1911 troubleshooting

BatteryOaksBilly said:
Buy Wilson 10 rounders and you can Eliminate your mag problems. Moreso..bring it here Now...or Tomorrow. We will get it sorted out.
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Well, I had already bought 2 at Mid South but the time you said this. And I hope to come let you sort me out, but not tomorrow morning....I'll be trying out the mew magazines. If I have problems, you might hear me knocking on your door in the early afternoon, though. Lol.
Other than these recent problems, I've been loving the 1911, and can't wait to bring it down there and hit some steel. You'll find I can do better with it than with the Sig.
 
Ikarus1 said:
Millie I can send you some new mags to try......in the meantime if you get FTF but not stovepipes, point the gun a safe direction, finger off the trigger, and slap up on the magazine in the well and usually it will feed. 9 times out of 10 it's the mag, the other .5 time its the ammo, and .5 is the recoil spring.
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Well, I might take you up on it if the ones I got a couple of hours ago have problems!
And affirmative on the slap on the magazine...lol.
 
Millie said:
Ok, got 2 new magazines to try in the morning.

I've been using Blazer Brass 9mm Luger, 115 grain FMJ in it since I bought it. (Have never tried any kind of HP, as I was advised these guns were meant to use fmj.) I just ordered 1,000 more rounds of the same, so let us fervently pray that ammo is not the issue! It's been fine with it until about the last week, and all of a sudden it was having major issues....if this particular ammo is an issue, I'll have to see if I can trade it or sell it.
(And I have no other 9mm gun. Yet....lol.)

I will hit the range in the morning to try the new magazines. I'll let y'all know what happens....
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I would think that ammo should run fine. I've run several thousand rounds of Blazer 9mm FMJ through some other 1911's.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
Welcome to the wonderful world of the 1911 platform.
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Are you implying there may be more "issues" down the line for me and the magical 1911???

I can't believe it would turn on me, because it was perfect at first.....I got it Feb. 9, and it's seen hard use since that very day.

Even if I can't rely on it as my carry gun, I still am nuts about it and will keep shooting it regularly and looking at it (just because), and enjoying it.
 
Millie said:
Are you implying there may be more "issues" down the line for me and the magical 1911???

I can't believe it would turn on me, because it was perfect at first.....I got it Feb. 9, and it's seen hard use since that very day.

Even if I can't rely on it as my carry gun, I still am nuts about it and will keep shooting it regularly and looking at it (just because), and enjoying it.
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Nah. Armscor/RIA makes one of the more better 9mm 1911s.....but because they (9mm 1911s) are about 1/10th of the 1911 market.....you may have discovered the power of being a minority. I've never owned a 1911 in anything other than .45
 
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fieldgrade said:
The only trouble with Wilsons is they stand a little "taller" than some of the other mags like Tripp's and Metalforms and can play havoc with Colt ejectors in 9mm. I've bent not one, but two, in two different Colts. Colt 9mm ejectors seem to be much longer than many others, but some other pistol mfg ejectors are not as short as others, even though they might be shorter than Colts, and the Wilson mags can contact the ejectors.

I do run WC ETMs in 45
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The last new 70 series competition I looked at seemed to have a shorter ejector than I expect to see in Colt...maybe they are finally addressing this issue. It was common to grind the stock one down or throw a 38 super in there to head off the issue in the past. I have never viewed a 9mm 1911 as a suitable carry gun but Wilson seems to be real keen on it these days.
 
SC380 said:
The last new 70 series competition I looked at seemed to have a shorter ejector than I expect to see in Colt...maybe they are finally addressing this issue. It was common to grind the stock one down or throw a 38 super in there to head off the issue in the past. I have never viewed a 9mm 1911 as a suitable carry gun but Wilson seems to be real keen on it these days.
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I find that the discussion is totally different over on the 1911 specific forums where the guys are discussing their semi customs in 9mm. I guess for three grand you get a gun that runs, LOL.
 
fieldgrade said:
I find that the discussion is totally different over on the 1911 specific forums where the guys are discussing their semi customs in 9mm. I guess for three grand you get a gun that runs, LOL.
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I should have clarified that was my view years ago when I would even consider carrying a 1911 (and did in .45 for a while). The Hi power and Smith 3rd gens were a better choice for 9mm (in my opinion) in that size/weight range. Unfortunately I am now afflicted with the Glock disease when it comes to carry/self defense so it hasn't been considered in over 20 years. I don't have 3k for Wilson or any other semi custom for that matter :)

1911s do take on mythical status in other places :)

I have the three ejectors here actually. 38 super ejector in series 70 9mm upside down on top, older colt 9mm ejector uninstalled in center, and new 9mm Colt ejector bottom. 800 rounds on the new Colt Ejector with no bending. Both of these run 100% with FMJ but I have not wasted the quarters to see if they will feed hollow point ammo...I don't even want to know.

