4th round FTF

Shooting my 1911 today, slide mounted U/D, 200 gr Lead SWC and 3.8 gr WST, 10lb recoil spring, three different MecGar magazines. Ejection and feeding seemed positive but almost without exception, in 100 rds fired, five per magazine, I would get a FTE/FTF on the fourth round fired. The fourth would fail to clear the gun and the fifth would fail to chamber. Grip weakening towards the end of each string, maybe? Any other ideas?

Hello John,

What does "failure to chamber" mean....Jams?  Partially chambered?  Sitting on top of follower and slide locked back?

Pictures would be helpful.

Thanks.

Jim

I would guess 4th round would have to be magazine spring

check you extractor tension for being too light.


what lb springs are you running in your mags>?

I had the exact problem, it was due to the extractor not being tuned properly after I replaced it. I thought it was magazines for a while and even installed Wolff extra strength springs. I tried tweaking the extractor myself but ended up sending it to Jon, its worked like a champ since.

interesting, I wonder why?

I think when the magazine gets low the spring pressure drop by the last round and it is less likely to overcome am out of tune extractor. When the magazine is full it has loads of spring pressure to help out.

if the extractor fails to hold the case on extraction it can slip loose and miss or miss hit the ejector....  magazine pressure or lack there of  also comes into play sometimes as Zane noted.


I fool with enough 1911s I end up using the Weigand tensioning tools and measuring gauges to be consistent  across all my 1911s..it has shown to be pretty reliable

Jerry Keefer had some great threads on the extractor here and elsewhere

I'll check the extractor tension. And I'm going to try something I should have done right there and then: load more than five rounds and see if it still happens after firing the next-to-last round. I'll bring my Wilson magazines along, too.

What about a consistent 3rd round jams against base of barrel. Zero jhp.

Last person I know that had this first tried extractor then magazine follower angle. The only fix was sending to gunsmith and have the barrel fit adjusted. Something about the timing of the gun or barrel bed

Gee, thanks, lol

I'd try a high magazine catch like an EGW.

an incorrect link can cause this.

without getting into the weeds on link length and lower lugs profile basically if the link pushes the slide stop over the lower lug radius it will cause the barrel to rise during feeding. bullet will then catch on the lower portion of the feed ramp.


anyway have a smith who knows the 1911 look at it if a high mag catch doesn't fix it.

jglenn21 wrote:I'd try a high magazine catch like an EGW.

an incorrect link can cause this.

without getting into the weeds on link length and lower lugs profile basically if the link pushes the slide stop over the lower lug radius it will cause the barrel to rise during feeding. bullet will then catch on the lower portion of the feed ramp.


anyway have a smith who knows the 1911 look at it if a high mag catch doesn't fix it.

Man you know your stuff

just  old and been fooling with the 1911 for a while...   Not to mention I think I've had just about every failure know to man on the 1911 over the years. generally of my own doing.

jglenn21 wrote:I'd try a high magazine catch like an EGW.

an incorrect link can cause this.

without getting into the weeds on link length and lower lugs profile basically if the link pushes the slide stop over the lower lug radius it will cause the barrel to rise during feeding. bullet will then catch on the lower portion of the feed ramp.


anyway have a smith who knows the 1911 look at it if a high mag catch doesn't fix it.

Well, I blued it up and found a little drag on the lower feet. Dressed that up, also found it was just sitting on one lug, leveled it off so both touch. No problems since!