1911 help with FTF's

C

cobraman

New member
Gentlemen,
I have an SA Champion with about 350 rounds through it.
It has developed on FTF problem. I clean and lube it after every range session. I am using UMC, WinClean, Blazer and American Eagle ammo in 230grn.
UMC has had the most failures. Here is what happens
A round is fired and extractor/ejected fine. The next round in the mag nose dives into the mag and the slide rams up against the rear of the round. Most of the time it happens with the 2nd to last round in the mag. I am using one metalform mag and 2 factory mags. Oddly enough this FTF happens with the UMC, and Winclean about 2 or 3 times per 50 rounds. Never happens with the American Eagle and only happened once with the Blazer ammo. Any ideas?
I am taking it to the local smith this afternoon to have him give it the once over. I liked to help him narrow down the problem
Thanks
Matt
 
Generally, a failure to feed is from problems with the magazine lips. If they're too "closed", the nose of the bullet doesn't rise enough to enter the chamber. If they're too "open", the nose rises too high...

I found that a high polish on the feed ramp and at the top of the chamber is helpful. (Polish, not a bunch of removal of metal.)

Also check that the face of the bolt is not rough. The case rim could hang up, slightly--although that would tend to make the nose of the bullet ride up, I'd think.

Re-reading your post and grasping at straws, but I don't quite see how three different magazines could have the same problem: If the magazine spring is somewhat weak, or the sides of the magazine are a bit pinched in, the follower might not be pushing evenly against the cartridge case when you're down to the last two rounds.

I'm "guessed out".

:), Art
 
Art,
Thanks a bunch. Now I have things to look for. I am headed to the range in about 30 mins. I will have the smith look at it for me. He will probably want to shoot it.
(For some reason he also wants to shoot my HiPower) Hopefully by the end of the day I know what needs to be done and have it running 100% by next week.
 
I think I have it fixed! Looks like it
was case of bad mags, and not enough break in time.
I borrowed a Wilson Mag and all was well. I am going to
continue to test it with the Wilson mag. If I can shoot 200 rounds problem free with the Wilson mag I start to trust it. Oddly enough I developed another type of FTF with the Factory mags. THe last round would partially chamber and then stick on the top of the chamber. This did not happen with the Wilson mag. The smith said if the FTF with the factory mags continue, he will send my mags back to SPringfield. He couldnt see anything wrong with the gun after a cursorsy exam.

Thanks for help
Matt
 
Well, every now and then I get it right. I always keep a pair of needle-nose pliers with my range gear, just to "tweak" magazine lips.

Bend in a bit, try; bend out a bit, try; sooner or later, they work.

Back when I shot at public ranges, I always checked the trash-barrels after the shooters left. Got a fair number of free mags, that way. :D

Art
 
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