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2011 feed ramp profile


motosapiens

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So I have a gun that I love, whose feed ramp looks like the pic below. it is a noticeably shallower angle than my STI edge, and doesn't come down as far. Wife has same gun, same ramp profile. Both guns have the same problem; which is that every now and then (500-1000 rounds or so), a round will hit low enough on the feed ramp to just barely catch on the flat portion, causing a jam that usually requires removing the magazine to clear. Certain things make it worse, such as dirty magazines, or weak magazine springs (duh), but even if everything is perfect, it will still occasionally happen.  The same magazines and ammo run absolutely 100% in the edge, even if the mags get dirty or the springs get weak.  It seems logical to me that the longer and slightly steeper feed ramp on the edge may be more forgiving of the occasional hiccup of friction in a magazine.

 

What are the thoughts of more experienced people on this? I know if everything is perfect, the bullets should be hitting the middle of the feed ramp every single time, instead of 499 times out of 500, but not living in a perfect world I wonder if cutting that feed ramp a smidgen steeper/longer might make the gun feed as reliable as the edge does.

IMG_1715.JPG

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I would start by checking your mags to make sure rounds aren't feeding nose down.  Also check to see if the barrel is overhanging the frame/grip.  As for changing the angle or lowering the ramp surface, that shouldn't hurt anything or cause a problem with feeding.  Chances are you can probably move the whole ramp forward and keep the same angle without any issues, but I wouldn't recommend you do that without seeing the gun.  

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1 hour ago, ltdmstr said:

I would start by checking your mags to make sure rounds aren't feeding nose down.  Also check to see if the barrel is overhanging the frame/grip.  As for changing the angle or lowering the ramp surface, that shouldn't hurt anything or cause a problem with feeding.  Chances are you can probably move the whole ramp forward and keep the same angle without any issues, but I wouldn't recommend you do that without seeing the gun.  

My first thought would be over hand into the magwell as ltdmstr said also.

Next have it re-machined at the slightly steeper angle.  IF it's a custom gun call the maker and discuss!

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Unfortunately, there are a world of possibilities.  The first thing to consider is load length.  It is possible your rounds are not hitting the middle of the feed ramp, but are hitting the bottom.  In fact, they can be hitting the back of the feed ramp and riding up.  I had that problem with my TS and never realized it until I switched to moly coated bullets.   The only time it caused your problem was with a split or weak case that allowed the bullet to set back.  Whenever I ejected a round to show clear, there would be a smile on the flat nose where it hit the back of the feed ramp.  Loading longer cured that.

 

Incorrect mag feed lip dims can cause the same effect, as ltdmstr suggested.  So will too low a mag catch shelf height.

 

 

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1 hour ago, zzt said:

Unfortunately, there are a world of possibilities.  The first thing to consider is load length.  It is possible your rounds are not hitting the middle of the feed ramp, but are hitting the bottom. 

 

almost all of the rounds are hitting the middle of the feed ramp. that is pretty obvious from looking at the feed ramp after shooting a few hundred rounds. The main place the rounds are hitting appears to be about the same spot on my edge and on these guns.  The problem is that every now and then (few hundred to a few thousand) one will come out of the magazine low for whatever reason, and the bullet will just barely catch the ledge below the feed ramp and stop, leaving a little curvey smile. I'm assuming the same thing occasionally happens with the edge, but since the feed ramp is cut lower, instead of stopping and jamming up, it just slides happily up into the barrel and I continue shooting.   fwiw, i'm loading longish,  about 1.19 - 1.12. The problem is definitely worse at shorter lengths.

 

I'm going to have a local custom builder/smith that has done some work for us before to take a look at it and advise, but I was just wondering what experiences others have had. I have not seen a ton of feed ramps, but I have never seen one this short and shallow on any 1911 or 2011 I have looked at.

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Then check how you load your mags.  I was having a similar intermittent problem with my second Open gun.  I traced the problem to an occasional round not touching the rear of the mag.  When it sat forward, the slide wold pick it up after the rim and force it into the back of the feed ramp.  When I load mags now I hit the back of the mag against my palm.  If there is any rattle I remove a round, hit the mag again and add the extra round.  When all the rounds are fully seated against the back of the mag you can feel it, and hear the dull thud.  That cured the problem with that gun.

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