Took my new to me Pointman Major .45 to range today for the first time. Ran fine on FMJ's, but won't go with the Speer 230gr Gold Dots I had along. When 8rds are loaded in the mag, you can't drop the slide without the bullet getting rammed straight into the feed ramp. Looks like it gets pushed directly forward and then stops. Gold Dots are usually pretty friendly to use too. BUT, if I only load about 3 or 4 in the mag, they go OK. I tried this with both a Chip McCormick and a Novaks ACT mags and happens to both. What gives? I thought I saw a thread somewhere stating that some of the Pointman series did have problems with hollow points. What was the cause/fix to the problem? This is the first 1911 I've had for many years and the time spent away from them was because of this type of BS. I really like to shoot 1911's and shoot them well, but I need a pistol that will digest everything I try to put through it. I have a Browng HP, Glock, Sig, and Steyr and don't think twice about reliability on any of them. Well, the Steyr will give me fits on cheap ammo though.  Any advice? I bought used and the shop owner told me if I'm not happy with the pistol, he'll give me my money back. Think it should go back? Thanks,  Terry

If the DW does not like HP's, it may need to have some machining and polishing done to the feed ramp. This is serious gunsmith type work. I would suggest you either shoot FMJ or get a refund. Charles the Gunsmith.  

although i will have to go w/ 1911builder on this....CMC power mags also rammed the wide nosed GDs into my springfield champion

i switched to Win Rangers (more narrow nose, complete jacket) and WC mags--no more problems

I would send it back to Wesson and let them do a simle polish job on the feed ramp and barrel throat.  Any gunsmith should be able to do it, but wesson will probably do it for free or next to nothin.

If it needs custom work to run HPs, I wouldn't have it.

I contact DW and am awaiting a reply. Another guy from another board had the same problem with the same gun and was told the gun was only setup for FMJ evn though the barrel and such are all hand fitted. This is more of a target gun or match gun than anything. He contacted DW and the sent Fed Ex to pick it up and throated and polished it all at no charge. Hope I can make out the same Here's a pic of what it looks like when I try to drop the slide on a loaded mag. Both Hydros and Gold Dots hang up at the same place using both Novaks and CMC mags. I like a pistol that shoots anything right out of the box also. That's why it's been so long since I've owned a 1911 Hope I can get this resolved.  Terry

My SA Champion does the exact same thing with wide nosed HPs, even with the wilson combat mag i just got.   Will shoot FMJs all day long without a problem though.

It looks like your extractor might be getting in the way from the picture.  I had this happen to me on my DW 10mm, I just bent the extractor a touch and everything fed fine after that.  Naturally the extractor will try to bend back due too metal memory.  So I had to bend it three times to get it to work 100%.  Internal extractors are tricky but work great once tuned.  

I have a Dan Wesson pointman Aussie and it does the same thing. Never really  felt like calling them and haveing it sent back. I can't trust people with my stuff. I just got a kimber and it loves HP. So i am thinking maybe i  should give Dan W a call and see what they can do. wounder if CZ will honor it and do for free since they  baught  Dan wesson.  Can't hurt to try.    


But they are good guns and will shoot well. I love mine it has the 9-11-01 united we stand on the side. Was my first 1911 ever .

Talked to the DW guy today. He said they don't warrant thier guns to shoot hollowpoints reliably, just FMJ's. However he said he would throat and polish it at no charge, but I would have to take the hit on shipping both ways. I guess that will be kinda salty. Don't you have to ship handguns overnight? Anyway, I'm going to get a price from the smith that I bought the gun from and maybe even talk to him about buying it back. Terry

UPS overnight shipping with insurance is about $60 each way. So it would probably cost $120 in shipping, alone, to send it back. I am sure your 'smith can fix it cheaper. If you could get a refund that would probably be the best deal for you. Good luck. Charles.  

Would a stronger recoil spring possibly help a problem like this?

A stronger recoil spring won't help. The frame feed ramp needs to be re-machined to a different angle and polished. Then it will feed HP's. Charles.  

My SA Loaded did not like some HPs and when I got my Novak and Mecgar mags it will feed them fine.