Need assistance diagnosing 1911 issue

[RWT]

Need assistance diagnosing a 1911 feeding issue.

Purchased this used STI guardian from GB of course with the claim of low round count as a house gun by an elderly gentleman. UM. Yeah.

I’ve had issues from the first magazine. Case would jam on extraction or not cycle the next round. Internet tells me magazine issue.
Purchased 3 new Mecgar 8 rd mags. Same issue regardless of ammo. Fed 147 FMJ and HP, Herters 115 FMJ, Browning124 FMJ and Monarch steel case 115 FMJ. All presented same issue with failure to cycle or extract.
Replaced large recoil spring per Dawson Precision. This is the $9.00 light per their recommendation.
Same issue.
Followed Forms advice and replaced extractor with WC BP.
Same issue.

Before I spend another $100 on the smaller recoils spring set up on Dawson site I would appreciate suggestions.

Issue is the same regardless of the magazine. I’ve tried WC 9rd, MecGar 8rd and the STI mag that came with the pistol. All stovepipe as in pic or do not cycle at all.

 

[Formidilosus]

Need assistance diagnosing a 1911 feeding issue.

Purchased this used STI guardian from GB of course with the claim of low round count as a house gun by an elderly gentleman. UM. Yeah.

I’ve had issues from the first magazine. Case would jam on extraction or not cycle the next round. Internet tells me magazine issue.
Purchased 3 new Mecgar 8 rd mags. Same issue regardless of ammo. Fed 147 FMJ and HP, Herters 115 FMJ, Browning124 FMJ and Monarch steel case 115 FMJ. All presented same issue with failure to cycle or extract.
Replaced large recoil spring per Dawson Precision. This is the $9.00 light per their recommendation.
Same issue.
Followed Forms advice and replaced extractor with WC BP.
Same issue.

Before I spend another $100 on the smaller recoils spring set up on Dawson site I would appreciate suggestions.

Issue is the same regardless of the magazine. I’ve tried WC 9rd, MecGar 8rd and the STI mag that came with the pistol. All stovepipe as in pic or do not cycle at all.

View attachment 1021871



View attachment 1021872View attachment 1021873

It looks like your extractor tension is too tight. The extractors don’t just drop in and work- they have to be adjusted to work in each pistol.

 

[RWT]

It looks like your extractor tension is too tight. The extractors don’t just drop in and work- they have to be adjusted to work in each pistol.

Thank you. I adjusted it today before I went to feed cows. I did the bend it the other way method. I also learned don’t do this in the pasture as the spring can get away from you. Same issue
Once reassembled. Would not eject.

Coming back into town I caught a signal. Went to the Utube and found a video showing the shake method on an empty case. I made the adjustments back at the house. I’ll check it again later this week.

I am curious if the bend it by feel method is what Browning originally intended. Yes it works but I have little faith the spring steel will holdup to 1000’s of rounds. I did notice the hump in the middle of the extractor is larger than the old one I removed. Is that “hump” intended to wear down and I assume part of the tension needed?

Also I had to do a small amount of filing on the slot of the extractor to have it fit. I believe I may have filed the wrong side(toward the chamber) and may have inadvertently created to much play in the slot. It is still tight to engage and the back plate has to be pushed in with a screwdriver. We will see.

At least I am learning how to make this thing run. I am certainly better off for it even if I end up cussing it a few times.

 

[WOOD5045]

Can we get a top and side pic of the ejector?

 

[RWT]

Can we get a top and side pic of the ejector?

The old one has the pencil mark on it. The other is a WCPB

 

[WOOD5045]

@RWT

The ejector is attached to the top (left side) of the frame. It should look something like this...



Edit: What length recoil spring did you put in?

 

[RWT]

@RWT

The ejector is attached to the top (left side) of the frame. It should look something like this...

View attachment 1022981

Edit: What length recoil spring did you put in?

 

[RWT]

The recoil springs the light model. White paint on it based on Dawson’s recommendation for the 3.9 “ barrel

 

[WOOD5045]

Thanks, the extractor seems to look fine.

I think Form is probably on the right track, with the extractor needing tuning/adjustment.

Might be worth checking to see if you're getting full slide travel to the rear. You can pull the slide all the way to the rear and mark how far back it goes. Then remove the recoil spring and run the slide to the rear again and see if there is a difference. If you're getting less travel with the recoil spring installed, you may be getting spring bind and may be contributing to the issue.

Good luck.

