, 2010, 06:36 PM	#16
GURU1911 Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2010 Location: SEALY, THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS Posts: 501	SARGE---OOO-RAH Thanks for enclosing the photos from mr. Kunhausen's shop manual. Hopefully this will give the gentleman having the feeding problems a better understanding of what is causing the problem & how to best correct it. Thanks !!!!!!

December 26, 2010, 07:03 PM	#17
dusterdude Member Join Date: September 28, 2010 Location: hopewell va Posts: 73	first off,thanks for all the replies and suggestions.i tried to take pics but they didnt come out worth a darn so that idea is out.i do think i will contact a gunsmith about this when i get around to fixing it.as much as i would like to take a whack at it im unsure if i should.thanks again guys

December 28, 2010, 07:47 AM	#19
guncrank Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2006 Location: Fern Creek ,KY and Metro Louisville at large Posts: 430	If the barrel is overhanging ramp , check that the link is not wore or altered that is allowing it move back to far. CEW __________________ Republic Arms and Armaments 07 1-502-231-1118 Machine Shop and Finishing Services to the trade and public

December 28, 2010, 10:13 AM	#20
dusterdude Member Join Date: September 28, 2010 Location: hopewell va Posts: 73	ill check into that also,thanks