1911 FTF Issues

[NAPOTS]

I have been encountering an issue fairly frequently lately that has now shown up on both of my 1911's, A wilson combat CQB and a Kimber eclipse II target. They are both in .45 ACP.

I will run into this problem about one or two rounds out of a box, using various factory ammo. Usually it is the first round in the mag but once in a while it will be a round further down in the mag. The round won't chamber all of the way. I usually cant nudge the slide forward to get it to go into battery, I will have to rack the slide to clear the round. If I load the round later it will chamber just fine. The pistols are clean, properly lubricated and I am using the slide stop to release the slide.

I think it might be magazines but I am using the wilson combat mags and they are supposed to be some of the best.

both recoil springs have under 1000 rounds on them.

Any ideas? I heard improper taper crim suggested but I find this hard to believe on several different manufacturer's ammo. I.e., WWB, Remington, etc. The ammo is all 230 gr FMJ.

[Krupski]

I have been encountering an issue fairly frequently lately that has now shown up on both of my 1911's, A wilson combat CQB and a Kimber eclipse II target. They are both in .45 ACP.

I will run into this problem about one or two rounds out of a box, using various factory ammo. Usually it is the first round in the mag but once in a while it will be a round further down in the mag. The round won't chamber all of the way. I usually cant nudge the slide forward to get it to go into battery, I will have to rack the slide to clear the round. If I load the round later it will chamber just fine. The pistols are clean, properly lubricated and I am using the slide stop to release the slide.

I think it might be magazines but I am using the wilson combat mags and they are supposed to be some of the best.

both recoil springs have under 1000 rounds on them.

Any ideas? I heard improper taper crim suggested but I find this hard to believe on several different manufacturer's ammo. I.e., WWB, Remington, etc. The ammo is all 230 gr FMJ.

First thing I do with ANY 1911 is replace the recoil spring with a Wolff 20 pound.

The factory spec is 16 pounds, but 20 works a lot better.

Once there was a guy at the range who complained that his 1911 would never finish a mag of bare lead reloads. I happened to have a 20# spring in my ammo box and popped it into his pistol for him.

He was able to fire every round from every mag without a single failure!

I let him keep the spring....... :)

For what it's worth......

[FunkyPertwee]

First thing I do with ANY 1911 is replace the recoil spring with a Wolff 20 pound.

The factory spec is 16 pounds, but 20 works a lot better.

Once there was a guy at the range who complained that his 1911 would never finish a mag of bare lead reloads. I happened to have a 20# spring in my ammo box and popped it into his pistol for him.

He was able to fire every round from every mag without a single failure!

I let him keep the spring....... :)

For what it's worth......

Aren't you supposed to increase the firing pin spring strength and magazine spring strength as well when upping the recoil spring?

[Krupski]

Aren't you supposed to increase the firing pin spring strength and magazine spring strength as well when upping the recoil spring?

I've heard that... but I never did and I don't have any problems (like primer dimples). Probably couldn't hurt though.

As far as increasing the mag spring... why? The rounds pop up way fast enough. There isn't all that much difference between a 16# and 20# spring except the latter just gives a little extra shove to fully chamber rounds.

[FunkyPertwee]

I've heard that... but I never did and I don't have any problems (like primer dimples). Probably couldn't hurt though.

As far as increasing the mag spring... why? The rounds pop up way fast enough. There isn't all that much difference between a 16# and 20# spring except the latter just gives a little extra shove to fully chamber rounds.

I think the idea is that on some guns increased recoil springs will cause the slide to out run the mag causing a failure to feed.

[ready]

Gotta be a mag issue. How old are they? 7 or 8 rounders? If they're 8s I'd try a 7 and see if it still happens. You lose some spring strength and follower stabilty with 8's. Or try a spring conversion with a stronger spring like the CMC power plus or tripp super 7.

[Schuetzenman]

I would think if it's all about springs that bumping the slide would put the weapon in battery. I'm wondering if those rounds aren't a tad longer in the case than the ones that work. .45 ACP head spaces on the case mouth, if the case was long it should hold the slide open.

I had a similar experience with Olympic brand made in Greece 9 mm ammo in my Glock 19 once. 9 mm also headspaces on the case mouth like the .45 ACP. It would chamber most rounds and fire them but several wouldn't go into battery. I collected those rounds and put them back through and most then would chamber and go off. I identified that there was case length differeces between cases. I could pick out the ones that would be problems by eyeballing the tray of ammo.

[NAPOTS]

I have had this problem on both of my 1911's so I think it is a mag issue.

I bought wolff springs and replaced all of the springs in my Wilson Combat 47D magazines. I noticed that some of the old springs were quite a bit shorter than the others even though they were all the same magazines.

I also replaced the recoil spring in the pistols. They again were a bit shorter than the new ones.

I'll give you guys an update when I get to the range and see if the situation has improved. I hope it was just weak mag springs.

[NAPOTS]

Well I ran 100 rounds of Fiocci through it without a hitch but I swear this stuff is loaded a little hot.

I hope the problem is solved.

[Schuetzenman]

100 rounds with no failures sounds fixed to me.

[jakebrake]

Gotta be a mag issue. How old are they? 7 or 8 rounders? If they're 8s I'd try a 7 and see if it still happens. You lose some spring strength and follower stabilty with 8's. Or try a spring conversion with a stronger spring like the CMC power plus or tripp super 7.

+1 . this sounds like a mag issue. 2 pistols, same problem?

try a fresh mag, and see what happens.