1911 slide not fully closing

[Moress]

Hi all,

I tok my RIA GI 1911 out today and out of about 100 rounds of WWB, two rounds through the slide didn't close all the way. Never had that happen before. Any ideas what it could be?

[Sturnovik]

Hi all,

I tok my RIA GI 1911 out today and out of about 100 rounds of WWB, two rounds through the slide didn't close all the way. Never had that happen before. Any ideas what it could be?

So it was out of battery? When racking the slide with no rounds or mag in, did it feel like it was meeting alot of resistance like debris or junk?

Was it isolated to one mag?

I'm no 1911 guy but that's where I'd start.

[chesterthehero]

WWB.... problem solved

[Sturnovik]

WWB.... problem solved

Yea I dont like running there stuff either.

[Moress]

The slide feels fine when I work it.

It could be the ammo, but I normally run Tula through it, which is not exactly high quality stuff lol. Although I've never had trouble with Tula before.

[CJJohn]

How many rounds have you fired through the gun? Have you ever changed the recoil spring? I just did this to my Kimber. It had about 2 thousand rounds on the last spring. Wolff XP for me. Problem solved.

[Moress]

I've shot about 600 rounds through it. I bought it brand new about 6 months ago so I don't think the recoil spring is the issue.

[Jeepergeo]

WWB.... problem solved

I have shot a bunch of WWB and have never had a problem with them. It would be wise to try some other ammo in the process of elimination, that way you can narrow down the problems.

Make sure you are fully seating the rounds in the mag and make sure you are not holding the slide as it goes forward to chamber round #1.

[Moress]

I have shot a bunch of WWB and have never had a problem with them. It would be wise to try some other ammo in the process of elimination, that way you can narrow down the problems.

Make sure you are fully seating the rounds in the mag and make sure you are not holding the slide as it goes forward to chamber round #1.

This could be it. I took some friends out with me who are not gun owners, so they are pretty newbie when it come sto firearms and one of them loaded the mags, so it's quite possible he loaded them poorly.

I did mark the mags and I'll keep an eye on that particular one next time I go out.

[edwardm]

Hrm.

Take it apart and get some pictures of the upper and lower locking lugs on the barrel and slide, the VIS on the frame, the barrel link and pin, the extractor hook, the ejector face and sides, the muzzle of the barrel and the barrel bushing.

600 rounds should not have killed the recoil spring, though it's possible if it was junk to start with.

Could be the link/pin, lugs, extractor tension (if the round is not getting under the extractor hook as the magazine feeds it, it's sitting in front of the extractor and that can use FTRB issues.)

FWIW I had this same problem with my RIA 1911CS. Armscor fixed it by replacing the barrel (lugs were trying to engage too soon). I'm 99% sure the true fix is the change out the barrel link, since that times your engagement, in part.

On the other hand, when I had the problem with my old Springfield GI, the problem was the extractor. Adjusting the tension fixed it.

[Moress]

Did you just email RIA and tell them of the problem and they just had you mail it in to them? How long did it take to fix?

Hrm.

Take it apart and get some pictures of the upper and lower locking lugs on the barrel and slide, the VIS on the frame, the barrel link and pin, the extractor hook, the ejector face and sides, the muzzle of the barrel and the barrel bushing.

600 rounds should not have killed the recoil spring, though it's possible if it was junk to start with.

Could be the link/pin, lugs, extractor tension (if the round is not getting under the extractor hook as the magazine feeds it, it's sitting in front of the extractor and that can use FTRB issues.)

FWIW I had this same problem with my RIA 1911CS. Armscor fixed it by replacing the barrel (lugs were trying to engage too soon). I'm 99% sure the true fix is the change out the barrel link, since that times your engagement, in part.

On the other hand, when I had the problem with my old Springfield GI, the problem was the extractor. Adjusting the tension fixed it.

[edwardm]

Did you just email RIA and tell them of the problem and they just had you mail it in to them? How long did it take to fix?

Yep. I was without it for about 6 weeks.

[Moress]

Very nice, maybe I'll just email them and have them take it to their gunsmith who knows what to look for instead of going on my own wild goose chase.

Did you have to go through an ffl to get it back or was it just mailed straight to your house?

Yep. I was without it for about 6 weeks.

[edwardm]

Very nice, maybe I'll just email them and have them take it to their gunsmith who knows what to look for instead of going on my own wild goose chase.

Did you have to go through an ffl to get it back or was it just mailed straight to your house?

No, just door to door both ways. No FFL needed. Have to ship overnight (I used FedEx).

[Moress]

Well thank you for the info Edwardm, I'll give them a call tomorrow or Monday if they're closed on Sundays (likely) and let them know about the issue and hopefully ship it that day.

No, just door to door both ways. No FFL needed. Have to ship overnight (I used FedEx).