Slide on 1911 gets caught 1/8th in before full forward

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Slide on 1911 gets caught 1/8th in before full forward

Posted: 10/21/2013 11:44:33 AM EDT

With my .45 acp reloads, every once in awhile the slide will get "caught" from locking full forward, roughly an eighth of an inch. Bullets pass plunk test, (dropping into barrel) and only happens on 1911s. What gives?

Posted: 10/21/2013 11:48:10 AM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
With my .45 acp reloads, every once in awhile the slide will get "caught" from locking full forward, roughly an eighth of an inch. Bullets pass plunk test, (dropping into barrel) and only happens on 1911s. What gives?

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More details please, bullet, powder, powder charge, OAL, recoil spring, firearm, ramped barrel?, etc.

Posted: 10/21/2013 12:05:43 PM EDT

[#2]

sounds like you're a little too long OAL but yeah need to know what your loading, specifically. I'd work towards the minimum OAL for the load and bullet and see what you get. You can easily make a dummy round to play with your OAL.

Posted: 10/21/2013 2:14:58 PM EDT

[#3]

Does it do this with varying make/model of magazines? Different guns? Only on the 8th round?

Posted: 10/21/2013 2:28:36 PM EDT

[#4]

Double check your crimp... it might be just off enough to make it hang up on the chamber when feeding, but not straight down into it.

Posted: 10/21/2013 4:02:52 PM EDT

[#5]

I have several 1911's that shoot my lead reloads with great accuracy. However, one of three Kimbers(Custom 2) has a short throat compared to Colt/Springer/other Kimbers and will do what you describe. It only takes one to be slightly long to jam up the works. Keep looking at all the possible variables, a light will go on when you find the culprit.

Posted: 10/21/2013 4:32:42 PM EDT

[#6]

Your OAL is too long. Check that first. If not, get your barrel throated for cast.

Posted: 10/21/2013 4:33:47 PM EDT

[#7]

Seat your bullets deeper. Ogive must start at case mouth, or even slightly below.

Posted: 10/21/2013 7:38:45 PM EDT

[#8]

Do you notice any hesitation going into battery when lowering the slide on an empty chamber? If so, the link/barrel hump at slide stop may be at fault. This is a problem with one of my 1911s I need to fix someday.

Posted: 10/21/2013 8:05:38 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:
Double check your crimp... it might be just off enough to make it hang up on the chamber when feeding, but not straight down into it.

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Biggest problem I've had with .45 ACP loading is the crimp. You really have to be on top of making sure to fully crimp away the flare, or it will do this very jam to you.

Posted: 10/22/2013 4:18:32 AM EDT

[#10]

Cartridge Overall Length is either too long or too short.

Or

There is a burr on the base

Or

The recoil spring is weak.

I'm sure I'm missing at least one more.

Posted: 10/22/2013 7:07:43 AM EDT

[#11]

I encountered a new one for me this summer loading for my 1911. I was loading plated bullets. Seating and crimping in one stage. Very ocasionally the plating would be caught by the mouth of the case and rolled up in front of the case. This would prevent an otherwise good looking round from chambering fully similar to what you are describing. It's hard to see since the brass cartridge and the plating from the bullet are essentially the same color and the rolled up plating didn't protrude beyond the OD of the case.

Posted: 10/22/2013 11:45:17 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
I encountered a new one for me this summer loading for my 1911. I was loading plated bullets. Seating and crimping in one stage. Very ocasionally the plating would be caught by the mouth of the case and rolled up in front of the case. This would prevent an otherwise good looking round from chambering fully similar to what you are describing. It's hard to see since the brass cartridge and the plating from the bullet are essentially the same color and the rolled up plating didn't protrude beyond the OD of the case.

View Quote

You need to flare your case mouths more.

Posted: 10/22/2013 4:12:18 PM EDT

[#13]

Going to go with needs more crimp.

Posted: 10/22/2013 6:24:42 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:

You need to flare your case mouths more.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I encountered a new one for me this summer loading for my 1911. I was loading plated bullets. Seating and crimping in one stage. Very ocasionally the plating would be caught by the mouth of the case and rolled up in front of the case. This would prevent an otherwise good looking round from chambering fully similar to what you are describing. It's hard to see since the brass cartridge and the plating from the bullet are essentially the same color and the rolled up plating didn't protrude beyond the OD of the case.

You need to flare your case mouths more.

Yep.

ETA: The more I think about it I'm not sure if more flare will help. When you seat and crimp in one station the bullet is still being pushed into the case as the crimp is being applied. No matter the amount a flare you add, the case mouth will be pushed against the bullet as the bullet is still being pushed into the case. If I had to guess, the cartridges that gave me troubles probably had thicker necks than the trouble free cartridges.

Just telling my story since it could cause a problem similar to the OP's.

Posted: 10/24/2013 6:50:08 AM EDT

[#15]

I had this happen too. It was a little lead around the neck of the case .