Colt Ejector.jpg
 
SC380 said:
I should have clarified that was my view years ago when I would even consider carrying a 1911 (and did in .45 for a while). The Hi power and Smith 3rd gens were a better choice for 9mm (in my opinion) in that size/weight range. Unfortunately I am now afflicted with the Glock disease when it comes to carry/self defense so it hasn't been considered in over 20 years. I don't have 3k for Wilson or any other semi custom for that matter :)

1911s do take on mythical status in other places :)

I have the three ejectors here actually. 38 super ejector in series 70 9mm upside down on top, older colt 9mm ejector uninstalled in center, and new 9mm Colt ejector bottom. 800 rounds on the new Colt Ejector with no bending. Both of these run 100% with FMJ but I have not wasted the quarters to see if they will feed hollow point ammo...I don't even want to know.

View attachment 110046
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Recent production Colt Combat Unit in 9mm. Is that a long dangly thing or what?
It is at Colt as we speak on their dime. Hopefully they are figuring it out, because I think they have repaired a bunch of 'em.
IMG_1703.JPG
 
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fieldgrade said:
Recent production Colt Combat Unit in 9mm. Is that a long dangly thing or what?
It is at Colt as we speak on their dime. Hopefully they are figuring it out, because I think they have repaired a bunch of 'em.
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If it just went back for the bent ejector hopefully they will throw this shorter one in there and I think you'll be happy.
 
SC380 said:
If it just went back for the bent ejector hopefully they will throw this shorter one in there and I think you'll be happy.
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One I sold "as is" to a friend who was going to repair it, ended up getting it repaired under warranty by Colt as a "known issue" and they are doing likewise on the one pictured above. I understand they will run like a sewing machine once Colt is done.
 
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Sorry for the thread drift @Millie. 1911's are a wonderful creation, but in 9mm they can have some personality quirks that need attention. I run one in 9mm every Saturday (((WHEN IT ISN'T RAINING!!!))) and once you get the bugs out of 'em they are glorious.
 
Ikarus1 said:
Nah. Armscor/RIA makes one of the more better 9mm 1911s.....but because they (9mm 1911s) are about 1/10th of the 1911 market.....you may have discovered the power of being a minority. I've never owned a 1911 in anything other than .45
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Don't worry, I'll have one in .45 in a year or less, I fervently hope. There's one to be had at Jim's, but I need the $ for other things, so it'll have to wait.
 
SC380 said:
The last new 70 series competition I looked at seemed to have a shorter ejector than I expect to see in Colt...maybe they are finally addressing this issue. It was common to grind the stock one down or throw a 38 super in there to head off the issue in the past. I have never viewed a 9mm 1911 as a suitable carry gun but Wilson seems to be real keen on it these days.
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Why not a 1911 9mm as a carry gun....don't say that and not explain your reasoning....lol.
 
Millie said:
Don't worry, I'll have one in .45 in a year or less, I fervently hope. There's one to be had at Jim's, but I need the $ for other things, so it'll have to wait.
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Trade that 9mm for a 45. Much less drama.
 
fieldgrade said:
Sorry for the thread drift @Millie. 1911's are a wonderful creation, but in 9mm they can have some personality quirks that need attention. I run one in 9mm every Saturday (((WHEN IT ISN'T RAINING!!!))) and once you get the bugs out of 'em they are glorious.
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It's all good, I can learn stuff, which is why I post stuff.
As I also have some personality quirks, I seem to find guns with them also. LOL. Once I learn the 1911s little oddities, I'll be able to adjust to them. Like I did with the Sig, which does have an ammo preference, and does like very clean magazines. I just act accordingly. It makes life interesting!
 
fieldgrade said:
I've had four in 9mm and four in 45. I still have 4 in 45, but only one in 9mm. And it's not because I don't like 1911's in 9mm.
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Then why only one 9mm? And don't worry, my .45 will come along....I'm patient sometimes.
 
Millie said:
Why not a 1911 9mm as a carry gun....don't say that and not explain your reasoning....lol.
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Unless you are buying a hand fit 1911 in 9mm the variants at $1500 and below just dont seem to be as reliable out of the box as the identical 1911s chambered in .45acp.
 
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Millie said:
Why not a 1911 9mm as a carry gun....don't say that and not explain your reasoning....lol.
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Years ago, it was mostly a capacity issue but also the magazines weren't as good and they still had some reliability issues with hollow points. It was more widely known how to make a .45 work reliably but then everybody was shifting to Sig, S&W, Beretta, and Glock anyway so it never seemed like the ideal choice.

Hollow point designs and magazines have been greatly improved since then. The main reason I wouldn't choose one now is many polymer guns of similar size/lesser weight hold 15 rounds and the Glock 43x has the same capacity and is much lighter and much smaller. But that is just my preference. I am not saying a 9mm 1911 is the wrong choice for someone who prefers it. I wouldn't feel under gunned with a 9mm 1911 but if I made the choice to carry one I would just have to make sure it works with the defensive ammo I prefer.

