1911 first round ftf question

[entgunguy]

i think i may have found a contributing factor. the top edge of the thumb safety in the off position is rubbing against the slide which is probably slowing it down. i took the thumb safety off and shaved a very thin layer of metal off to clear the slide.
i am having trouble getting the thumb safety back in. there is a black piece of metal which i think is called the "straddle" that keeps getting in the way which keeps the thumb safety from completely seating. any suggestions?

[JTROKS]

I agree with ojisan. Check extractor for too much tension and the bottom part for proper beveling. Check the breech face for roughness for that combined with the tight/un beveled extractor will cause those type of FTF.

You'll need to push the slide stop/safety plunger in to get it out of the way. With the hammer cocked, slide the safety back in feeling for the clearance. Usually at almost on (up) position. Once it slides in push in/sideways and down to off position.

[OttoLoader]

If the headspace is off the extractor may not properly clear the case. I had a Springfield Armory mil spec that SA replaced the barrel because the chamber was too deep and occasionally cause a push feed fail to feed. The extractor needed to de-tensioned (loose) with the deep chamber but never ran right until the barrel with in spec headspace was installed.

[craneman]

I had one that did a nose dive into the feed ramp. The back of the case was not even close to starting up the breech face under the extractor yet. The cause was a crappy magazine. If I used the cheap factory garbage or a Chip McCormick it would ftf. Switched to a Wilson Combat and a few old colt mags I have had for decades that looked heavily worn and it has been 100% ever since.

For some reason the first round would easily tilt down when the breech face started to push it forward and would end up parallel to the barrel bore axis.

[entgunguy]

just got back from the range. went through fifty rounds. when boomeranging a magazine change i would get the rounds to feed most of the time. had 3 failures to go into battery which were rectified with a slight tap to the back of the slide. when chambering with the magazine release the rounds were still not feeding correctly. no feeding issues once the first round in the magazine chambered correctly. not magazine dependent- could happen with the factory magazine, the wilson, or the mccormick.

[craneman]

How far out of battery is it when it malfunctions? Is it always in the same place?

[entgunguy]

the round is around 3/4 of the way into the chamber. when it occurs it appears to be in the same place.

[craneman]

That's different than what I had thought it was doing. As said above by others, extractor tension or shape of extractor hook, or both. Possible breech face roughness, or firing pin hole issue. That's where I would look next. Never mind, I now see you have already done that.

[Tack4251]

I may have missed it earlier in the thread, but what ammo are you using?

[entgunguy]

speer lawman 230 gr fmj
winchester white box 230 gr fmj
american eagle 230 gr fmj
ammo bros 230 gr tmj

[jg7]

I had a similar problem with a brand new Sig 1911 Target (it was the only problem it had). I used it as an excuse to make a project gun out of it and learn the ways of the 1911. But swapping to a Wilson Combat 18.5# wire spring, vs the stock flat spring seemed to help. May not apply here, just a data point for folks.

[tophatjones]

Looks like a 3 point jam. Extractor tension could contribute, but it's more likely an issue with barrel gap and/or feed ramp geometry. With the slide locked back, push the muzzle back so the rear of the barrel is back and down on the bed. How big is the gap between frame ramp and barrel throat?

Also, remove the extractor and try to replicate the problem by hand feeding. If it doesn't FTF at all, the extractor needs adjusting. If it still has FTF, the extractor isn't the problem or at least isn't the biggest problem.

[walmart_ar15]

Looks like a 3 point jam. Extractor tension could contribute, but it's more likely an issue with barrel gap and/or feed ramp geometry. With the slide locked back, push the muzzle back so the rear of the barrel is back and down on the bed. How big is the gap between frame ramp and barrel throat?

Also, remove the extractor and try to replicate the problem by hand feeding. If it doesn't FTF at all, the extractor needs adjusting. If it still has FTF, the extractor isn't the problem or at least isn't the biggest problem.

+1

First round out of a full mag has weakest spring upward tension, thus, may not align the round when slides moves forward as the round gets hung up by the extractor.

Is this a ramped barrel?

Slight radius the bottom of the chamber can also "smooth" transition the round into the chamber.

If u see some upward play of the locked-in magazine, u can also get a EGW high mag release, which will raise ur mag few thou of an inch to line up ur round to the chamber better.

Slingshot slide forward with a stronger recoil spring is trying to use brute force to overcome fitting issues. Round should load when u hold the slide and ease the slide forward

[entgunguy]

well with the slide locked back and pushing the barrel back, the gap between the feed ramp and barrel is almost touching. maybe 1/32" gap if that.

it is a ramped barrel. now that you mention it when i slow cycle a round with a working magazine the transition of the bullet going into the chamber is not smooth but rather jerky. i tried the same thing on a glock and the round slips in like butter.

do not have time tonight but i will remove the extractor and try feeding rounds without it tomorrow.