 

[RockAndSage]

Couple of things come to mind:

1) As noted above, likely an extractor issue. Did this gun have the same problem with the original extractor?

2) The gun looks bone-dry. Lube it with a thick oil or a light grease, anywhere you see rub-wear. Do not use light, thin oils, like remoil, CLP, or WD-40, especially with more finicky guns. 1911s have a lot more friction surface than more modern guns, and have higher lubricant requirements for optimal reliability. Friction is cumulative in a gun - every tiny bit of friction surface and friction contaminant add up to reach a friction tipping point, where you get malfunctions from the moving parts not going backward and/or forward with enough velocity to eject and chamber. The better the lube, and the better it is placed in sufficient quantity, the farther out that friction tipping point can be pushed. Thicker oils and light greases provide a better fluid-film layer to keep the metal surfaces from grinding against each other longer, and they tend to stay put better. Thin oils essentially provide a whetstone effect, allowing that grind. You can get away with that in a modern design with minimal friction surface, like a Glock or an HK, but the more the friction surface, and the rougher those surfaces, the more important lubricant quality and quantity are.

3) This is the least likely issue, but if good lubrication and tuning the extractor don't work, the ejector in your gun does look a little on the short side. I may be misinterpreting that entirely, but it's the #3 item I'd check after lubrication and extractors, given you've already dealt with mags.

 

[SloppyJ]

Subd to see how it turns out. I bought a WC EDC X9L that was in pieces in a box at a gun show for a stupid price and got it running for $75. At least I wasnt sold some bill of goods BS on it. I knew I was getting a project and it turned out in my favor for once. Good luck man.

 

[streamerfish]

The sti's were notorious for extractor issues that needed tuning and magazine issues.

It isn't uncommon to need to tune new magazines. Especially for sti's.

95+% of the time its one or a combo of both issues.

 

[AKM]

Had a Kimber 1911 that had similar issues. Replaced mag spring and followers. Polished the feed ramp. Still having troubles. Using WC mags and springs. Issue turned out to be the ammunition. The WC mags do not like longer than spec cartridges. Problems all gone when I use good ammo. Only took 2-3 thou to not feed right.

 

[270-300]

The pictures in your first post are not a stove pipe. A stove pipe has the casing pointing straight out, the slide pinches the sides of it denting it. This is a different issue.

Your gun either has too slow of a slide speed, or too much extractor tension. If it has too much extractor tension the ejector will leave a mark on the head of the case when it slams into the case and stops the gun. Usually the case will cant a little bit from this.

Ive seen guns with target chambers do this with cheap ammunition, particularly aluminum or steel cased. The friction in the chamber exiting will scrub too much slide speed.

Extractor tension is a really sensitive adjustment.
It has to be very precise.

Short slide 1911s take heavier recoil springs than full slide models. This means you have to shoot with a very firm wrist. These are not guns where you decide you want a different spring rate because it sounds cool. The spring rate is used to tune the speed of the slide. This sets the timing of the gun. Both inner and outer springs on your recoil assembly matter.

9mm 1911s have less recoil energy to work with as it is. Having the wrong recoil spring set, not oiling the slide, anything that reduces slide travel energy sets you up for failure. Avoid grease in these guns, its a recipe for disaster.

Start with buying the manufacturers recoil springs, inner and outer, specified for this model in this caliber. Just being 1 lb off on the total recoil spring assembly can make one of these guns go from flawless to non functioning. Remember 9mm and 45 acp take different spring rates, short vs long barrel take different spring rates, and any specialty cartridge variants take special spring rates. Heavier bullets will provide more energy to move the slide. That doesnt mean change spring rate, it means 147 grains will run more reliably than 115, and are less sensitive to limp wristing.

 

[270-300]

The sti's were notorious for extractor issues that needed tuning and magazine issues.

It isn't uncommon to need to tune new magazines. Especially for sti's.

95+% of the time its one or a combo of both issues.

Failure to eject spent brass is not a magazine issue.

 

[270-300]

This picture I attached is what a stove pipe is. Not your issue.

The spring you put in claims to slow the slide before the end of its stroke to change handling capabilities. Id be supprised if this was not the culprit.

Put the original recoil spring in, oil the gun exactly as the manual states with a light thin gun oil, not a grease, and grab this thing with both hands, keep your wrists and elbows locked tightly and try shooting your ammunition through it again. Limp wristing is the #1 reason people have issues with short barrel 1911s cycling.