My 1911 has become inaccurate?

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P71pilot

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I have noticed over the past 400 or so rounds that My 1911 doesnt shoot well at all anymore, at least i dont shoot it well anymore. About 2 months ago i went out to my dads and we where both shooting our pistols at about 12 or so yds, he shooting his Para 3" carry gun, and me shooting my 3 year old Springfield Loaded model 5" .45acp. I wasnt doing well at all with mine, and i asked to trade so i shot a mag through his .45 compact and shot it much better, all my shots where in or around the bullseye.

The pistol only has about 1300 or so rounds through it, and at roughly round count 900 or so i noticed a could not get the thing to group anymore, at all. I have been shooting pistols for years, and have always done well with 1911s, and manh other pistols, both duty size and pocket sized, and everywhere in between; when i first got this pistol i was astounded by its accuracy, i think on my secone range outing with it, i managed a 2" 5shot group standing two handed at 20yds, the range worker was mystified.

I clean it about every 200rds. Have only had about 4 malfunctions. 3 where one problem magazine, and one was ammo related.

I have noticed my barrel link does not swing freely, it catches at a certain point, this point being higher in its travel then it ever gets while actually functioning, but i noticed this, about 400 or so rounde ago.


The barrel bushing is farely loose, as far as turning by hand, but i have done some measurements with my calipers and the play comes frome the slide to bushing fit, the bushing to barrel gap is well within spec. This has always been like this. I have replaced and fit a few parts but nothing to do with mechanical accuracy. Just trigger, safety, MSH, grips, FLGR swapped for GI type guide and plug.

Any suggestions or opinions? I really dont think its me, although it very well could be.
 
Of course,its hard to say from here.
Most factors are minor players,such as slide to frame clearance.
The sights point the barrel.The sights are on the slide.The bushing controls the muzzle end of the barrel.Its no big deal if the bushing turns freely.Does the bushing move in the slide? And how is the barrel to bushing clearance?.
That's the muzzle end.

Breech end: Sideways its mostly the hood to slide fit. The barrel underlug to frame lateral clearance can play a part.Do you have horizontal dispersion? That would be horizontal clearance/movement.

Vertical dispersion? One place that can be an issue is the relationship between the top of the barrel lockup,the link,and the underlug "feet" and the slide stop pin.
The link's job is only to postion the barrel.To pull it down out of lockup,and to lift it back to ne locked up by the underlug feet resting on the slide stop pin.

The barrel should be limited in the "Up" travel by the slide locking lug fit.It should be limited in "down "travel by the slide stop pin and feet.
The hood should control lateral movement..

Up,down,sideways,you should have no movement in the locked up barrel.

Anything preventing full lockup,like bullet scrapings on the case mouth,could be a problem.
You changed the trigger.A change of trigger length could matter,itsabout shootability for your hand.With too long or short of a trigger,its harder to press straight back.

Assuming a 5 in barrel,approx 5 in hood to bushing....And lets use 50 ft for a range,thats 600inches. 5 goes into 600 120 times.That means play,or inconsistency,will be multiplied 120 times over 50 feet.

What does that mean? If you have a generous .005 clearance at the muzzle,total,it can cause a max of .005 times 120,or just under 5/8 in at 50 ft.
If you add another .010 at the hood,that would add about 1.25 max dispersion to the 5/8 in.I'm saying a 1911 fit to those(pretty loose) clearances will get a max of 1 7/8 dispersion mechanically from that clearance.

That should give you an idea. A leaded up or poor barrel,poor ammo can contribute some.
After that? Sight alignment,trigger control,etc.
 
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Just maybe

Try a couple of different kinds of good ammo.
I had some undersize bullets that I had reloaded. My bullet mold was undersize. Went to a proper size bullet and all of a sudden I shot a lot better. Try some good factory ammo to eliminate that variable.
 
I wasnt doing well at all with mine, and i asked to trade so i shot a mag through his .45 compact and shot it much better, all my shots where in or around the bullseye.
Click to expand...
What about his?did he get the same results with your pistol?
I have noticed my barrel link does not swing freely, it catches at a certain point, this point being higher in its travel then it ever gets while actually functioning, but i noticed this, about 400 or so rounde ago.
Click to expand...
OP,the barrel link rotates past its highest point when the slide goes into battery,
but in any event if it is snagging as you say it could be damaged,replace it.
And sometimes slumps happen and one recovers and things go back to more or less normal.
 
