1911 problems

[Coronach]

I have a 'new' Colt Sistema that has a few functional...eccentricities (). First off, the original magazine (as advertised) was a total POS. I replaced it with a 8-rnd Wilson magazine (the gun shop only had 8rnders), and have noted a few problems. I'm thinking they might be magazine-related, but I'm not entirely sure. Symptoms:

1. Magazine loaded, slide in battery. It is well-nigh impossible to depress the magazine release unless positive pressure is placed on the magazine baseplate, then the the release can be depressed and the magazine ejects fine.

2. The gun has, on three occasions, ejected a live round (the last in the magazine) through the ejection port. The second time it nailed me dead center in the forehead (a message, perhaps? ). The final time I saw it clearly, the spent casing was ejected and the live round followed it straight out of the port as the slide locked back.

3. On one occasion the final round was found situated part-ways into the chamber, slide locked back. I had originally thought it was a fail to extract, but then I noted that the primer was undented and that I had only fired only 8 instead of 9. This is probably a variation on #2.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[bountyh]

I think that #3 on your list is got to be caused by the mag follower prematurely activating the slide lock, or: the slide lock is bad or needs to be better fitted to the slide.

 

[dsk]

Remember that Sistemas are old guns, and many have lived a hard life. You really need to have a gunsmith check it over, to ensure the extractor is properly tensioned, that there are no cracks anywhere, and no badly worn parts. For example, the difficulty in releasing the mag tells me the mag catch shelf (that engages the mag slot) is badly buggered up from decades of use.

 

[Ledbetter]

Ledbetter's attempt at troubleshooting Coronach's pistol

1. Something doesn't fit right. I take it you are inserting an empty mag into a pistol with the slide already in battery,and then attempting to remove it, yes?

Is the slide stop engaging the mag follower correctly or is it binding? Is the mag release installed correctly and engaging the cut in the mag correctly (doesn't sound like it)? Can you try a different mag (CMC, Colt or SA)? Can you try a replacement mag release? Does it do this with the orig. mag?

2. Sounds like the magazine feed lips are not formed correctly. They should be retaining the last round. Does this happen if you load with two rounds and shoot? Are there any projections on the inside of the slide which would strip the round off as the slide travels backward?

3. See 2.

Best of luck and regards.

 

[Coronach]

Sorry I missed this:

The mag seems to be formed properly. I'm no expert on 1911 mags or their lips, but the magazine was brand new, from Wilson, and it looks to be in spec.

I'll run it past a gunsmith I know who works for beer (sweet, huh?) and I'll let you know what he thinks.

Thanks for the replies,
Mike

 

[Art Eatman]

Yeah, have a smith look it over. I bought one of the less-worn Sistemas, and it runs just fine.

Art

 

[Clemson]

I have a couple of Systemas that came with magazines stamped "Colt 45" on the baseplate. These mags seem to work just fine in my guns. I did dissassemble and clean them up, but they feed and function with no troubles on hardball ammunition.