1911 questions.

[richardraw316]

As much as I love the "WHACK IT NOW and take a video" idea with the above info I can and some hopefully helpful information.

From what it sounds like the frame ramp angel is not cut at the correct 31.5 degrees. It is more than likely too steep and or not deep enough so that when the round is striped by the slide coming forward it is jammed into the frame ramp causing bullet setback and or physically jamming.

ALL 1911 magazines tend to "nose dive" on the first round out of a fully load loaded magazine with each subsequent being presented at a slightly higher angle. I am guessing that this gun will jam more often with the first round out of a fully loaded 8 rounder.

SO how do you fix it???

Unfortunately this may be not so easy and it sounds like a smith already gave it the "college try".

OPTION 1: Have the frame ramp recut by a highly competent smith. Problem is that IF it is too steep, by decreasing the angle you move the frame ramp forward and remove the REQUIRED 1/32 ish gap between the frame ramp and the Barrel feed ramp. If this is the case a GOOD smith would have to weld up the frame or machine an insert into it. Good news is this might not be as expensive as it sounds.

OPTION 2: TRY an EGW "higher" mag catch. This will present the rounds from the magazine higher on the frame ramp and MAY help with feeding issues. Also try Quality 7 round mags. Reference the following SERIOUS info and analysis on 1911 magazines.

1911 Magazine Analysis: Feeding Time

OPTION 3: Machine the frame for an integral feed ramp barrel (WILSON/NOWLIN or PARA/CLARK as mentioned). This will theoretically be able to correct angle issue.

Welcome to wild world of 1911's. And you are learning why folks tend to shell out $ for high end guns. Bottom line is that they require precise fitting to be truly reliable. Up side is that a well tuned 1911 is a VERY capable sidearm.

And if it does not work out like ICHOKE said WHACK IT and post the video!

Its not the mag. When I tried it I had one or two rounds in the mag. Only ammo I have.
I need to buy some.
Bullet is nose first hard stop on the ramp. And lower part of chamber. Jammed tight. Two of these and ammo is useless. And probly a small grenade.

 

[richardraw316]

I don['t know how to be nice sometimes or Politically nice so I'll say it like I'm thinking it.
I've been carrying 1911s for over 40 years and NEVER had problems until I started playing with the cheaper import copies.
1911s are great guns if you get a good gun to start with. Cheap guns aren't always cheap fixes.
IF you want a good gun buy a good gun to start with.
I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings but that's the way I see it.

I agree totally. But I am a broke azz. This is also a learning project. I would not do any of this had I paid a grand on a kimber, and for a grand I had better not have to.
A brand new pistol for over five hundred dollars is not what I would call cheap. Mid priced maybe, but cheap, no. A gun no matter its price should function. Which was the arguement of the original post. That and customer service.

I am going to get this pistol running, I hope, and I will be a member of the 1911 club, again I hope.
Once it runs proper, I will give it all the same chances I give any handgun I have owned before it. I want to be a 1911 fan. This is the pistol that's going to do it.

Ok typing on the phone sucks. Thanks everybody.

 

[AllenM]

Dude where's my feed ramp?

Since Richardraw316 lives near me 1, 2 I love a challenge and 3 I don't wanna make money, I just love working on 1911's.
I offered to take a look at this pistol and see what I could do.

It was pretty obvious what the issue was. The feed ramp was gone.

So, I have milled out the entire feed ramp. I did not get any good pictures of the process I was pretty down with the flu and it was all I could do to concentrate on the mill work:

Installed and dressed up new feed ramp:

Gap from feed ramp to barrel is a smidge large but I would rather have room to work if needed.

The gun hand cycles everything I have tried even Semi wad cutters and flat nose lead bullets.

I probably should have waited until Richard test fires it to have posted this but I am very confident she is fixed.

 

[xM3RC1L3SS1x]

It's good to know that there's still people out there that are willing to lend a hand without worrying about getting rich off of it. I applaud your generosity. Thanks

 

[AllenM]

I probably should have put some of the text in purple
I didn't do it for free but I did it cheap

 

[Colt556]

Yikes! Great job Allen.

 

[xM3RC1L3SS1x]

I understand that. That was my assumption but I didn't know. All the same though, it's great that you were kind enough to help him out

 

[NHT3]

PRO fessional looking job to me Allen.. I'm impressed.. When we both decide to retire how about I talk with my buddy at Nighthawk and we can go down there and work.. I'll be your apprentice.
Like you, I"m a sucker for a challenge. It's gotten me in a bind at times but I've always learned something from it.
Any speculation on what happened to the feed ramp, just curious?
[FONT=&quot]NRA Life member [/FONT][FONT=&quot]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
Gunsite graduate Certified Glock armorer[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]1911 Mechanic[/FONT]

 

[richardraw316]

well i got it back from allen today, and damn.
i cant tell it is not an original part.
there are no mill marks.hing to show it was an after market feed ramp installed.
there is a set screw in the side to give it strength. allen had to point it out to me, i did not see it at all. the work done is fantastic. i look forward to working with allen as i fully customize this weapon even further.
again thank you so much for the work you put in and future work that i can think of.
huge +1

i will post some more pics in a few.

 

[richardraw316]

these are some pics other people who have done this same reapair.
just to give you an idea at what goes into it.
o and allen did a way better job than the guys in the pics did.

Repairing an aluminum frame feed ramp....pics - 1911Forum

 

[AllenM]

PRO fessional looking job to me Allen.. I'm impressed.. When we both decide to retire how about I talk with my buddy at Nighthawk and we can go down there and work.. I'll be your apprentice.
Like you, I"m a sucker for a challenge. It's gotten me in a bind at times but I've always learned something from it.
Any speculation on what happened to the feed ramp, just curious?
[FONT=&quot]NRA Life member [/FONT][FONT=&quot]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
Gunsite graduate Certified Glock armorer[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1911 Mechanic[/FONT]

My apprentice eh? Funny. Thank you though.

I assume what happened to the feed ramp is the gun had an issue since it was born and along the line people kept trying to polish it out and reshape it until it got to that point.

No doubt I was quite pleased/relieved with how it turned out too.

This is a steel replacement feed ramp and I guess they get used a lot on aluminum frame guns. It was perfect for this problem.

 

[churchmouse]

My apprentice eh? Funny. Thank you though.

I assume what happened to the feed ramp is the gun had an issue since it was born and along the line people kept trying to polish it out and reshape it until it got to that point.

No doubt I was quite pleased/relieved with how it turned out too.

This is a steel replacement feed ramp and I guess they get used a lot on aluminum frame guns. It was perfect for this problem.

+1 to you sir.

 

[Colt556]

Allen did you make the replacement feed ramp or is that a piece you bought and installed after milling the frame? Looks pretty good once fit and finished.

 

[AllenM]

Allen did you make the replacement feed ramp or is that a piece you bought and installed after milling the frame? Looks pretty good once fit and finished.

I bought the piece and installed it. It took some time but it wasn't too bad.

I was considering welding up the feed ramp and re milling it but this seemed more practical and avoided all the heat.

 

[AllenM]

Plus this is a cure for hollow points digging into aluminum ramps

 

[Drake.45]

Very nice work there, it's always great to see a gun with problems fixed, instead of contuining to pass the problem on to someone else. We need more people like you out there that are willing to fix things instead of passing them off

 

[richardraw316]

some more pics.

 

[Colt556]

Again it looks pretty good. A pretty nifty trick for repairing it too.

 

[SubUrbanCamo317]

Looks beautiful! Congratulations on the sucessful save!

 

[AllenM]

Thanks everybody, time I should check my ego and hit the sack. Still recovering from the flu.