jtrump Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) I bought the gun new a few weeks ago. I've put in a variable wolf 14lb recoil spring, 17lb mainspring, fitted a Flat bottom firing pin stop, trashed the titanium firing pin for a match one from dawson, added a full length egw guide rod, extended mag release, and premium trigger parts, hammer strut sear etc and had the trigger done by a very good gun smith, he's basically done all the work to the gun. It goes bang everytime.. I've tried wilson mags, chip mags, and I even ordered some Tripp mags from Virgil. I also installed one of wilson's bulletproof slide stops. The slide will not lock to the rear when I run out of rounds... I'm shooting a 200g swc, Winchester primer, 5.1 grains of w231 @ 1.250OAL loaded in a dillion 550, which puts me in major Power factor. Here's what I don't quite understand.. I can put any of these magazines in the gun unloaded pull the slide back and get 100% engagement on the slide stop locking the slide to the rear. Any comments, suggestions or help is greatly appreciated.. I hope I am overlooking something really simple. Thank you all in advance. Edited March 22, 2015 by jtrump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atbarr Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Any chance you're riding the slide release when shooting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtrump Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 With my hand placement I do not believe so. I thought about that and shot it one handed to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Try putting in one round and see it it locks back after you fire it. Also, load a mag and cycle it by hand and see if it locks back. Next I would fire some factory stuff for comparison. Lastly give it back to the gunsmith who did all the work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtrump Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Tried the one round through it thing, if I load a mag and cycle one rounnd by hand it locks back. Fired factory ammo with the gun brand new out of the box at a indoor range 5 minutes from where I bought it, this is where I first noticed there was even a problem, I however figured it could be fixed. Pretty sad for a $1400 dollar price tag, and then the amount of money in parts, time fitting etc.. Now I've got my complete setup, new dillion press ready to shoot competition but yet I cant get my slide to lock to the rear grr... Obviously not the worst thing that could happen.. But I expect the gun to run 100% as designed, Never had this problem even with much cheaper 1911's. Hell my SA Loaded dosen't have any problems! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc88 Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Did you ever use the stock slide stop or did you install the Wilson SS from the beginning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quack Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Try shooting left handed and see if it still happens. If it doesn't, your hands are the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSteel Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Can you post a pic with an empty mag in and the slide locked back, in particular where the mag meets the slide stop??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc88 Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 There's almost got to be something happening with the recoil impulse vs hand racking of the slide preventing lockup. Especially if it happens with both slide stops. Some little burr in that area of the slide maybe. I had a Trophy Match and they have pretty sharp rough rails. Maybe try stoning/polishing the area of the slide that the slide stop moves up into at slide lock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 If the gun is new and tight you might try a lighter recoil spring until it gets "limbered up". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Build4u Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Some slide stops have a heavier detent cut in to them making it harder for the follower to push it up. How does it feel if you pull the slide back and push up with your thumb? If it requires heavy pressure a softer mag spring will not have enough power. If the detent is deep you can create more of a groove than just a detent dimple. Did you look down in the frame to make sure the follower is contacting the slide stop? Some slide stops are clearanced for the bullet profile not to hit the slide stop and do not leave much for the follower to contact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtrump Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) Update: Went to the range this morning for some shooting drills... Chip mags, tripp mags, wilson mags still none locked to the rear.. I went shooting with my gunsmith.. We went home cleaned them up and he took a look at the magazine springs, and how it was locking the slide back on slide return with an empty mag cycled manually.. My mags lock his 1911 back without problem. I will try some of the suggestions, I will also try to take a good picture and post it up here. EDIT: Yes I ran the gun with the stock mag release, but I bought the wilson to hopefully fix this issue. Not the case as of yet. 590rounds through it as of this morning. And tried a wolf variable 16lb recoil spring. Felt like crap compared to the 14lb spring. Edited March 22, 2015 by jtrump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtrump Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Apparantly I'm to new to post pictures... If anyone would like them via PM I have them uploade to my dropbox. Here are some pictures.. I just stripped it down and looked for burr's there seem to be none. Also pushing up on the slide stop from the bottom there is some resistense but it's not alot, I compaired it to my SA loaded and it feels basically the same "Loaded" never had this issue.. I'm stuck guys, I've got my gear, press and ready to shoot but I've got a gun that won't run.. My gunsmith is a great guy and he's really good but as we are somewhat friends it's kind of a Get around to it when he feels like it thing, and I kinda feel like he's not to worried about these issues I'm having. Yes it's free work, But If i spent all this money on equipment what good is it to me if the main ingredient won't work.. I'd gladly pay but there are no other smith's I know of here in NE Florida. