I am hoping some one can help me. I have a stainless steel commander size model built from an Essex frame and An ODI (I believe also made by essex) commander length slide. I have put about 250 rounds through it so far and am getting strange results. I have got most of the problems worked out except for 2.
The first is this. No matter what type of magazine is used, on the last round, the slide will not close all the way. It stays back about 3/8”, all I have to do is put some pressure on the rear of the slide with my thumb and it goes forward. At first I thought it might be the extractor. I adjusted the tension on it, but still get this problem with the last round from the magazine. Then I noticed that the slide release seamed to be binding up on the small hole on the slide that is used to remove the slide release for disassembly. So I filed and polished that area. It still continued. I then noticed that the magazine follower seemed to be binding on the bottom of the slide but I could not swear to it. I am wondering if possible removing some material from the bottom of the slide would solve the problem possibly keeping it from binding on the follower. But I really am not sure.
The second problem is after about 150 rounds the slide release kept engaging the slide in the lock back position, at various times in the magazine count. Sometimes the first round sometimes the middle rounds. I made sure it was not my thumb accidentily hitting it during recoil. I was using the Wal-mart Winchester value pack ball. I did some filing on the slide release and may have this solved but was just wondering if anyone else had any suggestions.
Replace the slide stop, as this is most likely the cause of all the problems you mentioned above.
I did try that, but unfortunately it did the same thing. The slide stop I am using came off another gun that I have fired at least a thousand rounds through with no problem. I tried another slide stop I had that I use on another gun with the same results. I may try to get a new one that has never been used to see if it works.
update:
I checked the slide stop to see if the rounds were hitting with the slide off. I could not seem to reproduce the same thing in the shop. I went ahead and removed a little bit of the slide stop the other day just to make sure.
The magazines are standard blued 7 rounders marked Colt .45 auto. Some I have used for years and some are almost new. Also using 8 rnd stainless shooting star mags that have worked great in other 1911s. I did some more checking this morning. The slide is not hitting the mag follower. If I hand cycle, with no ammo and a mag inserted, very slowly I can get the slide to stop about 1/4 to 3/8" from going into battery. If I drop the mag, the slide goes forward, if I push down slightly on the slide stop, the slide goes forward. I tried 4 different slide stops from 4 different makers And get the same results. I have polished every surface I can think of. It has to be something simple. I just cannot figure it out.
Possible that the magazine's stop shelf is engaging the slidestop lug early. Next time it happens, look to see if the top of the stop lug(the part that slips up into the notch in the slide) is rubbing the underside of the slide.
If it is, pull down on the stop and see if the slide goes to battery...A better way is to load two rounds in the magazine and shoot the gun while you keep downward pressure on the stop. If it goes to battery three times in a row, you've probably found your bug. Proceed to...
Put the slide in battery, magazine out. Pull down on the stop and use a feeler gauge to check for clearance between the top of the slidestop lug and the slide. There should be .010 to .015 inch. File the top of the lug to get the clearance.
If the clearance is good, file a tiny bit off the bottom of the stop's lug where the mag shelf engages it. Go slow...take a light cut and repeat the first test. You may have to strike a balance between the two mods to the stop's lug to correct the problem.
thanks tuner.
I got a brand new chip mckormick slide stop and did some filing on the extractor and some other things. I seem to have eliminated the last round problem. However I can not seem to end the problem with the slide stop engaging after ejecting a fired case. I filed on the slide stop slowly to see if i could get it to not let the rounds hit it. If I took off enough to stop it from engaging while fireing then it would not engage after the last round. I have now ruined 2 slide stops trying to get this to stop. I am wondering if it could be something else. I am going to order another Slide stop and see if I can try it again.
Edited because I reread the first part of tuners post. I checked to see if the top shelf was hitting the slide stop early, it was just touching the bottom, but did not seem to be enough to cause the slide stop to engage. However I wonder if during recoil it could cause it to engage.
you can always add a small detent to the back of the stop to help prevent it from bouncing during firing. :9mm:
quote:
However I can not seem to end the problem with the slide stop engaging
after ejecting a fired case. I filed on the slide stop slowly to see if i
could get it to not let the rounds hit it.
Its easy to see if your rounds are hitting the slide stop and prematurely raising it. Just remove your slide and with a loaded mag slowly insert it in your magwell and see if when it is raised the nose of the round gets close to the slide stop. I have seen this happen and it is usually very obvious as it discolors the slide stop where it is hitting the nose of the round. All I do is file only where the round is hitting it. USually only a few thou will take care of business. If your slide stop is coming up because of recoil then I would recommend dimpling the slide stop so that the spring plunger will hold it more securely. I use a special drill bit sold by Brownells to do this and it always works for me when slide stops prematurely go up locking up slide. Alittle goes along way here.
Thanks Chris, as soon as my new slide stop arrives I will try to make it work. I did check to see if the rounds were hitting the slide stop Like you suggested. They do not appear to be hitting the slide stop.
Just a thought... Are you usin' a shock buffer in the gun?
I've seen some run like a raped ape without a buffer, and lock the slide on every other round with a buffer in the gun... and nobody seems to know why except the gun.
No, Tuner, I am not using a buffer. I actually had thought about it though.