# First 1911, a few ?'s



## Navy Jake (Oct 14, 2007)

I picked up a MIL-SPEC Springfield 1911:

I have a couple of questions, maybe y'all can help me out.


I went to the range and shot 100 rounds of Sellier & Bellot FMJ.

2 times out of that 100, the slide would be half way back, it would successfully eject the previous round, and there would be an unfired round in the chamber. 

I had to drop the magazine, remove the round from the chamber, ease the slide forward and start over again.

When I was done shooting, I examined the inside and found brass shavings around the ejector, and the feed ramp looked like it was being rubbed by the ammunition. 

I know that common probles are improper handling, or ammunition type, do you think I just " limp wristed " it for its first time, or is this something I need to send in for repairs?

V/R

Jake


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## Dragonfire (Jun 17, 2007)

I had this problem as well and it is from the extractor. The extractor is supposedly one of the most finicky and one of the most common causes of malfunction. yes yes, I know that most malfunction are human error, ammo, and/or magazine however the extractor is a common problem. I would try different ammo and see if it happens with two different magazines. I believe limb wristing usually gets stove pipping not this type of malfunction.

Now if you still have a problem, I would have a gunsmith tune the extractor. Which basically means removing the sharp areas where the extractor grabs the cartridge and tunes the pressure it applies.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Dragonfire said:


> Now if you still have a problem, I would have a gunsmith tune the extractor. Which basically means removing the sharp areas where the extractor grabs the cartridge and tunes the pressure it applies.


If it was bought new - contact Springfield. Have THEM fix it for U. If U have others mess with it, they could refuse the warranty in the future.

Also, if you ask, I believe they will refund the shipping to you after they fix the gun (meaning, you must pay up front to ship it)


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## JimmySays (Jun 8, 2007)

Shipwreck said:


> If it was bought new - contact Springfield. Have THEM fix it for U. If U have others mess with it, they could refuse the warranty in the future.
> 
> Also, if you ask, I believe they will refund the shipping to you after they fix the gun (meaning, you must pay up front to ship it)


 +1 with Shipwreck. I had problems with a Loaded 1911 as did a coworker. Call SA and let them know what is happening and put the ball in their court. Good luck.


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## Navy Jake (Oct 14, 2007)

Thanks guys, 

Just a bump in the road, I will put a few hundred more down range, change to a more respectable ammo brand, and get a new magazine. 

what are your recommendations for range ammo, or is it a person to person basis?

Jake


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## JeffWard (Aug 24, 2007)

I feed my XD 45 Winchester Whitebox specials from Walmart... NEVER had a function issue!

Wait... oh yeah... It's an XD. That explains it...

Haha, sorry. In fact my next toy will likely be a Springfield Loaded Long-Slide. If you send it back, let us know what they say/do.

JW


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

I had that issue with my SA when I first got it. I thought it was the ejector but come to find out the recoil spring was not that great. (14-16 lb). I replaced it with an 18 lb and it has not done it since. That was 3 years ago.


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## Mystro (May 13, 2006)

Hey Jake,
Run some more ammo thru the gun before you send it back.
Run a hundred, field strip and clean, then run another hundred, and so on.
Try Federal, Corbon, Winchester, Remington and more S&B. 
Take a notebook with you to the range and log all events.
Make the thing repeat the problem several times so you will start to get a handle on the cause and then you can intelligently discuss the problem with the manufacturer.:smt083
Best of luck and good shooting!


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## Navy Jake (Oct 14, 2007)

Updated... kinda

Well I have been to the range since, I bought 100 rounds of Winchester white box, 

It fed much much better, but maybe 4 times out of that hundred the slide would not be all the way forward after firing, so I would hold the slide back, make sure I did not have a hang fire, and let it forward again.

A guy at the range had a Kimber, and after talking for a bit, he blamed it on the fact that my gun was running a little dry. 