Posted: 10/24/2013 5:35:16 PM EDT

[#16]

I have had this happen to me too. I load a LSWC bullet. Every now and then I will shave a small amount of lead when seating the bullet. It has caused a small amount of lead to buildup at the mouth of the chamber which prevented the slide from going fully into battery.
I cleaned the lead from the chamber and barrel and now gauge every round. I find one every once in a while that will not go into the gauge. I check and it will have a small lead ring. I also have to clean the pieces of lead that get shaved from the gauge, but a pass with a bore brush takes care of it.
My lead bullets are hard cast, but even the hardest lead can have a ring shaved causing problems.
I could bell the case mouth a little more, and that would probably cure the problem, but where my dies are set leaves very little for the crimp die to do, and using my thumbnail to remove a few lead rings isn't a big problem- plus I am not working my brass much.

Posted: 10/24/2013 7:03:17 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
With my .45 acp reloads, every once in awhile the slide will get "caught" from locking full forward, roughly an eighth of an inch. Bullets pass plunk test, (dropping into barrel) and only happens on 1911s. What gives?

View Quote

How about an nice clean pic of the cartridge in question.. will help do away with a lot of the guessing going on because we do not know what bullet being used, be it FMJ, RNL, SWC.. along with some details, but I suspect a pic or 2 of the cartridge might be really helpfull.

Posted: 10/24/2013 9:10:39 PM EDT

[#18]

First guess is the overall length is too long. Shorten them to 1.240" and see if it still happens.

Sorry, didn't really read the thread just looked at the first post if it has already been covered.

Posted: 10/25/2013 4:28:47 AM EDT

[#19]

Overall length isn't a constant. It depends on what bullet is being used.
OP we really need to know what bullet you are loading before we can come up with a good solution.

Posted: 10/27/2013 5:04:21 PM EDT

[#20]

Random range brass, 6.5g imr 4756, 230g rainier arms fmj ball, 1.250 oal.

And ive had this issue before with other handguns and these reloads, but this particular 1911 does seem to "snag" whenever the barrel travels upward into slide lock. Ive oiled everywhere i can and cant seem to get that "hump" to go away.

Posted: 10/27/2013 5:27:22 PM EDT

[#21]

Mark the bullet on a dummy round with a black marker and chamber. See if it is hitting the lands.

Check the tension on your extractor.

Posted: 10/27/2013 5:32:16 PM EDT

[#22]

How do you check exractor tension?

Posted: 10/27/2013 5:50:44 PM EDT

[#23]

Posted: 10/27/2013 6:00:55 PM EDT

[#24]

Visual of the assembled cartridge pic appears all correct assembly, nothing looks out of place,, well assembled.

Start looking at the firearm,, as noted, extractor might be place to look, as during feed cycle as the bottom of slide strips round from mag, rim has to get up in the extractor slotand keep moving so slide can lock with barrel.

Also look at throat to frame relation too (entrance of barrel chamber to frame)

Remove extractor, verify breech face will allow case head/rim to slide up breech face freely,, maybe tight spot in there from when it machined

Posted: 10/27/2013 6:15:53 PM EDT

[#25]

Feed ramp looks right, extractor tension checks out, breech face good. Did notice theres a "tight spot" where i have to give the slide a little extra oomph on the last inch or so of travel in the rearward direction.

Posted: 10/27/2013 7:11:18 PM EDT

[#26]

What 1911 is it?
Disassemble it and check the slide on the frame without the barrel installed. See if that rough spot still exists. If so do a very close visual inspection on the frame and slide rails.

Posted: 10/28/2013 10:56:43 AM EDT

[#27]

Rock island 3 in.

Posted: 10/28/2013 3:29:50 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
Cartridge Overall Length is either too long or too short.

Or

There is a burr on the base

Or

The recoil spring is weak.

I'm sure I'm missing at least one more.

THIS: Lee Factory Crimp Die.

I had a problem with 1 in 10 to 15 45 ACPs jamming in mu 1911.

Cartridges were about .0005" oversize, enough to keep the slide from fully closing.

Hope this helps.

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Posted: 10/28/2013 3:49:31 PM EDT

[#29]

Without the fcd would round still pass the plunk test? I was under the understanding that if they plunk fine theyre good to go.

Posted: 10/28/2013 7:53:40 PM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:

Without the fcd would round still pass the plunk test? I was under the understanding that if they plunk fine theyre good to go.

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As long as you understand the plunk test. Round could be too long and still "plunk" incorrectly.

Where is the end of the case in relation to the barrel?

I don't use the plunk test, as I use a case gauge. So I don't have a pic to post of a proper plunk.

Anyone?

Posted: 10/29/2013 12:24:14 PM EDT

[#31]

Ill plunk when I get home and post pics.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Slide on 1911 gets caught 1/8th in before full forward

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