Marvel Conversion feeding problems

I am in need of assistance. I'm going bonkers.

So I have a Marvel Unit 1 (no lockback) I purchased last year, that has had ZERO problems until two weeks ago. In the past I've used CCI, Eley, SK ammo with no feeding issues. I used GSG mags and Kimber Plastic mags with no issues. Thousands of rounds. The Colt/Metalform mags gave me too many issues even after playing with the feed lips so I gave up on those.

The current symptom is this. The very first round in the magazine will fail-to-feed about 50-80% of the time. About 1/2 to 2/3 of the brass is still outside the chamber. When I eject the round, the brass is slightly bent (bottom) where it jammed. However, if I take another round and manually insert the round into the chamber, close the action, and put a magazine with 4 rounds in it. It will fire all five shots fine.

I've already cleaned the barrel, swapped recoil springs and gave it a general cleaning of all the gunk that's accumulated. Maybe I need to put the gunk back in the feed ramp area.

thoughts?????

thanks
Cary

When loading the first round are you pulling the slide all the way to the rear then releasing it? Check to see if the firing pin is protruding from the bolt face, maybe broken? And also check the steel bolt in the slide to be sure the block is not loose or the screw holding it is not broken. Can you borrow a known good magazine? Other then that I have no clue.

Dave C.

I see the very slight tip of the firing pin protruding.
How do I remove the firing pin to check it? same as a normal 1911?

I do "slingshot" the slide to load the first round (A necessity)

Before removing the firing pin(which takes a bit of pounding) I'd do a thorough gun cleaning and magazine cleaning. I was having misfires due to a build-up preventing the slide from fully seating forward. A lot of gunk can build up.

Hi Cary,
I had a similar problem with my new GSG magazine in the Marvel conversion unit 1. You wrote that you've cleaned the gun already and I assume you also cleaned the magazine, being the astute person that you are. The recommended solution from probably the best source was to lubricate the inside of the magazine. I did so by squirting some Break Free along the inside walls of the magazine and then let it sit overnight upright to drain off the excess. I've had no problems since.
Norman

followup

Turns out my firing pin was broken near the tip. The broken piece still was in the firing pin tunnel, but when slingshotting the first round the tip would poke out and prevent the rear of the round from moving upwards enough, so it would be severely angled while feeding. This also explains why the rest of the magazine would feed (recoil action forced tip back into tunnel). Glad this was figured out.