I though that I put enough on it the first time, but I will add more. I am going to the range tomorrow, and I am taking my digital camera. I have two hundred rounds of winchester JHP... lets see how it goes.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

Hello Jake. Clean and lube her real good and shoot your 100 JHP's. Then clean and lube real good and shoot 100 roundnose or ball through it. Record all problems and how many rounds in the mag. It may be as simple as a new set of springs. Most companys don't worry to much about springs on assemly line guns. Just don't hit the panic button as sometimes you have to work on these 1911's to get them to run right. Good luck.


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## Navy Jake (Oct 14, 2007)




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## Navy Jake (Oct 14, 2007)




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## Mystro (May 13, 2006)

It's hard to tell from the pictures, Jake, but you may have a magazine issue.

I guess first, I would try another magazine. Get a Wilson or McCormic and see if that helps. 

If that doesn't fix the feeding issue, try loading 3 rounds, fire them and see if the problem persists. If all is OK, keep adding a round until you encounter the problem again.
If you can make the jam occur with the last round or next to last round, it is probly a weak magazine spring or a dirty magazine. Sometimes the type of follower in the mag can be the culprit too. (the nose of the last round can be tilted to high, so when it feeds into the chamber it will jam against the top of the chamber.) Replacing the mag spring or cleaning the mag will usually help. Either one is relatively cheap and easy.

If the problem still occurs with only 3 rounds in the mag, then the action may need to be tuned... polish the feed ramp, reem the chamber, etc. On a new gun, it's best to let the manufacturer deal with that. Just document the problem and add your pictures. They should make it right.

But having several hundred rounds down range with documentation of the feeding problem will go a long way in helping the factory correct the issue, if you are unable to correct it yourself.

Hope this helps.


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## falshman70 (Jul 13, 2006)

When my Kimber was new I had problems with it occasionally not returning to battery. I had Wilson mags, and cleaned them and cleaned and lubed the gun. After about 1000 rounds I put Wolff recoil and firning pin springs in it and it has been flawless since. Mine is a 5", so I got the 16 lb spring (the fpb spring comes as a bonus.) I can't say for sure that was it, but I'm a believer. You can go to M1911 forum and the old hands there can be helpful.


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## Navy Jake (Oct 14, 2007)

OK well I have to re-open this.....


sorry...


Still having trouble.

My performance has gotten much much better shooting wise.

I read a lot in this forum including the recent heated debate about point shooting 

Well I have isolated my handgun problem in two different times.

Since last post I have gone through at least 1200 rounds, and changed to 8+1 Wilson combats magazines. 

Still though, when chambering the 1st round, both by racking the slide AND hitting the slide release 90% of the time, I get exactly like the images I posted above, then I have to slap the back of the slide to send it home (not the best but told OK )

Now I know I should have taken the advice of you guys earlier on about sending it in to Springfield, but i dunno, I kinda want to do my best to fix it myself/ ask you all for help.....


What do you handgun experts think>

Extractor? Handgun itself?


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## milquetoast (Nov 25, 2006)

As it says in the Bible, "Yea verily dude, that sucketh mightily." (Chad 3:16)

I hate to say it, but you should send it back to the factory, with your pics, and your explanation. There are too many things it could be: springs, mags, mag springs, extractor too tight, chamber or ramp out of spec, rough breech face, peened firing pin hole, barrel link too long, etc., etc., etc. Let them figure it out and fix it.


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## awmp (Nov 11, 2007)

give the factory a call you will be surprised how much help they can be over the phone or it not enough on the phone, let them pay for shipping both ways and fix it


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## dovehunter (Dec 18, 2007)

I had that same problem before with 1 of my 1911 SA. Like you, I also took pictures and I just sent it back to SA and they did what they had to do. I made sure that I told them what kind of ammo I was using. In this case, it did not matter. All they had to do was polish the throat and I never had that problem again. Send it back to them, instead of trying to figuring it out yourself.


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