I recently picked up another Combat Commander. Decent trigger, like new condition, one problem... It runs like crap.
It wither doesn't want to go completely into battery everytime. Sometimes when it does it ties the gun up hard. Last time I had to use a rubber mallet to get it open. Tried several types of ammo and a doz different mags (all of which work fine in my other 1911's.). The gun shoots good when it works and I really don't want to send it out to a smith if I can fix it myself. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
techmike, you've come to the right place - -
We are fortunate on THR that we have, in the recent past, picked up a wealth of good information on the care, feeding, and maintenance of the 1911-type pistols.
Take a run down the Gunsmithing board and browse the topics. Read those which look interesting. We have at least two really gifted 1911 mechanics on the board, and chances are good that one or both have posted about your particular problem. In any case, your time will be well spent, in just the background knowledge you gain.
In your quest for knowledge, your first stop should probably be here: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthrea...threadid=61238
If you still have questions, you'll at least be equiped with a solid basis from which to pose your question.
(While I do not claim any credentials as a pistolsmith, I'd like to enter a bet: If your Combat Commander is a Colt, and marked by that model name, I'd wager that someone has "messed with" it, doing a little "customizing" or kitchen table 'smithing of it. They usually come from the factory in pretty good running condition, and, if fed factory ammo, will almost always run. The big secret is restoring a pistol to a condition equal to how it left Hartford.)
I already checked out the thread you mentioned and have been following Tuners threads with interest. Nothing I've seen so far sounds exactly like the problem I'm having. It is a Colt, but I can't find any indication that it has been futzed with. I have never bought a more pristine used pistol. I always go over used guns very carefully and if there is any evidence of tampering I pass. I don't want to inherit someone elses troubles.
Howdy Mike. I'm gonna take a (long) shot in the dark.
Just for curiosity, take the barrel out of the gun and drop a round into the chamber with the barrel perpendicular to the floor. The back of the rim should be very nearly flush with the barrel hood, and the round should drop into the chamber and back out by gravity alone. A little below flush is okay...about .003 inch... but not above flush.
If it won't, see if a different lot or even brand of ammunition will. Even though the lot/brand will work in other pistols, the Commander's chamber could be slightly under spec, and the ammo slightly over spec. The tolerance stacking could cause the problem. If other lots or brands do okay, this might be your bug.
If no ammo falls in and out... or if the rim doesn't sit flush with the barrel hood, you probably have a chamber that was cut wrong.
Either a dull/worn reamer left a taper or rough area near the shoulder, or the reamer was left undersized after a few resharpening operations.
Also a possibliity of an incorrect leade area in front of the shoulder, and the finish reaming operation or tooling is also to blame.
If this seems to be the case, it's a simple and fairly inexpensive matter for a gunsmith to drop a finishing reamer into the chamber and clean it up in a couple of minutes.
Another possiblilty to look for is a heavy build-up of fouling in the front of the chamber, near the shoulder. If this is it, you can make a tool to scrape it out with a fired case and a file. Bell-mouth the case with anything tapered that is larger than the case diameter. Just a little and check the fit. What you want is a light press-fit that you can push to the shoulder with your thumb. Lay the mouth on a fairly coarse file... mill bastard will do... and rap on the rim with a hammer to create some "teeth" on the mouth. A .45 ACP holesaw, if you will. Thread a lag screw into the primer flash hole and push the case into the chamber. Use a screwdriver to turn the case and scrape the carbon build-up out of the front of the chamber and out of the shoulder area. Resharpen the teeth on the case mouth as needed. A little bore solvent might help things along.
Tuner...thyanks for the quick reply..
You nailed it.
Quote:
If no ammo falls in and out... or if the rim doesn't sit flush with the
I grabbed 10 rounds of misc ammo from my safe. 2 out of 10 sat flush...all of the others were above flush. The big question is, what is the best alternative to fix it?
BTW no fowling or buildup at all..
Is this something I can fix myself, inexpensively?
Would I be better off buying a new barrell? If I go that route how hard is it to properly fit a new barrel?
Any reccomendations of a gunsmith to send it in to?
Any smith that has a finishing reamer for the 45 can fix it in 5 minutes, assuming that the only thing wrong is a tight/tapered chamber... which is probably is. If I still had my reamer, I'd take care of it for the cost of the postage to get it here and back, but my last reamer is long gone.
I don't know any smiths in Kentucky... Sorry. You could send it to Colt for a possible freebie, though. It's not a major job, and they'd likely do it for the sake of good P.R. Find their website and get the number for customer service. Ask for Cindy. She's a delight to talk to and very accomodating when it comes to projects like this. Even if it costs a nominal service fee, it's still cheaper than havin' a new barrel fitted, and even cheaper than a drop- in. Colt's service barrels are over 100 bucks now, I think.
I will give Colt a call in the morning and I will be sure to ask for Cindy.
Thanks again for the advice and for the Great 1911 Clinic post, I really enjoy them.
Some folks think the word "headspace" applies only to rifles and some less intellectually gifted individuals. In fact, the situation described here is simply one of too short headspace. Since factory barrels are made with short headspace so they can be reamed to final fit, it appears someone at Colt missed that one. Application of a finish reamer should be all that is needed.