Any of you 1911 guys tell me what happened here?

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Apr 20, 2021
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At the gun club range...got through just under 24 rounds and then a jam. Admittedly. I was using some likely the most crap, cheapest.45 ammo out there...but it's what I had for the day... Federal Aluminum case from a 200 round bulk pack.
I think the casing is too light but I'm no sage in 1911s. Gun is an ATI . 45ACP Firepower Xtreme Commander model...4.25" barrel. Also, what spring to replace....I'm thinking 16lb.? Thanks

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That should not be able to happen unless a coil collapsed. Faulty spring or it picked up a kink when installing, if it happened with a quality spring I would get a full length guide rod. If you shoot 230 ball stay with an 18#, if you shoot +p go with a 20# and if you reload softball 200 gr SWC target loads go with a 16#. I have heard of people having issues with aluminum case ammo because it does not spring back as fast and wants to stick in the chamber but I think it is pretty rare and particular to an individual gun.
On the spring replacement stick with Wolff springs. you can get a calibration pack that will have the 16, 18, 20 if you want to experiment or change ammo power. There are others out there but you cant go wrong with Wolff and they are very consistent and easy to find.
 
That should not be able to happen unless a coil collapsed. Faulty spring or it picked up a kink when installing, if it happened with a quality spring I would get a full length guide rod. If you shoot 230 ball stay with an 18#, if you shoot +p go with a 20# and if you reload softball 200 gr SWC target loads go with a 16#. I have heard of people having issues with aluminum case ammo because it does not spring back as fast and wants to stick in the chamber but I think it is pretty rare and particular to an individual gun.
On the spring replacement stick with Wolff springs. you can get a calibration pack that will have the 16, 18, 20 if you want to experiment or change ammo power. There are others out there but you cant go wrong with Wolff and they are very consistent and easy to find.
Good information. Thank you, Sir.
 
I will second the recommendation for Wolff Springs. Every Garand I get, for example, gets all new springs. I even have a couple of sets sitting in my Garand Parts Drawer.

For a used 1911, or even a used S&W 3rd generation, I replace the recoil spring, at a minimum.

I don’t know if you got this gun used or new, but a defective recoil spring wouldn’t surprise me with an ATI.

Throw an 18# Wolff in there, and I bet you’re back in business. If it were mine, I would do all of the springs, including the magazine spring, and this is a great kit for that:

https://www.gunsprings.com/COLT/1911+GOV'T+PISTOL/cID1/mID1/dID1#819

In fact, I would also get a Wilson Combat, or Chip McCormick, magazine or two for their reliability.
 
I will second the recommendation for Wolff Springs. Every Garand I get, for example, gets all new springs. I even have a couple of sets sitting in my Garand Parts Drawer.

For a used 1911, or even a used S&W 3rd generation, I replace the recoil spring, at a minimum.

I don’t know if you got this gun used or new, but a defective recoil spring wouldn’t surprise me with an ATI.

Throw an 18# Wolff in there, and I bet you’re back in business. If it were mine, I would do all of the springs, including the magazine spring, and this is a great kit for that:

https://www.gunsprings.com/COLT/1911+GOV'T+PISTOL/cID1/mID1/dID1#819

In fact, I would also get a Wilson Combat, or Chip McCormick, magazine or two for their reliability.
Thank you, Sir. I went with a full length guide rod and a 14lb spring.
My experience with the ATI has been that the frame, slide and barrel are very good quality with very good fit and machining...but I've replaced the ejector and now the recoil spring and guide rod will be replaced. I've got maybe 3000 rounds through this gun. I bought it because I wanted to experience and understand the 1911 platform. Its served that purpose well...a few more new parts and it will be a halfway decent 1911😀.
 
Even an inexpensive 1911 has a great trigger and is lots of fun to shoot. I’m not criticizing your choice - I have a couple of Essex-framed 1911s with Colt slides just to rebuild for fun.

But, as you’ve discovered, after 3,000 rounds, the weakness in small parts quality is showing up. Frankly, at that round count, your recoil spring has lasted as long as anyone might have expected.

It was time for a new recoil spring, and that, along with a couple of good magazines, should get you reliable range o performance for quite a while.

MGW has a great selection of parts if you want to get into gunsmithing the 1911, and I would recommend this book if you do:

https://a.co/d/8y37NJ3

But then you start buying tools, jigs, and parts, and the next thing you know, you have spent way more on your inexpensive 1911 than a new, custom one would have cost…. Ask me how I know…
 
Even an inexpensive 1911 has a great trigger and is lots of fun to shoot. I’m not criticizing your choice - I have a couple of Essex-framed 1911s with Colt slides just to rebuild for fun.

But, as you’ve discovered, after 3,000 rounds, the weakness in small parts quality is showing up. Frankly, at that round count, your recoil spring has lasted as long as anyone might have expected.

It was time for a new recoil spring, and that, along with a couple of good magazines, should get you reliable range o performance for quite a while.

MGW has a great selection of parts if you want to get into gunsmithing the 1911, and I would recommend this book if you do:

https://a.co/d/8y37NJ3

But then you start buying tools, jigs, and parts, and the next thing you know, you have spent way more on your inexpensive 1911 than a new, custom one would have cost…. Ask me how I know…
Maintenance is one of those things people often forget about when it comes to firearms or they falsely assume cleaning is the only maintenance item needed. Some guns can go longer than others, but every gun is going to break at certain point without proper maintenance. The 1911 is a phenomenal gun, but it does require frequent maintenance to maintain proper operation.

