View Full Version : Unusual (to me) 1911 stoppage
I was shooting my Springfield loaded model a few weeks ago and had the malfunction as seen in the pic twice in about 100 rds.
It looks almost like a stovepipe but not quite. The empty is laying right on top of the one trying to go in the chamber. Both times it was exactly like this.
I haven't had problems with this gun except for extractor issues and I replaced the OEM extractor with a Wilson and fixed that about a year ago. No problems until now.
The ammo was my reloads using a 200 gr LSWC and I use this load more than anything else.
Sorry for the poor image quality but all I had was my iPhone and it was getting dark.
http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc328/30CalM1/1911jam.jpg
As long as you are running full power ammunition, start by looking at the extractor and extractor spring.
How many rounds on your recoil spring?
As long as you are running full power ammunition, start by looking at the extractor and extractor spring.
Ummm... you know the extractor on a 1911 is the spring, right?
How many rounds on your recoil spring?
I usually don't even count how many rounds I put though a gun but that one has in the neighborhood of 2000 rds through it. The recoil spring has been changed out three times for sure. Not sure how many rounds the current spring has on it but I figure well it's under 1000. I usually use Wolff springs for my pistols.
Just to cut down on the possibilities of what might be causing this, I'm assuming you've shot the exact same loads in other guns without any problems? If so then obviously it is in fact that gun in particular.
Start small when troubleshooting. I'd start with swapping just the recoil spring first, regardless of its current usage. If that doesn't work, go back to the recoil spring you're currently using and swap just the extractor out. If that doesn't work swap out both parts and test again. This way you're testing the reliability of just one part at a time so you can narrow down the cause a little easier. That's about all I got for now, good luck.
Ummm... you know the extractor on a 1911 is the spring, right?
Don't know what I was typing. I actually meant to mention the EJECTOR and extractor...I would not be surprised if the EJECTOR was chipped or otherwise damaged.
Don't know what I was typing. I actually meant to mention the EJECTOR and extractor...I would not be surprised if the EJECTOR was chipped or otherwise damaged.
Haha, it's all good.
The first thing I would look at is the extractor, too.
Thanks for all your replies!
Just to cut down on the possibilities of what might be causing this, I'm assuming you've shot the exact same loads in other guns without any problems? If so then obviously it is in fact that gun in particular.
I use the same load with my Commander and S&W 4506 with no issues.
Start small when troubleshooting. I'd start with swapping just the recoil spring first, regardless of its current usage. If that doesn't work, go back to the recoil spring you're currently using and swap just the extractor out. If that doesn't work swap out both parts and test again. This way you're testing the reliability of just one part at a time so you can narrow down the cause a little easier. That's about all I got for now, good luck.
The troubleshooting part I can figure out. The reason I asked is that I’d never seen a stoppage like that let alone two on one shooting session and was wondering if anyone else had experienced something like that.
Don't know what I was typing. I actually meant to mention the EJECTOR and extractor...I would not be surprised if the EJECTOR was chipped or otherwise damaged.
I thought about the ejector the other day. I just now field stripped the gun to look at the ejector. It’s not chipped but very slightly peened on the contact surface. I had to use a magnifier to see that.
Haha, it's all good.
The first thing I would look at is the extractor, too.
The extractor is an aftermarket Wilson which is one of the better brands of 1911stff.
After that day at the range where it started hafing this issue I took the extractor out when I cleaned the gun and it looks fine. One of the things I always do when I clean any semiauto is to take a toothbrush to the extractor hook and clean any crud out. With the 1911’s I take the extractor out every so many outings and flush out the extractor holw with brake cleaner AND scrub the hell out of the extractor itself.
The orig extractor was swapped out with the Wilson about 500 rounds ago and I haven’t had any issues with it yet.
Its a failure to eject. The spent round doesn't even look like it tried to tip up and out, but was pushed up the breach face by the next round in the magazine.
Was the rim of that spent round was still somewhat under the extractor hook? Do the SA Loaded's use an extended ejector?
I'm betting its your handloads, had enough poop to pop, but no fully cycle. And you may have the extractor adjusted a little too tight.
But without more info, thats just my WAG.
Hunter Rose
02-09-11, 20:20
Horizontal stoevepipe is usually insufficient extractor tension.
Hiltom Yam's got a great reference with pics of common 1911 functions.
http://www.10-8forums.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=51276#Post51276
Horizontal stoevepipe is usually insufficient extractor tension.
Hiltom Yam's got a great reference with pics of common 1911 functions.
http://www.10-8forums.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=51276#Post51276
That was my first thought as well, but the more I looked at the picture, the more curious it became.
I'd love to see a pic from the top, but... It looks like the extractor never released the casing and it just got pushed up the breach face, wedging it against the guide block opposite the extractor.
Its a failure to eject. The spent round doesn't even look like it tried to tip up and out, but was pushed up the breach face by the next round in the magazine.
Was the rim of that spent round was still somewhat under the extractor hook? Do the SA Loaded's use an extended ejector?
It was still under the hook. That 1911 uses a short ejector.
I'm betting its your handloads, had enough poop to pop, but no fully cycle. And you may have the extractor adjusted a little too tight.
It’s 5.1 grains of Titegroup and a 200 gr LSWC. That loading is right in the middle according to Hodgdon’s reloading data site. It works fin e in the other guns. The extractor works fine every time before this.
Horizontal stoevepipe is usually insufficient extractor tension.
It is an aftermarket extractor and I’ve put maybe 500 rds though it since replacing the extractor without issues.
Hiltom Yam's got a great reference with pics of common 1911 functions.
I need to check that out…….
I was shooting it this afternoon and it worked fine.
I guess the extractor did need some tweaking after all.
How many times have you reloaded the rounds you used on that day?
Who knows.
Exept for rifle and magnum handgun I pretty much wing it as far as how many times brass is re-used.
Do you have a recoil buffer? If so it may be causing the slide to not fully cycle which isn't allowing the brass to make it out of the ejection port.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm sure a child knows more about handloading than I do, so don't take my opinion serious.
I just think it would be logical to assume that the casing would act differently if re-used too many times. Maybe I would suggest running some first time handloads and see if you can get the same result, or even running some new rounds for a bit. Could be the specific design and condition of your gun that is causing problems, even though the rounds are assembled to the correct specs.
Again, I don't know anything.
I was shooting it this afternoon and it worked fine.
I guess the extractor did need some tweaking after all.
Just for personal education, what was your final solution?
Just for personal education, what was your final solution?
Extractor must have gotten sprung a little. I bent it back and it ran fine last saturday.
Do you have a recoil buffer? If so it may be causing the slide to not fully cycle which isn't allowing the brass to make it out of the ejection port.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've been running buffers in it since I've had it.
I've been running buffers in it since I've had it.
In 1911s recoil buffers are nearly always the cause of grief. Ed brown ships his gun with a recoil buffer. The first sign of a malfunction he says remove it (just as an example). Go over to the 1911 forums and ask a couple of the high end 1911 smiths their opinion on using a recoil buffer. They will say don't do it because it is more than likely to cause a malfunction than not. If the felt recoil when the slide is hitting the back you may want to try a different spring rate. I have had very good luck with variable rate springs and both of my 1911 platform pistols run flawless. I use a wolff 16lb variable rate in my government model S&W on standard power loads.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.