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSteel Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) Here are the pics!!! Any help on this for JTrip?? Looks like there is pretty minimal contact from the follower to slide stop on pic #2??? Edited March 22, 2015 by NoSteel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzt Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) I think it one of two things. I have the same problem on a couple of mags because the follower does not actually move high enough to engage the slide stop. If I clean them they work for a bit, but then start acting up again. That may be part of your problem, but I don't think so. I think your problem may be with the mag release. It may be that the mags are sitting too low in the gun, just high enough so that they feed, but not high enough to lock back. Try this. Lock the slide back and insert an empty mag. How much up and down movement do you have? Just push the bottom of the mag up with your finger until it stops. Then insert a loaded mag and fire. Before you get to the last 2-3 rounds, apply upward pressure to the bottom of the mag. Not a lot, just enough to take up any slack. See what happens. If it doesn't work, try again and apply more upward pressure. It that works, you have to change out your mag release. Dawson sells them in -.010" and +.010" heights, and EGW sell a +.020" high unit. Edited March 22, 2015 by zzt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtrump Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) Thank you to NoSteel for posting the pics! zzt I just tried the test sitting here at home, and I think you may be on to something.. I have brand new tripp magazines, I insert one empty and the slide locks to the rear.. Now I can actually push the magazine up a good 1/8th of an inch after it's already seated...there is a great deal of play there. I can see the gap at the bottom of the mag release as well.. I'm guessing right around 1/8th of an inch maybe just slightly less. I'll test it tomorrow to ensure that indeed fixes the issue, however then if it is how do I decide which Height + or - mag release.. I'm currently using the Ed Brown Oversized mag release. EDIT: Pic number 2 in the group the mag was not fully inserted I should clarify Edited March 22, 2015 by jtrump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 See how high you can push them with the slide closed, that will give you a better idea of how much you can raise the mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtrump Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 Update 10amest. Hit the range early and tried about 15 different mags, all previously mentioned. Every single one of them would Lock to the rear if when the last bullet was fired, I help upward pressure on the bottom of the magazine. What gives... Few failure to chambers, few FTF's due to light primer strikes.. I have ditched the titanium FP and using a dawson match one now... I'm starting to think I got a freaking lemon and put all this work into it for nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimberacp Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 change the flat bottom firing pin stop. use the one that came in the gun. if you can hand rack the slide back, then the flat bottom FP stop is reducing the velocity of the slide moving back enough as to not go slide lock. IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Build4u Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 (edited) Swap the mag release out of another gun and try it. They are available higher cut to hold the magazine higher under the pretense of enhanced feeding. I put an Ed Brown in a .45 I have had since 1983 that was needing a new button so I bought The Brown button that came with the release as well and it held the mag so high it was hard to seat an old Wilson 8 rounder in the gun and I had to recut the shelf some on the mag release to lower the Mag back down. It also looked like the slide release back is scratching the frame some creating drag check and see if the back side is rough. Look down the frame mag tunnel and see how soon the flat on the follower engages the slide stop while seating the Magazine. If a new release gets rid of the slop and solves the problem make sure a little pressure on the bottom of the mag will not stop the slide with a full mag like you are shooting prone. As kimber said I would loose the flat bottom firing pin stop plate as well. Those were originally made to keep higher pressure rounds in battery longer before unlocking. You should not need that. Edited March 23, 2015 by Build4u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtrump Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 I appreciate you're responses but I'm the gun did this straight from the factory as well, before I installed a flat firing pin stop and before installing the ed brown extended mag release. It does feel and look like the magazine needs to sit slightly higher in the gun. I suppose it would not hurt to swap back to the old FP stop try it.. swawp to the stock mag release and try it either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshidaex Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 (edited) Have you chronoed your reloads to confirm they are indeed "major" loads? Have you shot factory loads out of the gun (with 14lbs recoil spring)? Edited March 23, 2015 by yoshidaex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc88 Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 I appreciate you're responses but I'm the gun did this straight from the factory as well, before I installed a flat firing pin stop and before installing the ed brown extended mag release. It does feel and look like the magazine needs to sit slightly higher in the gun. I suppose it would not hurt to swap back to the old FP stop try it.. swawp to the stock mag release and try it either. If this is happening with stock parts on a new firearm then it needs to go back to Sprinfield Armory with original parts put back in of course or they may not warranty it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtrump Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 (edited) Just went back to the range: Yes the loads have been chrono'd and are making 170-171ish PF. 200g SWC over 5.1grains of w231 @ 1.250OAL 840-869fps not much deviation, chrono'd 10 rounds. I removed the Flat firing pin stop and replaced with stock, I also removed the ED Brown over sized mag release and put the stock one back in. The only thing not stock about the gun is the recoil spring,mainspring/ components, hammer strut, hammer, firing pin, FLGR and trigger job. Failed to lock the slide back every time again, after going back to stock firing pin stop and mag release. And Yes I tried 4 different types of magazines and also winchester white box 230g ball ammo just to make sure. I'm guessing I got a $1200 turd. I just can't get over the fact that the slide will lock to the rear by hand with any and every mag I own. I know it's making it all the way back with factory ammo on a 14lb recoil spring. with my reloads the brass is sometimes 1.5ft away to 6 feet for me. Seemed maybe a tad further with factory loads. Edited March 23, 2015 by jtrump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atbarr Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Call Springfield, they'll do you right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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