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Thread: 1911 trouble feeding

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    1911 trouble feeding

    Hello need some help from you knowledgeable individuals. Hope I’m posting this in the right section. I am reloading .45acp for my Springfield 1911 and I have done quite a bit of troubleshooting myself. I am using the Lee 6 cavity mold and sizing die. For reloading the cases I am using the Lee 3 die set (sizing die, powder through expanding die and bullet/crimp die). I loaded the rounds to .265, feeding the rounds from the mag they are going most of the way in the chamber but the slide is staying back about 1/4 inch and I have to “jimmy” the slide to extract it. If I place the round in the chamber by hand and drop the slide it will chamber properly and fire. If I only have 1 round in the magazine and drop the slide it will also chamber most of the time. I proceed to load them all the way down to .120. At this point if I have more than 3 in the mag they will not feed from the magazine. Factory FMJ bullets with the same ogive feed fine no matter what. What’s going on here?

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I would recommend trying the "plunk test" to get an idea. pull the barrel out and drop out a couple rounds in see how they fit in relation to the hood. next try a few sized cases.

    Check to make sure all bell is removed and crimp isnt buckling the case. Measure overall case length.

    Last is to measure loaded round dia both factory and handloads. Jacketed bullet dia is .451 a cast bullet at .453-.454 may be enough to give problems

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    It will be of considerable help for you to tell us the bullet mold number and if you are sizing the bullet to a consistent diameter. Some bullet profiles are known to be troublesome. Do you mean the seating depth is for a cartridge OAL of 1.265 or 1.120"? Clarity is critical in understanding the problem.

    If you are really new to reloading, this thread on setting up to load for the 9MM will give you a lot of information that will make life easier when loading for the 45 ACP.

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...s-in-a-new-9mm

  4. #4
    Boolit Master


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    I don' understand the numbers .265 and .120. The 230 g. RN bulet should be 1.250 oal. Take the barrel out of the gun and use the chamber as a gauge. Use a magic marker and coat the round. Putting it back in the chamber should tell you where the interference is. My initial guess is the case is not being crimped enough to allow the round to fully chamber. A picture would help.

  5. #5
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    Your Springfield is notoriously known for short or no throat in the barrel. To pass the plunk test you probably have to seat boolits MUCH deeper in the case than you would want to, obviously deeper than any published load data specifies, this is quite typical, manufacturers don't want to go to the expense of putting a proper throat in the barrel to chamber reloads, especially cast boolits, and some of them won't chamber all of the commercially available ammo.

    The proper fix is to have the barrel throated, this will allow it to feed anything that will cycle through the magazine and you won't have to seat shorter COA. The shorter COA also greatly affects smooth feeding of the 1911, as longer COA feed much more reliable.

    If you can look in your barrel and it looks like the Springfield RO barrel on the left in the photo, it is typical and doesn't even have the freebore that SAAMI specs call for. Having it throated like the same barrel on the right (before and after) fixes the issue easily.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  6. #6
    Boolit Mold
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    Gentlemen, I apologize for some clerical errors and omitting the mold number. I know it’s standard fashion to attack, especially someone who is new, on any forum for some reason. However I am not an idiot, I am just looking for some help. I have been reloading for many years but have not loaded much pistol ammo, but I am lately do to the shortages.

    The Lee mold I am using is 452-2281R (the same ogive as a factory fmj bullet)

    The original oal I used was 1.265 now I’m down to 1.220

    I will measure my cast bullet diameter they ran fairly easily through the bullet sizing die so I didn’t even think to check that. Will also try the plunk test.

    Doug thank you very much for that info. I faintly remember reading something like that somewhere. I will have to double check but I believe mine looks like the picture on the left. My gun is the base GI model and has a manufacture date in March of this year. How much does it typically cost to have something like that done? I do have a gun shop locally with a full machine shop. Thanks again.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Theres no attack here, we welcome new folks to our hobby! Measure your boolit width. Grab a fired case and measure the width of the case wall. Double that and add the boolit width to it. .452(boolit width) + (case wall width x 2)= loaded cartridge diameter at the case mouth. This will tell you if your crimp is correct.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    Interesting thread. My carry pistol for many years has been a Springfield XD .45 ACP. When I first started casting for it, my mold was the Lee semi-wadcutter. Those bullets would hang up in that pistol all the time. They ALSO hung up in my RIA 1911. When I switched to the Lee 230 round nosed mold, the problem essentially went away in both pistols. That appears to be a different problem than yours? But it makes me wonder if the XD’s have the same throat situation that Doug showed in the pictures. I’ll have to look tomorrow. Thanks for posting your situation, and welcome to Cast Boolits! Most helpful and friendliest community I’ve ever found on the interweb. Hope you’re able to solve your situation with your 1911.

    8mmFan

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

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    I will say stop dropping the slide on a round in the chamber , not worried about a discharge It is your extractor that you will mess up and then you will have issues until you replace it , A 1911 is designed to feed from the magazine , please give your extractor proper care .

  10. #10
    Boolit Master mehavey's Avatar
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    Nanook: What is the final case mouth diameter of the loaded round?
    [Hint, it should taper "crimped" to no more than 0.471 / 0.472" or so]


    (0.473" in the drawing above. I generally keep it slightly below that)
    Last edited by mehavey; 05-27-2021 at 06:09 AM.

