omen said:
well, an update, I guess:
I'm having a lot of problems with the 124gr BEB I bought at LeBaron in the recent past, but the 115gr beb seems to be ok (bought at the same time). Jaming, stovepipes, not chambering, and now even a dud (repeat primer strikes, nice and hard). Not sure what's going on...
I'll use the 115gr, will stay away from the 124 I got from them...
Sounds to me like you have a multiple problem here. Not very experienced but it looks to me like you need to perhaps change your recoil spring if it is worn down... they have a finite duty cycle. OTHERWISE, you may need to change the recoil spring to deal with different loads.
In addition, I repeat my earlier advice, you need to learn how to break down your firearm (1911?) to its teeny weeny parts... especially the slide components including the firing pin subassembly which probably contains the extractor. You need to clean these parts VERY VERY well. It has been suggested to me that I try an ultrasonic cleaner but I simply used some CRUD CLEANER and let it soak for a few minutes, then brushed where I could and blasted with cleaner where I couldn't brush.
BINGO... my problem is resolved. I have run several hundred rounds through the 1911's and not even a hint of a problem! (Oh... remember to lubricate well but not too well with a top quality lubricant. DO NOT GO CHEAP WITH ANY CLEANING OR LUBRICATION SUPPLIES AND USE ONLY SUPPLIES INTENDED SPECIFICALLY FOR FIREARMS. NO WD40. PLEASE!)
You may have to tweak/tune your extractor and that is REAL easy to do once you know how. It is a piece of cake. Simple bend it. Yup. Bend it... very very gently to either increase or decrease the amount of pressure required to remove an empty shell casing from the breech face (think that's the right term). That will give you the amount of pressure that will be exerted on your empty shell casing in attempting to pull it from the chamber. There are guages for this sold by Brownells etc., but I just tightened up on the extraction pressure a bit and it worked fine for me. No problems. If you want to be nit picking about it, get a guage (under $50) and find out the appropriate extraction pressure (think the Kimbers were about 2 pounds).
The recoil spring? Lots will tell you that it matters not one hoot what the spring weight is as long as your slide seems to be moving back and forth ... BS. It matters LOTS. The slide needs to work exactly right based on your load. It needs to move backwards exactly the right distance at the right speed and it needs to move back forwards likewise. Otherwise, the extractor is going to get "ripped off" the shell casing by a slide moving at the speed of sound because of a weeny spring. Or the round is going to stovepipe because of insuffient force in extracting and the ejecting it (two different processes, one after the other, where timing is everything).
Now, I speak from hearsay... so don't shoot the messenger. But it worked for me. That's for sure.
My next step is to get some good videos and books on the 1911 and the art of smithing the 1911 (a few of us are going to share the set to cut the costs down) and we are going to share a set of proper tools, including an extractor guage and whatever else is needed.
I have also invested in a couple of sets of Wilson Combat recoil springs and other replacement springs (like magazine springs and firing pin springs). Magazine springs weaken with time. You will notice failures to feed properly and perhaps some stovepiping on the last two or three rounds when the spring gets weak. Solution? Replace the spring. I am taking to using only COLT OEM magazines. Ten round. They add to my grip as well. Learn how to take them apart, clean them and lube them regularly and a lot of your problems will disappear. And by the way... there are lots of clones on the market and some are better than others. I try to stay away from the clones, especially the ones with super duper springs as it makes for sore fingers loading them up.
So far so good. I am so pleased with my two Kimbers that I am looking to buy TWO Gold Match II in Stainless Steel; one for my son and one for me, for IPSC, etc. To go along with our Target II SS and Custom II. We have lots of other 1911's and love them all, they all have their own personalities and they are all pretty darn accurate. But we have decided to standardize on Kimbers and S & W for competition (and a few exotics). BUL and Glock for plinking and personal defense in the USA, since we cannot carry in Canada. Just got a BUL UltraX compact - EVERYONE should look at these BUL Transmark pistols (Daly in the USA) as they are very slick. Oh... so many to choose from. Just bought and sold a Beretta M9 and now I miss it so much I have been trying to find a 92FS in Stainless Steel. But it's the 'purist' 1911's that have my heart. They are the easiest to work on and the one design that I am taking the time to familiarize myself with so that I can 'smith' them. And I am looking forward to doing that with great anticipation in my "retirement".
Good luck with yours. Be bold with it and you will find that it takes whatever you throw at it. Keep it clean and well lubricated (not too lubricated). And clean means breaking it down after every shoot and taking down the firing pin subassembly every couple of hundred rounds and giving it a cleaning before the gunk builds up. Takes all of 5 minutes once you have done it a couple of times.
See you on the range!