I will check over the pistol and look for any play while in lock up. If i recall, he shot worse with my pistol, although he wasnt doing fantastic with his compact either. I am going out to his place to hunt tomorrow morning and will stay until sunday abour mid day. Will try to shoot some rounds off and see where i am at. Will focus on my fundamentals to try and ensure i SHOULD be producing good groups. I usually load 5rds per mag and shoot 5shot groups. About a year and a half ago, whilst shooting out on his property, i was able to hit a 6x6 4/5 shots kneeling, from about 75 yards, downhill.
 
How big were the groups at 12 yds? It would have to be something pretty major with the gun for it not to hold at least 3" at 12yds. What's the crown of the muzzle look like?
 
If i remember correctly groups were about 1ft wide. I shot about a 3" or 4" group with my dads 3" 1911. Before i noticed a degrade in accuracy i was shooting 2-3" groups at 12 or so yards regularly. And this was shooting about once every couple of months. The trigger i installed is amazing, and is crisper, smoother and lighter than any factory trigger i have felt yet on a 1911
 
The eternal question - is it the gun or the shooter?
The only way to tell is to test the gun off a good rest, a very good rest, by a very good shooter.
A Ransom type rest would be even better, but not many have one.
Anything else is subjective and a good way to chase yer tail in circles.
You could probably get Springfield to take a look at it, too.
 
No disrespect intended. A loaded s/a (or really anything decent) with less than 1500 rds that once shot 2-3" groups would have to be really messed up to shoot 12" groups at 12 yds. That is extreme and if it was the gun it would be readily apparent or would have been the result of some sort of abuse (dropped the gun on the crown or broken link or bushing).

Not a big fan of shooting pistols from a rest but for this purpose it may help. WS it the same ammo shot through the para ?
 
"Something" is radically wrong.
There aren't enough rounds through the gun for wear to be an issue, unless it's wear of a defective part.
You've never had a squib? Closely inspect the bore, and, as already noted, the muzzle crown.
The sights are tight in their dovetails?
 
The pistol only has about 1300 or so rounds through it, and at roughly round count 900 or so i noticed a could not get the thing to group

I have noticed my barrel link does not swing freely, it catches at a certain point, this point being higher in its travel then it ever gets while actually functioning, but i noticed this, about 400 or so rounde ago.
Click to expand...

Hmm, 1300 - 900 = 400.
Loss of accuracy and sticky link observed about the same time.

The last time I saw a sticky link, the recoil spring guide had come into contact with the link lug and battered the edges of the slot. If the link lug is now riding the recoil spring guide, lockup will not be consistent and shots will spread.

Alternatively, check to see if the link is cracked or stretched. A misfit gun might shoot OK until it beat itself up.
 
Jim,if the lug is coming into contact with the guide rod collar there should be
some kind of damage to both.Five minutes to check that one.
 
Will post pics as soon as possible. My barrel crown is good, there is no play whatsoever that i can detect at lockup.
 
UPDATE

I just disassembled my pistol (field stripped) and took some pics and inspected my link. Here are some notes, hopefully i can upload the pics succesfully

1. There is a nick in the surface of the steel on the front of the link (muzzle side), this nick goes across the width of the link

2. There seems to be a very very thin crack or seam on the back side of the link. my finger nail just barely can feel it, but i can see it.

3. If looking at the link from a side view, and looking at the link as if it were sitting vertical as in lockup, in the almost perfect top of the link (have to rotate link to see this position), there is another what seams to be a split or seam or crack, going across the width of the link. This is fairly wide, and if i could get to it with my finger nail, i am sure it would catch on this.

I have not noticed these imperfections before, maybe my link is damaged and that could be contributing to my accuracy issues?

The photo of the chamber end of barrel and link, this position is where the link is sort of stuck, it takes a little pressure to swing the link the rest of the way up, it catchew at this point, both coming down and up, although i believe this point in its travel is not actually used when cycling or lowering the barrel.

None of these imperfections seem to go through to another plane, they are not through the steel, they seem to be just on the surface or just on one side.
 

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Right where the front of the lug blends with the barrel.
Is it chipped?
Those dent marks on the link don't appear to be a sign of damage.
 
No way am i sending the gun back to springfield if it just a link i need. Cant be that ling without my only pistol.

P.S

Going hunting for first time of season in a few minutes!
 
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