SA 1911-A1 problem

Looks like its short stroking from weak loads and the slide is closing on the brass.

However it also looks like the result of extractor or ejection issues. You may be chasing two things at once.

What load are you using?
 
You have not missed anything Nathan.

Top round in pic is empty, round below is loaded.

Pistol is very clean, oiled, unknown round count ( I bought it used).

Recoil spring info Unknown.

Variety of mags utilized, all used(Chip McCormick, Ruger, Tripple K, Colt, Shaw, and a few marked only with numbers or unmarked. Unknown if any springs have been changed. One new mag tried, Triple K bought recently at Cabela's.

Extractor work unknown. I have watched videos. It lacked tension and I have worked on correcting issue. Will try it soon.

Ejector looks like short version, not peened, broken or loose.

Until this thread I had blamed hand loads only and not looked at issues with the pistol. Getting a Wolfe spring kit, adjusted extractor, and continue load development. Loaded some this evening:

Speer brass
WLP primers
Bullet Meister 200g SWC
Tight Group 5.2g
OAL 1.240
Crimp .472

Hotter than all I have tried so far. This with the extractor adjustment and thorough cleaning hopefully provides more info. I may wait for the spring kit to arrive.

Reading online a lot about others problems and how each were solved. Learning and putting info to practical use.
 
ring3 said:
Ordering a spring kit from Brownell tomorrow, getting the Wolf set.
Click to expand...
Which Wolff set? Specifically, what rating (weight) recoil spring did you order?

Can you post a good VERY close-up photo of the tip/hook of your extractor, and another showing the ejector?
 
I grabbed these on my way to work this morning. Hope they give the detail needed.

I have not put in the order for springs yet. Selected a Wolff kit but paused after doing more reading and thinking of other thing I might need.
image_zpsgnxewjuc.jpeg

image_zpsl3gqzngh.jpeg

image_zps3zqwz4uy.jpeg

image_zpsfulri1kl.jpeg
 
From the pictures you really can't tell very much,but they look normal. But as to how they are machined who knows. If the ejector is machined off just a little it might be the cause of throwing the cases off.
 
Sorry the pics don't show enough detail. I could try for better ones later.

I am thinking of getting the "Wolff 1911 Auto Pistol Service Pak. The description says it includes "all essential factory weight coil springs...." As I said, the pistol was purchased used. No idea of modifications or round count. It was made in 1989.

Might get a couple new mags and maybe some new mag springs and followers. Looking at the books too.

Thanks again for the help.
 
Forgot to mention that an easy way to guesstimate extractor tension is by the effort required to install it.
If it just easily slips into its hole (not enough), or whether some effort is required.
Not exactly an empirical method, but a good place to start.
 
You have not missed anything Nathan.

Top round in pic is empty, round below is loaded.
Click to expand...

So, this says to me that the case hit the ejection port mouth or the extractor let go while extracting....

First, your ejector is extended, but I thought your slide was not flare cut....so, do empty' land to you 4-5 o'clock when shooting?

Second, just sliding a loaded round under the extractor, holding only a slide and a load d round....how does that feel? No force at all, slight drag, or hard to get under the extractor?

Pistol is very clean, oiled, unknown round count ( I bought it used).

Recoil spring info Unknown.

Variety of mags utilized, all used(Chip McCormick, Ruger, Tripple K, Colt, Shaw, and a few marked only with numbers or unmarked. Unknown if any springs have been changed. One new mag tried, Triple K bought recently at Cabela's.

Extractor work unknown. I have watched videos. It lacked tension and I have worked on correcting issue. Will try it soon.

Ejector looks like short version, not peened, broken or loose.

Until this thread I had blamed hand loads only and not looked at issues with the pistol. Getting a Wolfe spring kit, adjusted extractor, and continue load development. Loaded some this evening:

Speer brass
WLP primers
Bullet Meister 200g SWC
Tight Group 5.2g
OAL 1.240
Crimp .472

Hotter than all I have tried so far. This with the extractor adjustment and thorough cleaning hopefully provides more info. I may wait for the spring kit to arrive.
Click to expand...

Everything else sounds basically good.....

While your load is well within min/max range, I wonder if the factory ammo is running better because it is surely loaded to max pressure. Still, an extractor that loses control of a case or an ejector that is not tim d to throw cases out the hole is doomed to fail.
 
I can see 4 possible theories for why it's not ejecting:
1) The case rim is not being held by the extractor (unlikely IMO given the pictures)
2) The slide is not making it far enough rearward for the case to hit the ejector.
3) The ejector is too short even though the slide is making it far enough back
4) The case is hanging on the ejection port

I would hand-cycle the gun with empty cases, dummy loads, or snap caps and try to prove out which of those theories is in fact ocurring
 
That's an extended ejector. The extra length could be a contributing factor.

The photos of the extractor aren't close enough or sharp enough to be sure, but to me it looks like the extractor hook is somewhat mangled. It might be cleaned up with a jeweler's file, or you could try a new extractor.
 
Quick update. Springs were spose to be here Saturday/USPS. Didn't show.

I couldn't wait. Loaded some 200g SWC with Tight Group and headed over the hill. First couple hit the mark and ejected clean. Then I noticed the front sight fell off. It's gone. Can't seem to catch a break with this pistol. Back up the hill I went.

Seems the "deal" I got isn't working out to be such a good one.

I compared my extractor feel with one on a new Ruger 1911. Adjusted till mine felt very close to the Ruger. Springs should be here tomorrow. Now I need a front sight (staked).

