Pistol or Magazine Problem?

[Tony C]

All,

First, this may not be the correct thread for this question. If it isn't, I trust a moderator will move it. Either way, I am sorry for the length of the post but I want to be detailed and need help.

I am having a major failure in my 1911.

On Saturday the 28th (March), I took my DW CBOB to an USPSA match where I ran about 200 rounds through it with zero issues. This is a seven year old firearm and I have never had a problem with it. I was using a mix of magazines from Chip McCormick, Wilson Combat, Dan Wesson, and Kimber. All worked without a hitch, loading each to it's eight round limit.

Seven days later, 4/4, I took the same equipment to an IDPA match and was forced to withdraw. Again, loading each magazine to their eight round capacity and with a round in the chamber to start, when I would fire the pistol the slide would go back and the magazines would fall out. This happened every time I fired the pistol.

Since, I have tested the magazines, and three of the six failed to stay in the gun when I fired the round in the chamber and when eight rounds were in the magazines. If I used those same magazines with just six rounds, they seem to work fine.

Here are some things you need to know:
1) This is my daily concealed carry weapon. For carry I never load to eight rounds, I keep them all to seven (with one in the chamber).
2) I have used these magazines in probably 50 or more USPSA matches without a hitch loading to their full capacity of eight.
3) The rounds are my hand-loads, the same bullets, primers, and powder (make and grains) I have used for a very long time, so there isn't a difference there.
4) I am a very experienced shooter, so I checked to see if the failure was user-error; stray thumbs on slide-lock or mag release, etc., but it is not. The failure happens when shooting with two hands and in one-handed fire.
5) I had just replaced the recoil spring for the IDPA match, so I figured that was the problem. I put the old spring from the match on the 28th back in (3,000 ish rounds), and the problem repeated, just as with the new spring.
6) I took the grips off and did a thorough cleaning of the area around the magazine release inside the pistol, that didn't affect change.

Have you ever seen or heard of this problem? It cropped up so fast, and with multiple magazines. I am at a loss. I can take it to a gunsmith, but if I can find help here I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance,
Tony

 

[Evil Monkey]

You don't think the magazine catch has been damaged because of all that banging done by the slide reciprocating and pushing the rounds against the compressed magazine spring, causing the mag body to yank down on the magazine catch?

 

[James K]

The mag catch would be my first suspect. It might have been damaged at some point, maybe in the last few shots of one session and the first few of the next. Or at any point where you were not loading the full 8 rounds.

It is also possible that your magazines, when loaded with 8 rounds, don't have enough room to properly engage the mag catch. The easy way to check is to insert the magazine with the slide locked back. If the problem goes away, you will have to either tinker with the magazine follower(s)/spring(s) or not load 8 rounds. (Messing with the mag catch in that case is not recommended.)

Jim

 

[AKexpat]

If it happened all of a sudden, with all of the mags working flawlessly previously, I would look at the mag catch/release unit, especially the condition of the spring. Strange things happen...

 

[Tony C]

Thanks Folks,

I took the magazine catch out of the pistol and took a close look at it. It may have some slight wear, it is hard to tell. I went ahead and ordered one from Brownells today. If that doesn't do it I will give it to my local smith.