But I do strongly prefer shooting a 9mm 1911 over 45 because it is easier on the hand and wallet over the course of thousands of rounds,
 
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fieldgrade said:
I find that the discussion is totally different over on the 1911 specific forums where the guys are discussing their semi customs in 9mm. I guess for three grand you get a gun that runs, LOL.
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It has been my experience that you do not need to spend $3000 to get a 1911 in 9mm to run. You just need to get a good one which sometimes is a matter of chance. The tolerances for a 1911 in 9mm are for whatever reason tighter than the 45 ACP. If they are off just a little bit one way or another the variations seem to stack and cause problems faster than in 45 ACP. A gun whose extractor is a little off is exacerbated by a particular magazine design or spec. Then you have gun that won't feed.

I have had a few over the years and am not down to 2. Most of the others had problems feeding which caused me to move on. Mags have always been the weak link for the gun. They are better now then at any other time in history IMHO. The 2 I have currently two. One is a Guncrafter NM 5" that is if I am being honest one of the smoothest nicest shooting guns I have ever owned. The other is a Dan Wesson Valkyrie commander. It is a very nice gun. It is well built but no where near the gun that the NM is. Both have been 100% for me today. I run them with the mags that came with the guns and Tripps which I purchased from Dawson Precision. Both guns run with all the mags I have.

All of that said the 1911 in 45 ACP is also not the pinnacle of reliable feeding. As someone once told me "The 1911 chambered in 45 ACP is the Worlds Finest Close Quarters Sidearm… and, King of feedway stoppages.” They are what they are. They are not beginner handguns if they are going to be used as a defensive pistol. The 9mm versions are more prone to issues than the 45 ACP. You need to know that going in IMHO.
 
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fieldgrade said:
Unless you are buying a hand fit 1911 in 9mm the variants at $1500 and below just dont seem to be as reliable out of the box as the identical 1911s chambered in .45acp.
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TRUTH!
 
Millie said:
Thanks, if the ones I got today don't work out, I'll be shopping for others.
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I'd recommend contacting RIA or finding someone that will actually check the gun over before you invest in a bunch of time and money seeking the perfect magazine. It could be that something is slightly out of tune (including that magazine you had) so if two new magazines don't resolve it I'd say odds are it is something else. If I was anywhere near Fayettenam I'd gladly do it for you.
 
Guncrafter NM I bought it used. I am not sure what it costs NIB. Its build is the following IIRC it is about a $3500 build. I paid less. The slide on this gun simply glides. Its like it is on ball bearings. I love the ball cuts on the slide and it is a joy to shoot. That said I would not have paid $3,500 for it NIB. :

  • Forged Steel Full Size Frame with 5″ Forged Steel Slide
  • 9mm upgrade
  • Ball End Mill Cut
  • Flush and Recessed Slide Stop
  • Magwell with Functional Blend
  • Black Melonite Finish-Standard
  • Tool Steel fully machined Hammer, Sear, and Disconnector-Standard
  • Slide Stop fully machined from Bar Stock-Standard
  • HD barrel bushing-Standard
  • Slide Top Serrations-Standard
  • Match Grade Stainless Steel Barrel-Standard
  • Solid Curved or Straight Match Grade Trigger-Standard
  • Beveled Magazine Well-Standard
  • Patented 90 degree 15 LPI Checkering on Front Strap and Mainspring Housing-Standard
  • GI Tritium Sights, Blacked Out Front Sight Post and SquareSight-Standard
  • Fully Dehorned-Standard
  • Extreme Reliability Work-Standard
  • Two fitted and Tuned Magazines-Standard
  • Black GI Logo Cordura Case-Standard

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The Dan Wesson is just a stock pistol I got on close out NIB For $1200ish with its alloy frame it would make a great carry gun. I am not sure why DW discontinued it but recently they have discontinued a lot of pistols that I think they should have kept. The Valor being the top on that list.

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I’m going with the keep it simple model. If you cleaned it, and all was good for 200ish rounds, I would clean it again before you mess with anything else. Then try the same mag. After that try a different mag. Then add some lube and try both mags again.

It sounds to me like it is functioning fine until it gets dry/dirty. If I’m misunderstanding from your story then please correct me.
 
wvsig said:
Either way you should not allow a gunsmith to polish a feed ramp before properly trouble shooting the pistol IMHO. It is a sign of a gunsmith of low ability if their first inclination is to polish the feed ramp on a 1911 in 9mm without running multiple brands of magazines through the gun. "The Gunsmith's" name wouldn't happened to be Bubba would it? LMAO I don't know the guy but I would not let him touch one of my guns if that was his solution to the problem. Just because he calls himself a gunsmith does not mean he knows what he is doing.
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I’m no expert but polishing a feed ramp for the issues she mentioned wouldn’t be my first thought. Especially a relatively new one.
 
CZfool68 said:
I’m no expert but polishing a feed ramp for the issues she mentioned wouldn’t be my first thought. Especially a relatively new one.
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That is my point. Until I removed all of the other obvious issues I would not do anything which modifies the pistol in a permanent way. I am in no way a gunsmith. I am not even really a tinkerer. I can detail strip the guns I have and get them back together but for the post part I pay other people to improve my pistols but I still understand the underlying principles behind how they work. I just feel other people are better at tuning them than I am.
 
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