1911 9mm won't feed

[DuneShoot]

Edited to add: Update in post 24. Poway Weapons & Gear said it's my responsibility to pay for repairs.

I picked up a 1965 Colt 1911 9mm used from a local shop. Rounds jam when trying to be loaded into the chamber. The round will slide part way out of teh nag and lock up the slide. Only way to clear it is to remove the mag. It does it just by releasing the slide release. Sometimes a round will chamber but will again jam when trying to load another round.

Is the barrel feed ramp and frame 'feed ramp' suppose to line up perfectly? My .45 Commander does not and it runs perfectly. The barrel sits slightly forward of the frame 'feed ramp'.

I'm using known good mags and recoil spring. It looks like the frame has been polished. Any insight based on the following photo's? Pic's were the best I could get and are not the greatest.

[Varg Vikernes]

Looks like Bubba took a dremel to that

[redcliff]

Normally you have at least a 1/32 gap between the barrel feed ramp and frame.

Before we panic too much, you need to check your extractor tension; if it's too tight the pistol will not feed properly and will exhibit similar problems to what you are experiencing.

With the slide removed from the pistol, slide a loaded 9mm round (we need a loaded (or dummy) round for the weight) up the breach face, with the rim under the extractor hook and the case approximately centered over the firing pin hole. With light shaking, and turning the slide upside down and right side up the cartridge must be held against the breach face. However, more vigorous shaking must cause the cartridge to release and fall free.

If your extractor tension is too heavy remove the firing pin stop, withdraw the extractor half way, and bend it to lessen the tension (i.e. push the rear of the extractor away from the firing pin). Retest and repeat re-bending the extractor until it has the proper tension. Reassemble, and test the feeding in a safe place with the firearm pointed in a safe direction! If you end up getting the tension too loose the pistol will fail to extract or stovepipe; at which point you would add some tension back in. In my experience 9mm 1911's can be temperamental to extractor tuning; they like it "just right".

If your extractor tension is too heavy the round will not be able to slide up under the extractor for proper feeding. Magazines with weak springs can contribute to this problem, and weak recoil springs can lack the necessary energy to complete the feed process also, but the tension must be set properly first to diagnose any other problems.

If your frame does turn out to be "over throated" it can be milled and an insert welded in so it's not a lost cause.

Please keep us updated after you do the extractor tension test.

[ptusa]

I'll take it!

[brassburnz]

The feedramp does look it has toolmarks on it, but that might not be the problem.

It looks like the mag is holding the round in the right position so I'll have to agree with redcliff that the next thing to look at is the extractor. A properly tuned extractor is very important for feeding and extracting reliability.

I built a 9mm 1911 using components from Remsport a while back. I had problems with rounds nosediving out of the magazine and solved the problem by getting a mag catch from Evolution Gun Works that holds the mags just a tad bit higher in the magwell.

[ar15barrels]

There should be some gap between the top of the frame feedramp and the bottom of the barrel feedramp.

Post a picture of the ACTUAL jam so we can see where the cartridge is stopping.
I don't see ANY bevel on the underside of the barrel's hood.

[redcliff]

I had problems with rounds nosediving out of the magazine and solved the problem by getting a mag catch from Evolution Gun Works that holds the mags just a tad bit higher in the magwell.

Yes, that and some Tripp Research magazines which tend to sit higher in the pistol would be good recommendations if extractor tension tuning doesn't make a difference, although sometimes ejector clearancing is necessary when you raise the feed position.

[DuneShoot]

redcliff-I followed your instructions and the tension seems right to me. Only falls out with a fair amount of shaking.

The few times it did fire the case was extracted properly but would jam when trying to feed.

The feed ramp on the frame appears to have dings in it from what I assume is the nose of the bullet hitting it.

ar15barrels-the 1st 2 pic's, while piss poor, are of an actual jam from releasing the slide release.
I'll probably need to take it to someone to be fixed.

It appears to me the feed ramp on the barrel is to steep. Here are a couple photo's with the slide off and a mag in.

[DuneShoot]

Better photo's with the cartridge pushed forward out of the mag:

[DuneShoot]

Yes, that and some Tripp Research magazines which tend to sit higher in the pistol would be good recommendations if extractor tension tuning doesn't make a difference, although sometimes ejector clearancing is necessary when you raise the feed position.

If the mag was higher in the magwell I think it would help but the ends of them are flush/resting on the bottom of the frame of the gun. Don't see how they could go in further without modifying the base plates.

[510GUY]

Have you tried diffent ammo?

[DuneShoot]

Ammo is ammo. If the slide won' shut...

[CRTguns]

I can see a very vertical feed ramp... think got dremmeled. Should be a bad word. Why folks insist on scrubbing the feed ramp first sign of jamming... sometimes they do it before first shots fired. I've sold guns where the buyer requests a feed ramp polish before he even gets the gun.


Who is teaching this? you DONT need to polish a feed ramp kids... the only requisite is that there are no sharp edges and no anodizing/Parkerizing in that area. Just smooth and shiny. Not reshaped at all.

Ther is hope for you OP... one can machine the frame to receive a ramp blank so you can start over... but the barrel needs replaced too. Too much metal is missing.

Or I'll offer you $200 for that headache. I need a 9mm project gun. I have a collection of mags and a schuemann bull barrel that need a gun to go into.

[DuneShoot]

I can see a very vertical feed ramp... think got dremmeled. Should be a bad word. Why folks insist on scrubbing the feed ramp first sign of jamming... sometimes they do it before first shots fired. I've sold guns where the buyer requests a feed ramp polish before he even gets the gun.


Who is teaching this? you DONT need to polish a feed ramp kids... the only requisite is that there are no sharp edges and no anodizing/Parkerizing in that area. Just smooth and shiny. Not reshaped at all.

Ther is hope for you OP... one can machine the frame to receive a ramp blank so you can start over... but the barrel needs replaced too. Too much metal is missing.

Or I'll offer you $200 for that headache. I need a 9mm project gun. I have a collection of mags and a schuemann bull barrel that need a gun to go into.

You had a typo in your 1st sentence, I'm assuming you had a 2nd one in your offer?

[DuneShoot]

I'll see if the shop that sold it to me will take care of it. It was their gun and not a consignment.

If they decline do I have any recourse?