need some 1911A1 help, REcoil spring weight?

[mofocus]

getting ready to take my CHL test. i have Springfield Armory 1911-A1 pretty much brand new unbroken in. it worked well until i decided i wanted to feed HP so my dad ramped it, we cycled a few mags through the action and it fed flawlessly (nonfiring). BUT when i went to go target practice it fed one magazine of HPs with only one FTF, but then every magazine after that was FMJ and it FTF EVERY ROUND form then on. i took it back to my gunsmith(dad) and he worked the extractor over alittle bit so it wouldnt hang but the shells still FTF. after he worked with the extractor alil more it cycled. but it still seems i need a stronger spring, the slide needs help occassionally closing

does anyone know what the factory weight is? 16lb was recomended to me

[k98k792]

Factory weight should be 16lbs. Here is a lot of options from Wolff.
http://www.gunsprings.com/SemiAuto/ColtNF.html#1911Recoil

[97th Signalman]

After I broke my Rock Island Tactical in I put in a Wolff 18.5 lb spring and it feeds HP's and everything else just fine. If your problems persist try several different types of mags. The newer designs like Chip McCormick, Novak, etc are best with HP ammo and work fine for FMJ as well. Colt factory mags are best suited for FMJ and may be troublesome with HP ammo.

[texlurch]

16 is factory weight. What type of FMJ are you using? All mine feed pretty much anything I give them.

Also check the extractor channel on the face of the slide, and make sure it is cut wide enough for the base of the shell. If it is borderline tight it will prevent the case from sliding up. Also doesn't hurt to remove the extractor and FP and polish that area and deburr.

[mofocus]

i thnk im going to get one of those wolf extra power packs off of midway, its got a 16 and a few others higher than it ;)

[deth502]

+1 to the 18.5's. thats what i use and they seem to work best.

BUT......

it is very easy to take too much off of a 1911 feedramp and cause problems. hopefully the spring will fix it for you!!

[mofocus]

im hoping so also, my dad ramped it in no time and i was alil dissapointed in going from feeding FMJ to feeding both for a mag or two, to feeding nothing

[97th Signalman]

im hoping so also, my dad ramped it in no time and i was alil dissapointed in going from feeding FMJ to feeding both for a mag or two, to feeding nothing

Try a Colt Factory 7-round mag that you can order from the Brownells catalog and I bet it will feed FMJ ammo, especially with a new 18 pound recoil spring from Wolff. With the colt mags you will find that the round feeds without even touching the ramp. It all has to do with parallel feed lips vs. Non-Parallel feed lips on the mag.

I don't know your Dad's skills but as noted above a lot of well intended "ramp jobs" have been the cause of a deterioration in feed performance in 1911 pistols. Most, if not all, 1911A1 pistols today come with a a ramp finish that is all it needs to be...stop me before I Dremel again!


Check out this thread started by "Tuner" on the 1911 pistol organization website: http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=44064&highlight=magazine+feed+lips

[mofocus]

he has two 1911s, one he dremeled and learned, and one that will eat anything, even pointed wad cutters.

would getting the variable springs be a bad thing?

[CWizard]

I've had a lot of stovepipe jams using target loads in my 1911 during indoor combat shoots. How much lighter a recoil spring ahould be used? Thanks.:533:

[Old Jimmy]

I have a Springfield 1911A1 and it has spit out about 2000 rounds with nothing other than being cleaned. Never a FTF or FTE.
It it was mine I would not have polised it till at least 300 or 400 rounds.
The only thing I dont like is that the barrel and chamber are 2 seperate pieces and mine opened up a gap after 200 rounds but it hasnt moved since.