Need some advice in regards to a Delta Elite

[motox917]

I got an awesome deal on a never fired Series 80 Delta Elite. I took it to my last CCW renewal class, and my instructor said it looked like I needed some new Springs in my gun. This is my first 1911. I have disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled it so I am pretty fimiliar with how it operates. I still haven't figured out how to diagnose problems with it yet, or pistols in general. My rifles get used a LOT more often than pistols(I hunt fairly often).

Symptoms- ejects brass anywhere between 2 and 5 o'clock. Also, the slide seems to slam back to the stop fairly hard (my opinion).

Any advice on what Springs I should replace and any modifications I should do to it?

ETA: I shoot full power loads through this pistol if that makes a difference

Thanks in advance!

[ojisan]

Straight wound 23lb spring.

You can run a shock buff for target, plinking and testing loads at the range.
The buff won't last long, remove the buff for defense, match or hunting use.

If this has the original plastic and metal spring guide / buffer, I would replace it.
You can use either a GI style guide rod and cap or a full length set-up.
Some people swear by one or the other, both work fine.

[1911whore]

OK, Delta Elite...10mm right? Slide slams back hard...it is a 10mm. Not to worry. Ejection from 2 oclock to 5 oclock....as long as it is positive dont sweat it. If it gives weak ejection, have it looked at. I would not go with a shok buff for a few well noted reasons.....PM with questions if you have any

Other than that, gi recoil spring set up...23lb..expect recoil....**** can the shok buff....

[jimmythebrain]

If you are shooting standard off the shelf 10 MM loads you are essentially shooting 40 caliber.
If shooting Buffalo bore or Cor-Bon then you are truly in 10 mm range.
Make sure you have a relatively sharp lower edge on the firing pin stop (part that the firing pin pokes through and the hammer strokes when it drops), if is ramped have it swapped for one with little to no ramp. Also use a full power mainspring (hammer spring housed in the mainspring housing). The slide has to push the hammer down. If you do like most of us with a 1911 you get the trigger adjusted nice and light with a downgraded poundage mainspring, but in 10 MM you need the extra poundage and the sharp firing pin stop to help slow down the slide during rearward travel.
If you just keep upping the recoil spring power, you may slow down the rearward movement of the slide but you then add acceleration on the forward movement and mess up feeding of the next round. It is all about timing.

With the 1911 and fast moving rounds, the cases get partially extracted then slip off the extractor and bounce off the barrel hood into the slides breech face and bounce forward a second time. Look for dents in the side of the case or the case mouth.
You have an internal extractor that may need to be tuned.
Look over at the 1911forum or one like it on testing extractor tension and tuning your factory extractor. Tuning is a technical sounding term for bending.

[Bill Steele]

If you are shooting standard off the shelf 10 MM loads you are essentially shooting 40 caliber.
If shooting Buffalo bore or Cor-Bon then you are truly in 10 mm range.
Make sure you have a relatively sharp lower edge on the firing pin stop (part that the firing pin pokes through and the hammer strokes when it drops), if is ramped have it swapped for one with little to no ramp. Also use a full power mainspring (hammer spring housed in the mainspring housing). The slide has to push the hammer down. If you do like most of us with a 1911 you get the trigger adjusted nice and light with a downgraded poundage mainspring, but in 10 MM you need the extra poundage and the sharp firing pin stop to help slow down the slide during rearward travel.
If you just keep upping the recoil spring power, you may slow down the rearward movement of the slide but you then add acceleration on the forward movement and mess up feeding of the next round. It is all about timing.

With the 1911 and fast moving rounds, the cases get partially extracted then slip off the extractor and bounce off the barrel hood into the slides breech face and bounce forward a second time. Look for dents in the side of the case or the case mouth.
You have an internal extractor that may need to be tuned.
Look over at the 1911forum or one like it on testing extractor tension and tuning your factory extractor. Tuning is a technical sounding term for bending.

Good handle, pretty much covers it.

If you are unfamiliar with the "square firing pin stop", become familiar and either buy one (EGW makes them oversized for a nice custom snug fit) or get a competent 1911 smith to install one. It will help also down the road with your extractor as its snug fit will keep the extractor where it belongs (keep it from clocking).

I also agree with the advice of using a heavier hammer spring. You can buy a heavier hammer spring at Wolff Gun Springs online.

Both the firing pin stop and hammer spring will help slow the slide without the payback a heavy recoil spring introduces. I would probably bump to 18lbs on the recoil spring though.

In any case, all of the above is really important if you are shooting ammo like Buffalo Bore or Underwood. Underwood makes a "full power" 10mm load specifically for the Delta Elite, designed for the standard 1911 case head support.

[motox917]

Thank you guys for the help. I'll definitely check out everything you guys mentioned. About the ammo, I reload and I'm definitely shooting full power loads. What I was getting at with the slide slamming back is that the stock recoil spring seems like the spring rate is too light. It feels like a hard "metal to metal" hit(similar to bottoming out the suspension on a motorcycle) instead of a progressive "push".

[k1dude]

IIRC, Delta Elites had a problem with the slide/frame cracking. So it would probably be a good idea to get the spring question squared away before letting the slide/frame take any more pounding.

[cantdance]

IIRC, Delta Elites had a problem with the slide/frame cracking. So it would probably be a good idea to get the spring question squared away before letting the slide/frame take any more pounding.

That problem was supposedly solved with the cut through the rail, basically extending the slide stop hole all the way up. I don't know from experience, I haven't fired my Deltas or the Double Eagle 10mm very much.

[Bill Steele]

Thank you guys for the help. I'll definitely check out everything you guys mentioned. About the ammo, I reload and I'm definitely shooting full power loads. What I was getting at with the slide slamming back is that the stock recoil spring seems like the spring rate is too light. It feels like a hard "metal to metal" hit(similar to bottoming out the suspension on a motorcycle) instead of a progressive "push".

Right, a heavier recoil spring will slow down the slide going back. As JTB explained, the heavier recoil spring (it will likely have to be in the range ojisan suggested to really have the desired effect), has to unwind and hence slams the slide forward with great force, all that stored energy and all.

The cool thing about the 1911 design is you can change other things, like a square firing pin stop and heavier hammer (also called main) spring. These two things will slow the rearward motion, keeping the slide from slamming in recoil and yet the recoil spring can remain stock, or close to stock, so the unwind will be with a force more like a regular 45 Auto.

On a Glock 20, I run a 22lb recoil spring. With my nuke 10mm loads, if I run stock spring the slide will batter the frame just I front of the front slide lug, mushrooming the plastic of the frame. The 22lb spring does keep the G20 slide from slamming, under my hottest loads, but it also slams my slide home on the return trip. In the Glock, there is no square firing pin stop or heavy hammer spring to help out, so a heavy recoil spring is my only alternative. BTW, the G20 slide is heavier that a Government model length slide, so if you go quick and dirty with the heavy recoil spring only, make sure you take ojisan's advice on the 23lb spring.

I hope all that made sense.