Feeding problems with 45 ACP

Tim@nutz

Tim@nutz

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Hey folks, very new to semi autos. Had some trouble the other day with some reloads not feeding properly in my Colt combat commander. Was using Frontier jacketed 200 gr. flat points. Last round in the first mag jammed about 3/4 of the way in. Big pain to clear. Had several more jam exactly the same. I had fired 100 rounds of 230 gr. round nose ( reloaded as well ) just the other day with no problems as well as some Federal factory 230 gr. Any comments? I did notice some hesitation during the factory crimping on my Lee turret press which I didn't feel with the round nose. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Tim
 
Flat nosed bullets and 1911 non-ramped barrels just don't mix.

You can try a stiffer spring, or getting the feed ramp polished.

I have decided that the 1911's are designed to feed round nosed bullets so that's what I feed them.
 
First suggestion. Try a different mag. Some feed a little different & can cause jams.
Second suggestion. If the 200 grainers are reloaded by you, try changing the seating depth just a little. This can be a source of jams in a 1911. Each round has to come up out of the mag at an angle then hit the top of the chamber, level out and then go straight in. That is where the flat nose bullets have a problem. Some stick.

Since you felt some hesitation when crimping the 200 grainers, take out the barrel & see if they drop in the chamber easily. If not you may have to change the crimp a little. I cannot think of a valid reason for feeling any hesitation other than maybe a slight over crimp.

Just some ideas from someone who is not an expert.
 
capp325 said:
Not from my experience.
Click to expand...

I have to agree...

I feed my 1911 230gr TC (Truncated Cone) lead CAST from wheelweights no less. Absolutely NO jams or feed issues.

Two factors to consider:
1) Take a dremel tool and POLISH that feed ramp to a mirror shine.
2) Take care of seating depth/overall length.
 
Griffoneur said:
I have to agree...

I feed my 1911 230gr TC (Truncated Cone) lead CAST from wheelweights no less. Absolutely NO jams or feed issues.

Two factors to consider:
1) Take a dremel tool and POLISH that feed ramp to a mirror shine.
2) Take care of seating depth/overall length.
Click to expand...

I agree too, the most reliable bullet I've found in 1911's is a 200 grn semi wadcutter....

cant emphasise point #2 enough, it can cause a mulitude of woe!
 
My first 1911 liked SWC 200gr, my current one hates them. I just tried McCormick mags and I am having malfunctions, yet they work in other guns. The 1911 is one the most "individuallistic" guns I have met.
 
I haven't fed any reloads to mine, but so far, it eats everything. Only problems were mag related [slide lock not engaging after final round] but I got that sorted out.
 
Is the feed ramp chamfered? It should continue up the sides of the chamber about half way. Takes a light touch.
Crimping must be a taper crimp only too. FP's feed through my Government model with no fuss. The OAL is important.
 
Wow! This is great. Excellent suggestions all round. I'll try and answer as many as I can.
My Colt is stock. Using the LEE deluxe pistol 4 die set with "factory crimp die" on a Lee turret press. Using the Hodgdon web site loading data of 4.7 grains of WST for the 200 gr. FPJ with a velocity of 825 FPS.
The hesitation I mentioned was before and after the crimping process, not during. It was like the bullets were too large. I measured them with my electronic caliper and they all seemed right on at .451". Brass was once fired Federal.
The first failure was with a Colt factory mag. I switched to a McCormick ten rounder which I had used with the round nose earlier and still had a jam. After the first jam I fed the same round in by hand, no mag, fit and fired fine.
Gun and barrel had been cleaned after the first session.
Gun is stock.
My estimation was a light crimp as I read the 45 needs little or no crimp. Crimped exactly the same as the round nose.
Using the LEE factory crimp die. As per the LEE catalog it's a taper crimp for the 45.
Overall length of loaded bullets is 1.230"
Actual Frontier bullet length is .552 to .553 inches long. As mentioned bullet diameters are all around .451"

All comments and suggestions are very much appreciated.

Thanks guys,

Tim
 
Tim:

It sounds as if you have done your homework on this one.
I have one suggestion for you based on your comments. It is suggested by many " experts " to not feed a round into the chamber by hand without using a mag. What happens is that when the slide goes forward with the round already in the chamber, the extractor has to go over the rim of the case and can get damaged.
Ideally the rim should slide up & into the extractor from the mag.
I will admit however that I have single fed a number of times & never hurt an extractor.
 
colinjw said:
Tim:

It sounds as if you have done your homework on this one.
I have one suggestion for you based on your comments. It is suggested by many " experts " to not feed a round into the chamber by hand without using a mag. What happens is that when the slide goes forward with the round already in the chamber, the extractor has to go over the rim of the case and can get damaged.
Ideally the rim should slide up & into the extractor from the mag.
I will admit however that I have single fed a number of times & never hurt an extractor.
Click to expand...


Hi Colinjw, thanks for the great suggestions.
Yes I read that while waiting for the paperwork. Frustration got the better of me and I did it anyway. While handling and cleaning I always gently release the slide while holding it.
The only unknown for me is the seating depth. On the Hodgdon web site it lists a "C.O.L. " of 1.275" for that particular bullet. I'm not sure what this means as it is exactly what is recommended for Max overall length. With the LEE die set is a reloading chart that lists MIN OAL for different bullets which I understand to be for pressure. All I could find was a copper plated 200 gr. bullet with a MIN OAL of 1.220" so I loaded to 1.230" figuring this was safe.
While new to semi autos I have been shooting and reloading revolvers ( 38 & 357 ) for 18 years. No feeding problems with revolvers as I feed them myself. Ha Ha.

Thanks again for your input.

PS : As I loaded 100 rounds and only ( with difficulty ) fired 50 I might have a great deal on some reloaded 200gr. Frontier flat points. Another Ha Ha.

Tim
 
Maybe better to pull the bullets and start over, if it should come to that.

Re-loaded Ammunition other than commercially produced, can NOT be sold or even given away.

Cheers.

Tim@nutz said:
Hi Colinjw, thanks for the great suggestions.
Yes I read that while waiting for the paperwork. Frustration got the better of me and I did it anyway. While handling and cleaning I always gently release the slide while holding it.
The only unknown for me is the seating depth. On the Hodgdon web site it lists a "C.O.L. " of 1.275" for that particular bullet. I'm not sure what this means as it is exactly what is recommended for Max overall length. With the LEE die set is a reloading chart that lists MIN OAL for different bullets which I understand to be for pressure. All I could find was a copper plated 200 gr. bullet with a MIN OAL of 1.220" so I loaded to 1.230" figuring this was safe.
While new to semi autos I have been shooting and reloading revolvers ( 38 & 357 ) for 18 years. No feeding problems with revolvers as I feed them myself. Ha Ha.

Thanks again for your input.

PS : As I loaded 100 rounds and only ( with difficulty ) fired 50 I might have a great deal on some reloaded 200gr. Frontier flat points. Another Ha Ha.

Tim
Click to expand...
 
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