1911 Reliability Tune Up

[castrotikon]

Just acquired an early 1990s Springfield 1911-A1, really like the GI style aesthetics but I'm feeling it might be in need of some reliability work. Just want to make sure this is a piece that goes bang every time. Not looking to replace the grip safety, barrel, do checkering, or anything like that. I know Marianne Carniak is usually considered the "go to" for any sort of custom 1911 work, but given that she is somewhat difficult to get ahold of and can have a lengthy wait, I'm hoping to find some other options since, and I could be wrong, I think most of this is fairly basic 1911 work.

Ideally someone or a shop around the SE MI area with reasonable turn around times. Recommendations would be appreciated.

[10x25mm]

Unless you suspect some kind of wear or breakage problem, just strip it to pieces and clean every part in detail. Then lube and reassemble it with a Wolff 69141 Service Spring Pack. A fun evening task.

[dirtmcgirt76239]

http://www.americanarmsengineering.us/ he is on here, he does 1911 reliabililty stuff.

1911 work- Michigan`s finest pistol builder- "WE CREATE A GREAT SHOOTER FROM THE INSIDE OUT"


OUR MOST POPULAR PACKAGE- your 1911 is ready for street, field use or range.


Our carry package includes we stock parts unless other wise noted: Thumb Safety hone for smooth yet positive operation, Throat and polish of feed ramp and Barrel for flawless feeding of ball and H.P. Ammo, Extractor tuned and adjusted, Trigger / recut and hone to a crisp 3.5 to 4 lbs clean brake. Wilson style recess target crown for enhanced accuracy and crown protection.


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Prices denote labor only.


Doug jones, I always hear about him and I do not even have a 1911.

[castrotikon]

Unless you suspect some kind of wear or breakage problem, just strip it to pieces and clean every part in detail. Then lube and reassemble it with a Wolff 69141 Service Spring Pack. A fun evening task.

Some stovepipe issues. I’m suspecting the extractor is an issue. I have no idea what the round count is. Tried a test I saw a few places online that involved holding a casing in place while the slide is horizontal.

[10x25mm]

Some stovepipe issues. I’m suspecting the extractor is an issue. I have no idea what the round count is. Tried a test I saw a few places online that involved holding a casing in place while the slide is horizontal.

The 1911 is a controlled feed type action, like the 1898 Mauser bolt gun. Unlike the Mauser, extractor tension often relaxes over time, particularly when the extractor received a marginal heat treatment.

Take the slide off the pistol and strip out the barrel, etc. The extractor should hold a loaded ball cartridge against the opposite abutment, when the cartridge is lined up in the firing position, with the slide horizontal upright, with some conviction. Look for dirt or brass residues in the extractor hole first, clean it out and then recheck. Also clean the abutment carefully with an old toothbrush and powder solvent. If the loaded cartridge is still loose or drops easily, you need to gently bend the extractor inboard, after you remove it from the slide. A small wooden dowel makes a good mandrel. Don't get carried away, bend a little bit and then recheck. Bend a little more if necessary. An extractor in good condition will require a fair amount of overbending to overcome springback. If there is no springback, you have a cracked or badly heat treated extractor which will require replacement.

Another possible cause of stovepipes is the ejector face, especially in the small caliber 1911's. These often chip if they were too hard coming out of heat treatment. Use a magnifying glass to closely examine the ejector face. You can stone a chipped ejector face square in an emergency, but the long term fix here is replacement.

A worn, low force recoil spring is the last possibility. Excessive slide velocity creates vibrations in the slide which can cause the extractor to drop a cartridge case, but this is unusual in the 5 inch barrel 1911's. More common in the short barreled devils.

[Cocowheats]

The need for extractor tuning is not abnormal in the 1911 world. Just about any decent gun smith that's had a 1911 apart ought to be able to tune an extractor.

Doug Jones is a solid recommendation, if you want more than just an extractor tuned.

[10x25mm]

The need for extractor tuning is not abnormal in the 1911 world. Just about any decent gun smith that's had a 1911 apart ought to be able to tune an extractor.

Doug Jones is a solid recommendation, if you want more than just an extractor tuned.

Indifferent heat treatment and poor steel gets most of the blame for lost extractor tension, but most such occurrences seem to be the result of single loading cartridges directly to the chamber, rather than using the magazine to feed all rounds. The front of the extractor claw slamming into the base of a cartridge bows the leaf spring length of the extractor severely, eventually deforming it.

John Browning adopted the Model 1911 extractor design to assure that the pistol would pass mud and muck immersion tests. The earlier Browning locked breech pistols leading up to the final 1911 design used external fulcrum extractors which were more amenable to single loading directly into the chamber. The U.S. Army trials officers considered single loading directly into the chamber to be a rare emergency drill, while mud and muck resistance was considered the paramount issue.

[castrotikon]

Indifferent heat treatment and poor steel gets most of the blame for lost extractor tension, but most such occurrences seem to be the result of single loading cartridges directly to the chamber, rather than using the magazine to feed all rounds. The front of the extractor claw slamming into the base of a cartridge bows the leaf spring length of the extractor severely, eventually deforming it.

John Browning adopted the Model 1911 extractor design to assure that the pistol would pass mud and muck immersion tests. The earlier Browning locked breech pistols leading up to the final 1911 design used external fulcrum extractors which were more amenable to single loading directly into the chamber. The U.S. Army trials officers considered single loading directly into the chamber to be a rare emergency drill, while mud and muck resistance was considered the paramount issue.

Can't speak to what the previous owner(s) may have done to the pistol but the extractor test you mentioned earlier was what I had done that led me to believe the problem was with the extractor. Cartridge is extremely loose. I would wager an extractor tuning/tune up has likely never been done in the 25 years this pistol has been around.

[10x25mm]

Can't speak to what the previous owner(s) may have done to the pistol but the extractor test you mentioned earlier was what I had done that led me to believe the problem was with the extractor. Cartridge is extremely loose. I would wager an extractor tuning/tune up has likely never been done in the 25 years this pistol has been around.

Restoring extractor grip is fairly straightforward and you cannot hurt the pistol. Use a pipe cleaner and solvent to clean out the extractor channel in the slide and then reassemble & retest. Then do a little bending, if necessary. Then reassemble & retest. Continue until you have good extractor grip.

Then take a close look at your ejector. Stone, if necessary.

At worst, you will have to purchase a replacement extractor or ejector. Both are inexpensive, even the highest quality makes. A replacement extractor is indicated if your existing extractor is cracked, or stovepiping returns within 1,000 rounds. A replacement ejector is indicated if you see any chipping or cracking on the contact face. You might replace both for absolute reliability if you think the previous users abused the pistol.

[wsr]

I'll second what 10x25 has said...most 1911's will run fine with a little tic

New STOCK weight springs...no extra power or reduced power 16# recoil, 23# main

Get a new quality extractor...(lots of makers use crap steel) learn to refine the hook and how to tune for tension

Ejector...check the nose and that it's secured (pinned preferably)

Mag release...check that it's not worn (crap steel) and that it doesn't trap the mag when you push it all the way

Feed ramp and barrel throat...leave them alone , very few guns need throated now days and NONE need polished

Don't get a trigger job on cast or MIM parts it won't last...polishing the contact surfaces is the most you want to do on those