GUNSMITHING 1911 mag question

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  • 68_F100

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    I guess this is a gunsmithing question. I picked up some used 7 rd mages for my Kimber UC2. Well I have two UC2s and it both guns all the mags i bought do the same thing. The first round nose dives into the ramp. 1 in 10 times maybe it will go to battery. If I hit the back of the slide it will go into battery when it hangs. I noticed the nose of the round can be pushed down real easy in the mag. Can this be fixed with followers or springs or are these just junk mags.
     

    churchmouse

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    Junk mags. McCormack, Wilson are the brands I have the least issues with. Kimber and Colt are OK as well. I have had issues with the Kimber pieces before and parked them.
     

    68_F100

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    Are you trying to feed JHP's or just some FMJ's?

    JHP rounds are the issue. Speer 230gr Gold Dots are the biggest problem. They feed ball ok and Hornaday Critical Defence and TAP rounds feed fine to. I know both guns will feed the Speer fine with my other mags. I have put around 200 rounds of GDs through both guns without issue. I got these mags for next to nothing so if they are bad I am not really out anything but if I can get them to feed that would be great. Other wise they will be range only mags.
     

    Plinkuh

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    JHP rounds are the issue. Speer 230gr Gold Dots are the biggest problem. They feed ball ok and Hornaday Critical Defence and TAP rounds feed fine to. I know both guns will feed the Speer fine with my other mags. I have put around 200 rounds of GDs through both guns without issue. I got these mags for next to nothing so if they are bad I am not really out anything but if I can get them to feed that would be great. Other wise they will be range only mags.

    Yeah, JHP's can be finicky. IF they feed through your other mags, I'd just toss 'em in your range bag for plinking.
     
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    churchmouse

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    The ramp angle on your Kimber should be OK with about anything you feed it. Load the mags 2 rds. short and see what they do. 1911's are critical to mag issues.
     

    IndyGunworks

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    Two possible issues, one is the recoil spring, might try a new one if the old one is well, old, or has lots of rounds through it.

    Also, 1911 mags sometimes need a bit of tweeking. You can use soft jawed pliers, or just regular pliers w/ electrical tape on them, and open up the feed lips a bit to allow the round to sit a bit higher.

    Also, take the mag spring out, and stretch it out another 3-5 inches or so and reassemble, this MIGHT help keep the nose from nose diving, but the nose IS going to be able to be pushed down no matter what.
     

    68_F100

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    Junk mags. McCormack, Wilson are the brands I have the least issues with. Kimber and Colt are OK as well. I have had issues with the Kimber pieces before and parked them.

    2 are Colt and the other 3 are CM Shootring stars. And the odd part is the 3 mags I use for carry are 1 Kimber and 2 CM Shooting stars. They all function perfect.
     

    68_F100

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    Two possible issues, one is the recoil spring, might try a new one if the old one is well, old, or has lots of rounds through it.

    Also, 1911 mags sometimes need a bit of tweeking. You can use soft jawed pliers, or just regular pliers w/ electrical tape on them, and open up the feed lips a bit to allow the round to sit a bit higher.

    Also, take the mag spring out, and stretch it out another 3-5 inches or so and reassemble, this MIGHT help keep the nose from nose diving, but the nose IS going to be able to be pushed down no matter what.

    I will mess with them some tonight and see if it helps. I did notice only loading 6 increased the odds of going into battery. I may take the pliers to them.
     

    churchmouse

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    Address this like Indygunworks suggests. He is correct about the mags. Have done this procedure on cheap 1911 mags in the past. For CC I would stay away from the cheaper offerings. JMHO
     

    IndyGunworks

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    I will mess with them some tonight and see if it helps. I did notice only loading 6 increased the odds of going into battery. I may take the pliers to them.

    I would stretch the spring first. It wont hurt anything, and will help keep more upward pressure on the rounds to better judge what kind of a differance tweaking the feed lips is making. 1911's like upward pressure on the rounds, as long as its not so much that it drastically increased the friction of the round leaving the mag, which 3-5 inches will not effect.

    If these are used mags, then there is a good chance they were kept loaded, and just stretching the spring will be the cure all anyways.

    I always stretch the springs on EVERY used mag of unknown history that i buy. I doesnt hurt, and its just common sense to start from a known point.
     

    IndyGunworks

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    also tweak them up JUST A TAD in the front first, which might help lift the nose of the round up, allowing it to take a better angle to the feed ramp so its the round smooth part hitting it, not the sharp edge of the hollow (thats probably why its not going into battery anyways)

    When you have the spring out you will see the top of the spring is angled upwards, sometimes it helps if you increase that upward angle to put more upward pressure on the front part of the follower.... it helps to keep the round from wanting to nose dive when its being slammed forward from the back of the case as the slide returns to battery.

    and grease the rails, upper lugs, and lower lug, that also allows the slide to return w/out having as much friction to overcome which adds to the inertia that the slide has to push the round through the somewhat violent chambering action.
     

    IndyGunworks

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    and put an EVER SO SLIGHT chamfer on the trailing edge of the chamber where the feed ramp becomes the lower edge of the chamber.

    If i keep this up i will end up walking you through an entire reliability package on a 1911.
     

    ghitch75

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    most of the trouble is the followers......there made for ball ammo not HP's.....the ball will ride up the ramp even if it nose dives....Wilson's followers are made in a way that keeps the nose up no mater what.....take a look at one and you'll see.....they are higher price but the always work....
     

    68_F100

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    and put an EVER SO SLIGHT chamfer on the trailing edge of the chamber where the feed ramp becomes the lower edge of the chamber.

    If i keep this up i will end up walking you through an entire reliability package on a 1911.

    Yes you will and I have no problem with that. In fact we could do a trial gunsmithing class on the interwebs. YOu post the lesson and I will do the work and post the results and pictures of the work. But really thanks for the help. I know I can't touch the ramp on the Kimbers because of the aluminum frame but when you say to chamfer the barrel. Are you talking about along the bottom lip where the barrel meets the feed ramp.
     

    ghitch75

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    Yes you will and I have no problem with that. In fact we could do a trial gunsmithing class on the interwebs. YOu post the lesson and I will do the work and post the results and pictures of the work. But really thanks for the help. I know I can't touch the ramp on the Kimbers because of the aluminum frame but when you say to chamfer the barrel. Are you talking about along the bottom lip where the barrel meets the feed ramp.

    DON'T TOUCH THE THE BARREL!!!!!!......another mag is cheaper than a new barrel....
     
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