ShooterSteve Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 I have a mid 80's model Colt Combat Elite in .45, and have spent a good bit of money with local smiths trying to get it to run and it still has regular FTF problems. If you cycle the slide at medium speed by hand, the slide goes forward, but it kind of binds up right before the barrel raises up into the lugs. When the gun is fired, the FTF I get is the slide simply sticks about 1/8" out of battery. A good bump with the heel of your hand is all that it takes to get it to jump forward and into battery. This happens regardless of ammo, handloads, WWball, Fed hs, etc... The frame feedramp has been reground, the barrel throated, I have tried Wilson #3 barrel link, #4 which helped but didn't eliminate, and #5 which causes all kinds of lock up problems. Right now I'm running a 16 lb spring but would like to go to a 14 lb but it gets worse. If I put a 20 lb spring in it, it cycles better because of the extra forward oomph, but it is a horse to rack and shoot. Has anyone else had this problem??Any Ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 First thing I would try is to polish the tip of the disconnector and along with that, the disconnector timing rail leading up to the disconnector slot in the bottom of the slide...I am sure it is a combination of little things and not just one big item...you will have to make small steps in the right direction to get it ironed out completely...Polishing all the bearing points till they are slick and really smooth is a good starting point...then go from there.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShooterSteve Posted October 7, 2005 Author Share Posted October 7, 2005 I haven't worked on the disconector, I'll have to give that a shot. I do feel that the way it is sticking, there is more to it than that, but all of the little things do add up. I've had this gun 20 years, and it has not run right from day one. Very frustrating! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GENE S Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 The extractor is to tight. It is not alowing the new round to slide up under it and go into battery. Remove it and bend it just a little and try it again. You may need to do this 2-3 times till you get it just right. Gene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuildSF4 Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 If you cycle the slide at medium speed by hand, the slide goes forward, but it kind of binds up right before the barrel raises up into the lugs. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Without a cartridge in the gun? If so it sounds like the barrel feet are not correct. The disconnector can contribute to this or the barrel hood or barrel lugs can contribute to this also. Check out these articles from Brownells: Barrel fitting: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/GunTech/N...x?p=0&t=2&i=530 Trigger job article which covers polishing the disconnector: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/GunTech/N...x?p=0&t=1&i=349 If it is with ammo the barrel feet can still contribute, and could be the extractor, check this link for extractor tuning from Brownells: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/General/D...?f=bt002002.pdf And from Brazos: http://www.brazoscustom.com/magart/ejection%20perfection.htm There are other possibilities these sound most likely with symptoms described. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 spend about $150.00 buck's, send it to a good smith & in about 2 weeks you will have a good gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShooterSteve Posted October 8, 2005 Author Share Posted October 8, 2005 Benny I've heard a lot of good stuff about your work. What do I need to do to get up with you. It will probably be a couple months before I send it out as I have a couple good 3 gun matches to go to so I'm spending money on those. I do have to get this fixed. I'm tired of having an expensive paperweight! Thanks for the help guys, I do know that it is not the extractor as it binds up regardless of if it is loading a round or not. It is that maddening kind of problem, runs for two or three mags and then pukes. People can say what they want about how good 1911s are, but my Glock 35 runs and runs and runs. I just need to get this gun fixed as I have to much in it for it not to. Thanks again for the advice. I will check out those articles on the web. If anyone else has more ideas I'm still listening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulm540 Posted October 8, 2005 Share Posted October 8, 2005 (edited) You won't be disappointed with Benny, I sent my para P14 years ago and he got it running. Edited October 8, 2005 by bulm540 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted October 8, 2005 Share Posted October 8, 2005 You never mentioned that you would consider sending it to a smith...that should have been my first recommendation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShooterSteve Posted October 9, 2005 Author Share Posted October 9, 2005 One local guy is pretty good with 1911s. He has a great reputation for building first rate guns, builds a bunch for all the local Ms and GMs, but he has had it twice and it still won't go. I took it to another local guy who was also recommended, and he did an action job on it, and guarantees his work, but it still won't go. These guys test it and everything, and it runs for them, but like I said, it will run some and then stick. I'm sure you know how frustrating it is to be milking the trigger, and nothing is happening, the back of your mind is screaming "the clock is running" as you shift your focus to the back of the gun, you see it isn't in battery, you smack the back of it with your weak hand and it pops in, and you continue on. In a five stage match, this happened about eight times. My palm was polka dotted from the rear corners of my slide. I let other people shoot it and it does the same sticking to them. I know I might should take it back to the guy who guaranteed it to run, but I'm just tired of the shuffle, and just want it fixed. Know what I mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 Some things are just cursed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gino_aki Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 One local guy is pretty good with 1911s. He has a great reputation for building first rate guns, builds a bunch for all the local Ms and GMs, but he has had it twice and it still won't go. I took it to another local guy who was also recommended, and he did an action job on it, and guarantees his work, but it still won't go. These guys test it and everything, and it runs for them, but like I said, it will run some and then stick.I'm sure you know how frustrating it is to be milking the trigger, and nothing is happening, the back of your mind is screaming "the clock is running" as you shift your focus to the back of the gun, you see it isn't in battery, you smack the back of it with your weak hand and it pops in, and you continue on. In a five stage match, this happened about eight times. My palm was polka dotted from the rear corners of my slide. I let other people shoot it and it does the same sticking to them. I know I might should take it back to the guy who guaranteed it to run, but I'm just tired of the shuffle, and just want it fixed. Know what I mean? Are the series 80 firing pin block parts still in? Are they interfering with slide travel? Is your ammo being resized correctly? Have you miked it to make sure? Lead bullets? Are they building a ring where your cartridges headspace in the barrel? Is there any interference where the barrel hood fits in the slide, perhaps causing the barrel to "twist" into battery? Is the extractor hitting the mouth of the barrel? Jerry Kuhnhausen wrote an excellent book on the 1911, in english that layman can understand...good reading for more info if you need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmon Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 those late 80s colts sucked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 Send it to Benny. Sounds like an improperly fitted bbl somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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