1911FTF..Solutions?

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MosinM38

New member
I emtnioned this before(OT in a thread), and I bring it up here for a couple of questions.

Symptoms: My High Standard (Rock Island) .45 has a FTF about every 15 rounds, regardless of magazines.

#1. It is well lubed. WELL.
#2. It is cleaned.
#3. The feed ramp is not OVERLY polished, but pretty well done, no gunk and ultra-smooth.
#4. GOOD magazines. Mec-gar 8 rounds.

I thought of getting a new recoil spring, but I am not so sure.

Could that be it? It is tough (not hard or impossible by a long way though) to rack, so I was wondering.

Would a recoil spring help it? or any suggestions? This is all with factory Fiocchi 230FMJ ammo.

If I do get a recoil spring, probably the standard 16LB one? I will pretty much shoot standard ammo, with occasional +Ps (Say 8 shots every 500 rounds).

Thanks!
 
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goodspeed(TPF)

New member
If by "FTF" you men Failure To Feed, then you may also want to look at the Extractor tension and the breech face. You could have a bad extractor, or it may just need to be adjusted properly. Also ,your breech face may need a polishing. Good luck and keep us posted. :) -Goodspeed
 
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MosinM38

New member
Hmmm. I never heard of polishing the Breech Face before, But I'll give it a shot ;)

I'll check the extracter as well, *Now to find on how to check it*.
 
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goodspeed(TPF)

New member
Keep in mind that your gun may just not be "fit" properly and will "hiccup" from time to time due to production "+or-" tolerances. As far as
Now to find on how to check it
Click to expand...
contact a reputable Gunsmith in your area. Keep us posted. -Goodspeed:)
 
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MosinM38

New member
Okay. I know one guy I could ask on it.

Thanks again, I'll let you know how it turned out.

P.S. I betcha it is the extracter. I never thought of it before, but I lubed it and it HELPED (didn't cure it), so that may be it.
 
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goodspeed(TPF)

New member
P.S. I betcha it is the extracter. I never thought of it before, but I lubed it and it HELPED (didn't cure it), so that may be it.
Click to expand...

Normally that is where the root of "most" evil lies in the 1911. :D If lubing it helped, then I would say you are on the right path. Good luck. :) -Goodspeed
 
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MosinM38

New member
Nothing important just thought I'd update.

I decided today I should try some differant ammo, on the off-chance that Fiocchi pooched a batch. Load up some American Eagles....

32 rounds. round 33-jam. Another 38 rounds-jam. So around a 1 per 35 jam rate in American Eagle and 1 per 16 on Fiocchi...

Leastways, I group shot it today, and since I polished the Breach Face, the thing is throwing slugs. If I didn't know batter I'd have said I shot a 8-pellet buckshot load at a 25 yard target.

Average group rested at 25 yards was 6", offhand-7".

The thing has NEVER (Except in the beginning) gone over 3 1/2", and for the past bunch of uses, it has been a hair UNDER 3". (Which is about normal, considering my eyesight).

I figured I just wasn't shooting it very good, then I shot a couple 4" groups from dads SpringField Armory 1911, and then dad proceeded to shoot a "pattern" with my 1911.

Something is messed up in it. Dad's gonna take a look at it, and if we don't get it fixed by the next time we go to town, it is heading to a professional gunsmith.....if I can find one. The one guy I had been going to talk for advice I won't leave (very slow), and there really isn't much for others. 2 or 3 guys possible, so I'll call them and see if I can drop it off.

Really got me wondering now...

Sorta looking into a Sig 220 .45. Not because of this. If it ever gets to working again, the 1911 is a nice gun ;) Just don't feel quite as good as my Sig does.
 
H

Hunter Customs

New member
There's many things that can contribute to a 1911 having failure to feeds.
As for the gun now shooting large groups, you may have altered the barrel lock up when you polished the breech face of the slide.
Keep in mind when you remove metal from the breech face of the slide you changed the headspace in your gun, this may also have affected the accuracy in your gun.
Look at the radial lugs on the barrel and in the slide, if they are not good and sharp they may be shearing.
Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
M

MosinM38

New member
Okay, I was just getting back.

Now I have only fired 40 rounds, so I am not positive it's fixed but..eh...I think it was..

Now I am seriously thinking I better start from scratch when it comes to my firearms knowladge.

I had dad look it over, and he began cleaning it (Just to ensure I did a good job), well...the feed ramp....He cleaned it and showed me what he got off. Although I had gotten the "Gunk" off, each time I cleaned it, I must have left a thin layer on anyway. Because this last time, there was a extremely thin HARD shell that came off. I mean, wood-hard type, not just gunk,etc.

Leastways, 40 rounds and it seems okay so far. I plan on trying another 80 before I am sure either way.



As for the in-accuracy: I don't think I did enough polishing to seriously affect headspace. I just took steel wool and rubbed a bit (Barely) until all the gunk was gone, as I didn't want to go to far. Maybe I did though :(

Thanks for the tips, I'll first make sure it is functioning, then check accuracy better. I group-shot it, really trying and got a 5" group....

If I DID....remove too much, about the only cure is getting a new slide? From the price they have, it would about be as cheap to get another RIA.....

Ah well...leave it to a newb to mess up a simple job and gun.......:mad:
 
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