problems with a springfield 1911

[bubbapug1]

I have been having some primer and accuracy with my beloved SS Springfield loaded 9 mm 1911...

I have had this gun for three or four years. I have about 2000 rounds through it, and never had a problem until a few weeks back when I had some failure to fires from light primer strikes.

Not only are the primers looking pretty wasted, the accuracy is all over the map with the gun. I usually shot 1.5 " groups with this gun at 10 yards and 4" groups at 25 yards, but now its more like 5" groups at 10 yards and I am lucky to get 6 of the nine rounds on a 11 x 17 target paper at 25 yards.

I am running 4.2 grains of red dot in cases with various primers. I am using extreme plated 124 grain bullets, and the gun has been eating this load for a long time.

I have tested the same rounds on a sig 226, glock 26, SA EMP, sig 2022, Luger (1914) and a Taurus 92. They also work fine in a mac 10, ONLY THE 1911 HAS ISSUES.

I can't figure out what has gone wrong..







Any ideas?

[nahpungnome]

I'd email Springfield, whatever the issue is, they'll make it right.

[ironhorse1]

Have you ever removed the firing pin and spring?

Sometimes carbon, brass and powder residue gets into the firing pin channel.

It may just need cleaning and lubed.

That is where I would start looking first.

Sometimes a little cleaning goes a long way in resolving issues.

irh

[redhemi]

Do you have the trigger with the adjustable screw in it? My EMPs screw worked it,s way in and it stopped firing period. I adjusted it out and no problems. Also when was the last time you cleaned the firing pin and channel?

[elsolo]

Kinda looks like excessive headspace
The casehead being pushed off the breachface by the firing pin, then that excessive space lets the primer flow.
or maybe the barrel lockup isn't where it's supposed to be, causing a similar change in chamber length.

How's the breachface look?
How about the barrel link and locking lugs?

Just a W.A.G. as I am no 1911 expert.
You paid for the lifetime warranty, might as well take advantage of it.

[cindynles]

That last picture looks like a pierced primer. Have you checked your firing pin spring? I had a firing pin spring break in two on my Loaded at around 5,000 rounds.

[CK_32]

Send that puppy in

[cc426]

Call springfield. I had the same problem with an EMP. All my primers looked like yours and failure to fire 2-3 times per mag. I had some failure to feed issues too.

They replaced the entire slide and even gave me new night sights and polished my feed ramp. Tuned my extractor and ejector, and some other stuff im forgetting. This was on a used pistol I bought at that. Put about 300 flawless rounds through it since.

Door to door took them less than 9 days, faster than drosing a new gun, and didn't cost me a penny. This was just last month in the middle of their xd recall too.

I can't say enough good things about SA customer service. Not just the best in the firearms business, but maybe best period...it's up there with nordstrom in my book

[bubbapug1]

The firing pin is fine, as is the spring. I cleaned the firing pin channel, extractor channel, etc...no issues there. Lock up seems tight too, but it could be releasing too early..

Maybe I will send it in, but I'd rather not.

[CK_32]

Why would you rather not?


I sent mine in and turn around time was 2 1/2 weeks. Most guys only go shooting once every month. And if you have a few hand guns it's easier not to miss one for a trip or two.

[bubbapug1]

You are right. I'll spend a lot of time trying to get this thing working. It's beyond my simple mind.

[jcaoloveshine]

The best thing about Springfield is their CS.

Door to door fixes don't cost you a dime, and the turnaround is very reasonable (from what I've heard).

Use a service that's rightfully yours! They'll probably tear it down and give it a good once over (or just make sure you request that as well), giving you peace of mind for the next tens of thousands of rounds.

[bubbapug1]

You guys are right. I contacted them and they had a shipping label in my in box in less than 5 minutes.

I hope they can fix my favorite pistol.

[redcliff]

What mainspring and recoil spring are you using and have you replaced them recently or changed mainspring housings?

[MossbergMan]

Commericially reloaded ammo? Handloaded ammo?
I had a similar issue when using the published loading data (.2 under listed max)for Titegroup powder. Overpressure signs are evident. Flattened primers, primer "flow" (those are the ones with a bump where the primer flowed back into the FP channel instead of the standard divot)and the pierced primer cups are overpressure signs.
Of course debris in the firing pin channel is a possibilty. Remove the firing pin stop at the back of the slide. Shine a light the ejection port and look for crud. A spray blast of a solvent or CLP and Q-tip should solve your issues.
My EMP actually had "rings" of primer cup impaled on it inside the channel limiting how far the firing pin could travel. I'm lucky it didn't "lock" forward and go full auto slam firing the remaining rounds in the magazine.
If all else fails, SA customer service is A-1. I have used them twice (they emailed me a shipping label) turn around was approximately 2 weeks (including shipping) can't beat that kind of service.