Feeding issue, Nelson 22RF conversion/1911

My Nelson 22 conversion is relatively new, maybe has a max of 1500 rds through it. In the past two matches or so it has started to shoot the first round loaded into the chamber but does not load the second round because the bolt just rides over the top of the cartridge in the magazine. This is a new issue and seems to be happening about once every 3 or 4 strings. 

I am using the Nelson mags which are polymer and I have 4 of them. I function fired all mags many times and all functioned flawlessly.

I also cleaned the pistol very well before my last match and it still did the same thing. 

 Any ideas what could cause this? 

-TH

Common issues with easy fix. Call Larry Nelson and he'll talk you through it. Or pm me with your cell and I'll get you sorted. At the dentist now so it'll have to be later or at a mutually convenient time.

Yes, Larry talked me through it on the phone also. Easy to do.
Stan

Please share

Magazine catches differ and the Nelson magazines sometimes sit too high. This results in the mag lips rubbing on the slide or the round to misfeed. Get a safe sided file e.g. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H1P8RM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 or similar and file the top of the notch of the magazine. This will allow the magazine to sit a little lower and fixes the issue.

Good info to know. Thanks for sharing.
DP

Thanks . I’ll try it on one.

Removing material to lower the mag seems counter intuitive for a problem of riding over the rd in a magazine.

I’ve always found dropping recoil spring down a pound solves the problem with Marvel’s and Nelson’s. Normally encounter this problem with seasonal weather changes.
I use Colt steel mags and high magazine catch in my conversions and run the feed lips almost touching the ejector.
Jon

Call Nelson before doing anything.

In my experience recoil spring change can potentially help to a point, but it also depends on frame and mag position hight, especially if you want to run the Nelson polymer mags (which at the current cost/availability of the colt ace mags makes sense).

Lock the slide back and insert a mag while watching the ejector, the magazine should not touch the ejector or push it upwards.

Edit:
Also just a general thing that may not be obvious to some, don’t slam the mags in

Jon Eulette wrote:I’ve always found dropping recoil spring down a pound solves the problem with Marvel’s and Nelson’s. Normally encounter this problem with seasonal weather changes.
I use Colt steel mags and high magazine catch in my conversions and run the feed lips almost touching the ejector.
Jon

Good point, I did not think of the change in weather. That does correlate with the timing of my problem ( live in VA).

EGW sells a higher magazine catch.  I ended up with one when I started playing with Nelson conversions.  Never needed to use it but I have one.  May have been KC that recommended that I have one close by..

HD Higher Mag Catch Machined from Barstock Checkered Blue (egwguns.com)

I have one that needs a home if needed.

hengehold wrote:Thanks . I’ll try it on one.

Removing material to lower the mag seems counter intuitive for a problem of riding over the rd in a magazine.

You are correct. The solution (lower the magazine) being offered is for an issue with some guns where the magazine sits too high and binds the slide slightly, retards the forward movement of the slide enough that it causes incomplete chambering of the round and a light first strike. The first strike will typically chamber the round fully and it will fire on the second try. 
Call Larry at Nelson Custom and try Jon's solution above.

As per Larry's advice, and a different post, I tried removing material from the magazine catch. The feeding problems continued and the magazine bounced around instead of being held firmly. Here's my solution.

Watch the ejector as you slowly insert an empty magazine. The left side of the magazine contacts the long ejector arm and pushes upward. Not the front lips, but a little further back where the magazine is already recessed for the ejector. Mark the point of contact. Remove some material with a file (or very carefully with a Drimel). Just a little at a time. Repeat until there is no longer any contact. Then use oily ammunition like Norma TAC.

brian's 2¢

Pictures probably explain it better. Original Brownells magazine on left and modified lip magazine on right.