  11. #11
    Boolit Mold
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    Thanks for all the info guys.

    Sigep, using your method I came to .482

    Mehavey: physically measuring the case mouth of my loaded case came to .470

    I confirmed my sized bullets are coming to .452 230 grains +- 1 grn

    Here is a picture of 1 of my loaded rounds, the malfunction and the throat of the chamber.

    Again this only happens when the mag is full. They will feed 90% of the time if there is only 1 in the magazine.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails C21019C3-59C0-486D-9C56-125DFDC60282.jpg  

  12. #12
    Boolit Mold
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    ...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_3864.jpg   IMG_3865.jpg   IMG_3866.jpg   IMG_3867.jpg  

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by mehavey View Post
    Nanook: What is the final case mouth diameter of the loaded round?
    [Hint, it should taper "crimped" to no more than 0.471 / 0.472" or so]


    (0.473" in the drawing above. I generally keep it slightly below that)
    I agree, I would close the taper crimp down to .468/.469, This is a very common problem. In our Bullseye guns we use SWC and crimp to .466 on the driving band. Don't think you need that much on a round nose.
    Tony

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    I know it’s standard fashion to attack, especially someone who is new, on any forum for some reason. However I am not an idiot, I am just looking for some help.
    I read that statement and immediately went back and reread all of the preceding posts, as I too have seen past posts that can be seen as "attacking the new guy". I could mention a couple forums (not this one) where demanding ridiculous background data before even considering the question at hand seems common. There are a number of forums out there where I remain reluctant to ask questions for these reasons.

    That being said, while trying to be as objective as possible I honestly failed to find the attacks or demeaning posts you suggest. I won't be retarded and suggest it never happens here, but they seem rare to me. Just saying, perhaps we perceive things based on expectations and not necessarily on reality.

    I wish you well and will continue to follow this thread with interest as I too am new to bullet casting and reloading auto pistol. Specifically, 45 ACP.
    “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem.” Ronald Reagan


  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    Having 2 Springfields, from my experience they tend to have generous chambers. Again, as was suggested, do the "plunk" test. Taking the barrel out of the gun, and dropping a round, or two, into the chamber to see how freely they go in. Use a taper crimp die, and taper crimp as a separate operation.
    Since you said that it only happened when used with a full mag, there is a possibility that your extractor is too tight, and not allowing the case rim to slide into position. If this is a new gun, and still in the break-in period, I would recommend changing the recoil spring from the stock 16# and going up to an 18#, or 18 1/2#. The little extra power will help things work during the break-in period.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    I have taken both of my 1911's (Not Springfields, btw) to Dougguy and had him throat them. They are shooting my cast boolits (MP mold) ever since. He is the expert on this and his work is highly recommended. A PM to him will answer all your specific questions. Either for him to do it or how to intelligently talk to your local gunsmith, he can set you up.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    I have a Springfield Ronin and 4 Kimbers 3 Glocks in 45 Auto and all of them feed, eject etc. With no problems.
    I use an old Kart Match barrel as a chamber Guage. If the round fits it it will fit the firearms I have. I don't have barrels throated ect.. I taper crimp to .469" to .468". The Kimbers and Glocks will accept longer OAL's than the Springfield but I don't care. If the cartridge fits the Kart barrel it will fit just about anything made so far.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    Might try only seating in the seater die and then taper crimping in a separate die. Have experience with four SA 45's, two RO's, another 1911, and XDM(?). All work reliably with SWC and the few RN we used worked fine as well. Plunk test as suggested and set OAL based on what the gun likes and taper crimp. Curious about the picture of the loaded round, what is all the nose of the bullet?

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nanookofthenorth View Post

    Doug thank you very much for that info. I faintly remember reading something like that somewhere. I will have to double check but I believe mine looks like the picture on the left. My gun is the base GI model and has a manufacture date in March of this year. How much does it typically cost to have something like that done? I do have a gun shop locally with a full machine shop. Thanks again.
    Click the link in my signature and send a PM, this is an affordable one time fix that lets you run anything through your 1911 that will cycle through the magazine. I would laugh but I would not be surprised at all to see it run with the boolits seated upside down after throating. They just run that good. Shoot lights out as well.

    The problem is not limited to the Springfield, most all of the 45ACP auto loaders made in the last 20+ years have little to no throat in the barrel. Most will use factory jacketed .451" ammo and that's ALL the manufacturers care about consumers using. To be reliable with .452" cast boolits, the freebore in the barrel throat needs to be at least .452" which very few new guns are made with a .452" throat.
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    I am late to the fire here, but I noted no attack above the OP's mention of such; always realize the internet shows little emotion. I had similar troubles when I started with 1911s in 45ACP and for me it was the lack of a decent transitoin from chamber to barrel diameter; i.e. the leade. Having that corrected made a huge difference not only in elimination failure to feed, but also in improving group sizes and in reducing leading (the abrupt "ledge" at the end of the chamber was "skinning" the lead bullets. Perhaps copper clads were OK with that abrupt design, I would not know as I do not shoot them. Welcome to the forum!

    prs

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check