Would like to save some money and do it myself. Stake tool is $50 from Brownells plus a sight and shipping. Thinking of sending it to Springfield and letting them get it in shape. I'm truly just looking for a shooter here. Wish I had a good local smith.

Any further suggestions welcome. Thanks a lot for all the help so far. I have enjoyed the education.
 
That's a shame man sorry to hear about all of your troubles. May be the reason somebody sold it in the first place, its may just be a "lemon". I have heard that some of springfields worse years of manufacture were the late 80's to early nineties. They are supposed to be a top quality (as far as mass produced goes) 1911. I have a 2013 (I think) made loaded model 1911A1 .45 5"

It has never ever malfunctioned in any way until yesterday (failure to feed), but I was shooting gunshow reloaded cheap ammo (230gr ball brass cased, package marked "blemished"). And was using factory Springfield 7rd mags that are very dirty. You can hear grinding and crunchies when you depress the follower. I still trust it with my life. And is oh so sweet shooting. I can't provide any technical pointers as the only work done to mine is replace the trigger with a Harrison designs extreme service short black trigger (love it)
 
Update. Installed new springs from service pak today and went shooting. m
Hand loads:
Speer brass
WLP primers
200g cast SWC
5.2g Tight Group
OAL 1.245
Crimp .472

70+ rounds shot

No jams, or FTF. Accurate rounds. Empties landed about 4' to my right in a 6' arc. Upon firing the first mag my front sight flew off. I could not find it so I fashoined one from a brass rivet to get though (see pic).

I have a couple more questions; About half of the brass came out with the flat spot shown in pic. Is this normal? Anything I should look at for cause?

I cannot find where the pictured spring goes. Is it model specific and not used in my 1989 model pistol?

What is the best most economical way to replace the front sight? Found them for under $10 but tool costs $50. I'll likely never use the tool again. Fear that by the time I pay shipping, part and labor total will be higher than doing myself.

image_zpswy5x8ejw.jpeg


Thanks again for all the comments and help. So far it's been fun and frustrating. Making progress!
 
I have a couple more questions; About half of the brass came out with the flat spot shown in pic. Is this normal? Anything I should look at for cause?
Click to expand...
A 1:No it's not normal.
A 2:Yes.extractor tension.
 
I am not a gunsmith and I am not a seasoned 1911 guy so take everything I say with a grain of salt.

I do, however, have a full-size Springfield Armory Model 1911 and I have been having ejection issues and mangled brass so I have researched this issue.

Is your 1911 a full-sized Government model? Do you know what model it is?

I can see that your slide has vertical cocking serrations at the rear. The SA "GI 45" model had vertical cocking serrations like that. It is possible that some of their earlier "mil-spec" models did as well, but I am not certain.

It looks to me as if the ejection port on your pistol is the small size of the original WWII models. It does not appear to be lowered (I could be mistaken as the photo does not show the side of the slide to advantage). It certainly has not been fluted at the back of the port or relieved at the lower front corner.

I do not believe that your trigger or your ejector are stock. The SA models that I know of that had vertical cocking serrations also had the original style very short GI trigger. I am pretty sure they all had the shorter Government style ejector. So I am pretty certain the trigger has been swapped and somewhat less certain that the ejector has as well.

As for the little spring, I believe it it the magazine catch spring but don't hold me to it.

I have been told by people knowledgeable with 1911s that extended ejectors are not a great idea on pistols with the small unlowered, unflared and unfluted ejection ports. I have also been told that dented brass at the case mouth is not unusual with GI replicas of 1911s that have the small ejection port. However, your brass seems to be mangled to a degree that indicates some malfunction.

In the photos that show the bottom edge of your extractor at the claw end, I am pretty certain that the extractor has been worked over, and not necessarily in a good way. It looks to me as if an attempt has been made to radius the lower half of the slot between the locator pad and the claw, but this does not appear to have been done smoothly. Worse, it appears to me that the rear face of the extractor claw is no longer parallel with the forward face of the locator pad. This could be an illusion created by the photo, but if those surfaces are not mostly parallel it will be difficult for your extractor claw to get a secure grasp on the case rim and maintain it during slide cycle.

Your best bet might be to send the pistol back to SA. They can replace the front sight, lower, flare, and flute the ejection port, and install a new extractor. The cost may well be less than trying to fix the problems yourself.

If you don't want to do this, and your spring change does not solve the issue, I would install a new extractor, either a Wilson Combat bulletproof or an Evolution Gun Works "Practical". I am quite sure your 1911 is a series 70 type, although a series 80 extractor will also work. If you decide to change the extractor, you might want to get a new firing pin stop as well to insure a tight fit and no extractor "clocking" at the rear end.

If a new extractor does not fix the problem I would either have the ejection port lowered, flared, and fluted or change the ejector to the standard shorter Government Model type or both.
 
Yeah, the brass shows why ejection ports are fluted and lowered.
But the brass is still ok for reloading.
The sizing die will correct.
So, no need to worry about that as long as the brass is exiting as it should.
 
1911 stuff

I had a similar problem a with my Colt Series 80 stainless gov't model.

After checking all of the suggestions as offered above, I found that my progressive reloading dies had moved and was seating the 200gr SWC (Missouri) cast bullet slightly less than usual.

That was enough to give extraction and feed failures as well as banged up cases. It was a simple fix but I did go through all of the other suggestions given by the others above before it dawned on me to check cartridge OAL.

Best of luck.
 
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