Preventative maintenance is always better than reactive maintenance especially if you are trusting your life to it.
 
Even an inexpensive 1911 has a great trigger and is lots of fun to shoot. I’m not criticizing your choice - I have a couple of Essex-framed 1911s with Colt slides just to rebuild for fun.

But, as you’ve discovered, after 3,000 rounds, the weakness in small parts quality is showing up. Frankly, at that round count, your recoil spring has lasted as long as anyone might have expected.

It was time for a new recoil spring, and that, along with a couple of good magazines, should get you reliable range o performance for quite a while.

MGW has a great selection of parts if you want to get into gunsmithing the 1911, and I would recommend this book if you do:

https://a.co/d/8y37NJ3

But then you start buying tools, jigs, and parts, and the next thing you know, you have spent way more on your inexpensive 1911 than a new, custom one would have cost…. Ask me how I know…
I bought 6 magazines when I bought the gun. Stainless ones. Got them from Greg Cote, LLC. They must have been made for some major brand because the logo was expertly machined off. I believe they might be Wilson Combat 8 rd. They were very inexpensive at the time but that was close to 10 years ago.
 
This is why I don’t own a 1911 anymore. Endless finickiness, enough to drive you crazy. They can run great but tend to need some kind of annoying maintenance every few thousand rounds.

I just ain’t got the time for them. I’m one of the non-purists who is more open to the improved variants with external extractors, full length guide rods, and no barrel bushings. The classic design just needs so much honing and fitting and upkeep.
 
This is why I don’t own a 1911 anymore. Endless finickiness, enough to drive you crazy. They can run great but tend to need some kind of annoying maintenance every few thousand rounds.

I just ain’t got the time for them. I’m one of the non-purists who is more open to the improved variants with external extractors, full length guide rods, and no barrel bushings. The classic design just needs so much honing and fitting and upkeep.
I have some that are classics, like the OP. I have some that are improved versions with external extractors, etc.

Whether we are talking about the classic design, or the slightly improved ones, the replacement parts require honing and fitting, but I haven’t really seen the need for upkeep.

Once a gun is properly set up, it runs reliably.

And that includes the classic design.

The challenge with inexpensive versions, is that they may, or may not, have been set up correctly from the factory.
 
Further, and I am not saying that @Cropduster172 did this, I see a lot of guys at the gun range abuse their guns without knowing that they are abusing them.

E.g. putting a single round in the chamber, and slamming the slide home after wards. Total extractor abuse. You load the gun from the magazine, so that the round slides under the extractor hook. Slamming the slide forward with a round already in the chamber forces the extractor to jump the cartridge rim, a task for which it was not designed. On something like a 1911, that can cause extractor problems.

Not the fault of the gun, but the fault of the operator.

A Glock is more tolerant of this abuse, but it remains an abusive practice no matter what platform. On a 1911, you’re going to need a new extractor if that’s your habit, and the extractor tension will need to be checked when that new extractor is installed. On a Glock, it’s an easy spring install to restore proper function.
 
Further, and I am not saying that @Cropduster172 did this, I see a lot of guys at the gun range abuse their guns without knowing that they are abusing them.

E.g. putting a single round in the chamber, and slamming the slide home after wards. Total extractor abuse. You load the gun from the magazine, so that the round slides under the extractor hook. Slamming the slide forward with a round already in the chamber forces the extractor to jump the cartridge rim, a task for which it was not designed. On something like a 1911, that can cause extractor problems.

Not the fault of the gun, but the fault of the operator.

A Glock is more tolerant of this abuse, but it remains an abusive practice no matter what platform. On a 1911, you’re going to need a new extractor if that’s your habit, and the extractor tension will need to be checked when that new extractor is installed. On a Glock, it’s an easy spring install to restore proper function.
Good info. I only load from the magazine. My gun club has a fairly strict chamber flag rule so it somewhat forces, or at very least, steers magazine loading. Makes it more logical anyway.

By way of corrections...It was the extractor I replaced immediately after purchasing.
 
I’m not generally a fan of FLGR or really any significant deviations from the original design.

Agree in a correctly dimensioned 1911 that kinked spring should not be possible, almost had to be damaged at some point outside the firearm.

A commander lower lug should be shaped differently from a Govt, it might be possible (I’d have to study it) for tolerance stack up to case the recoil spring guide to rock. It’s the only thing I can think of that might be able to do that in operation.
 
Maintenance is one of those things people often forget about when it comes to firearms or they falsely assume cleaning is the only maintenance item needed. Some guns can go longer than others, but every gun is going to break at certain point without proper maintenance. The 1911 is a phenomenal gun, but it does require frequent maintenance to maintain proper operation.

Preventative maintenance is always better than reactive maintenance especially if you are trusting your life to it.
Yeah...not looking for a lecture from an Internet warrior. I did my time in the real world as a cop.
 
It was a general comment to firearm maintenance not a pop shot at you specifically. Take a chill pill.
You generally respond with a lecture attitude like you are/were an operator. Clearly you were not. Spare us with the know it all BS.Just stop. No one cares.
 
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