micromontenegro said:
I'll venture a guess: something is activating the magazine safety.
I don't think this is the case, and here's why.
groovedoggie1 said:
No firing pin marks on the ammo (and yes, different ammo types, too).
With more than two rounds in the mag, it goes click.
The mag disconnect in a 1922 works by locking the grip safety in the disengaged (i.e. not depressed) position. The grip safety in a 1922 solidly locks up the trigger; IOW if the mag disconnect is not engaged, the grip safety will not move,
the trigger won't do anything. This doesn't jibe with groovedoggie1's description of events: the gun "clicks" when the trigger is pulled, but it does not fire, and no firing pin impression is left on the primer.
I find this problem quite baffling because the 1910/1922 series lacks any sort of backup safety device for the striker (aka firing pin); the only thing that holds it back is the sear. If the trigger is pulled and the striker is released, the pistol should go BANG! unless something blocks the striker's forward travel.
I'm going to go out on a limb here.
My guess is that the striker is out of spec and/or the striker spring is too weak, and the projection that engages the sear is projecting from the striker channel underneath the slide and hanging up on the cartridge rim as it travels forward. My theory is that when the magazine only contains 1-2 cartridges, the upwards pressure on the remaining rounds is light enough that the striker can "skip" over the rims as it contacts them.
Here's my suggestion: Load up a full magazine, chamber a round, and attempt to fire the pistol. If the pistol "clicks" and fails to fire, KEEP IT POINTED DOWNRANGE TOWARDS A SAFE BACKSTOP, and remove the magazine with the round still in the chamber.
CAUTION: THE PISTOL MAY FIRE WHEN THE MAGAZINE IS REMOVED!! If it does not fire, eject the round and check it for a shallow firing pin impression in the primer. If the pistol fires, or leaves a shallow firing pin impression, this indicates that striker is hanging up.
If the test works, I suggest coloring the rim of the second cartridge in the magazine with permanent marker, and repeating the test. After ejecting the mag, check for a bright mark on the cartridge rim where the striker hit it.
I suggest measuring the striker with a micrometer or a good set of calipers. It is removed by field-stripping the pistol and shaking the slide, with the muzzle end pointed upwards, over a table or workbench. The striker, striker spring, and spring guide should fall out. (On some postwar 1922 and 1955 pistols, the spring guide incorporates a smaller-diameter, rearwards-pointing "signal pin" and a shorter second spring; when the striker is cocked, the signal pin projects from a small hole in the spring retainer on the frame. If your spring guide has a signal pin, make sure to reassemble it large-end forward with both springs in the correct relationship.) According to my reference sources, the body of the striker is supposed to be 0.248" in diameter, and it should measure 0.302" over the sear projection. The striker's overall length should be 1.076" measured to the end of the firing pin.
If the striker is out of spec, replace it. If the striker measures correctly, try replacing the spring(s). Another possibility is to check the striker projection for burrs, but I would recommend against filing the forward side of the projection, as this surface engages the sear; removing excess metal may render the pistol unsafe.