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1911 Problem

Alleno
I recently bought a Springfield 1911A1 that was used in real good shape, appears to have been fired very little. This is my first ever 1911 type gun. After several trips to the range I am having a probelm with it. It fails to fire a chambered round say once out of 7 rounds. The primer will be lightly dented and after cocking the gun the same round will fire. I have examined fired casings and even those have a real light firing pin dent. I have tested this with 4 types of ammo and all do the same thing. My buddy says I need to replace the main spring, so this is my question. Is this a common problem with 1911's. I know there is a repected local smith who works on 1911's, I would just like to know a little before I take it to him. Also I have tried different magazines, with no luck. Sometimes I think my wheelguns are just better!
Thanks

Alleno
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Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • Alleno
    Had a friend bring me a llama 1911 style 9mm yesterday to trade for a black powder. well the 1911 comes with a couple of problems of its own.
    #1 it had a feeding problem, it almost seemed like the slide was slugash when released. maybe a weak spring?
    I cleaned it up and oiled and seemed to help and feeding got better but still will jam now and then. thinking maybe feed ramp might need work.

    #2 is more of a problem, I can take my finger and with the hammer fully cocked and me not engaging the grip safty I can push the hammer back down. ( on a empty bbl )

    any help would be great. I did not trade but he is a friend and asked me to help.
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  • rufe-snow
    Since your pistol was previously owned perhaps it had some kitchen table gunsmithing done on it, i.e. replacement of various parts and springs, ( Barrel, Oversized Link ) without proper "fitting" and/or adjustment. If the barrel doesn't lock up into battery correctly each time the slide goes forward, this MIGHT possibly be the cause of your problem.

    First thing take it apart and make sure every thing is clean, no old oil or dirt causing problems internally.
    I would remove the fireing pin from the slide first, then clean any debris or oil, etc out of the fireing pin channel. Test fire the pistol.
    If it still isn't reliable, order replacement main, recoil & fireing pin springs from Brownells or Wolff. It's cheaper replacing them then taking the pistol to a gunsmith.

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  • Muffinman
    You may just need to clean the Firing oin and chamber along with the spring. Carbon fouling builds up in there causing the firing not to move all the may forward.

    Clean it out real good and oil it.
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  • jsergovic
    A LAYMAN'S SLANT OF POSSIBLE PROBLEMS - I'M NOT A GUNSMITH ...
    AND I COULD BE WAY OFF BASE BUT ...

    An ingenious arrangement will allow you to remove the firing pin assembly. Perhaps the spring is TOO TIGHT for the gun; the previous owner may have used reloads with a heavier primer. If the spring is a tad on the heavy side, the inertia produced from contact of a falling hammer might not give you sufficient force to consistently activate the cartridge primer.

    Also on concern is whether the round is sitting correctly in the breech. I good cleaning of the space between the breech block the the extractor might solve this. The spot where the pin pops out (under inertia) might be fouled just enough to make this a reoccurring problem.

    When this happened to me, close inspection revealed a chipped firing pin. replacement was all it took. You can examine the tip of the firing pin my inserting a paperclip or small punch into the rear, where the hammer strikes the pin.

    Removing the pin and checking length (a gun-shop will do it for free if you do not have calipers) might reveal a 0.5+m decrease in length.

    This was caused, in my case, by a FTE, which must have clipped the pin in an odd way.

    Titanium pins are in the market; my PPK/S has one; that pin chipped after 300 rounds, though.

    The gunsmith wanted to smooth the surface, and cut a few loops of the firing pin spring, to make it propel more forcefully after contact with the hammer. Since he lost the firing pin spring, I ordered a new pin and pin spring (the right way to do it).

    Disassembly involves depressing the pin safety, located under the slide, pushing the pin forward, removing the pin safety, then allowing the pin to retract fully.

    The safety mentioned has a spring of it's own, and sometimes does not want to cooperate. Very small needle-nose or a hemostat (or a third hand) make disassembly easier, especially if you have no vise.
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  • perry shooter
    Hello a 1911 type pistol has an "INERTIA" type fireing pin . There are 2 springs. One spring is around the fireing pin and it is to hold the pin retracted even when the slide closes from the action of the recoil spring. Some people try to "HOT ROD" their 45 to take hot loads by putting in a heavier recoil spring and matching fireing pin spring.Along with this there is another spring in the mainspring houseing which is held in by a plug and small pin. this is what causes the hammer to fall when the sear clears the hammer hooks. some people try to make a lighter trigger pull by putting in a weak spring in the main spring houseing along with a light hammer and hammer strut. Go back to the springs that JOHN BROWNING designed for the gun and shoot factory rounds and Your problem will be gone. Every time someone changes parts to different specs you run the risk that it will have a negative result on some operation of this fine pistol. quote:"PRAISE THE HARDBALL GUN"
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  • gonepostal
    Sometimes I think my wheelguns are just better!


    Blasphemy I say

    Yes 1911 are not guns to be stored in a closet and shot once a year and never cleaned ,they do take care ,and a certain amount of knowledge

    Recoil springs need to be changed around 2,000 rounds ,all other springs around 5,000 ,being you bought it used ,I would put a entire new spring kit in it ,your looking at around 20 bucks ,learn how to field strip it to a bare frame ,it is a must

    Here is a good step by step tutorial


    http://www.sightm1911.com/Care/1911_Maintain.htm


    i will now put ten round mags in all my pre ban guns ,just to show defiance

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  • Alleno
    Thanks for all the advice. Looks like I need to replace all of the springs, it looks pretty easy. Gonepostal, thanks for the link, that is pretty self explaning. Rufe-snow, I don't think this pistol was tinkered with any, if so nothing was replaced except for maybe springs, the barrel is properly stamped and all other parts are all finished with matching mil spec parkererzation, so I don;t think its been tinkered with much. I will give the spring kit a try from wolffe.
    Thanks

    Alleno
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