1911A1 9mm Gov't cycling issue

[MisterRicochet]

Thanks for the chart in in that thread. Thought I'd start a new one for my question.

I'm pretty sure a 1911A1 in 9mm comes standard with a 12lb recoil spring. The gun now has a muzzle break on it and has occasional misfeed and stove pipes. Probably 10% of the time. Cycled fine before.  I'm guessing a 9 lb spring would fix this. 

Does this indicate the need for a heavier firing pin spring and main spring as well?

[dapribek]

I’d try the 9 lb spring and if this doesn’t solve your problem, you could try an 8lb or just remove the brake. I don’t believe a heavier firing pin spring or main spring would solve your problem. I’m curious as to what other shooters think. 

[shred]

Yeah, pull the aftermarket parts off as a check, then put them back one by one.  Is this a gunsmith job or somebody throwing 'drop in' parts at it?

 

 

[MisterRicochet]

They are customer supplied parts. Only fitting was the safeties and trigger. Rest were drop in.

Everything was fine before the break was installed. It was drop in as well.

The springs are all stock.

On other guns I've gone lighter on the recoil, heavier on the firing pin spring and heavier on the main spring to get optimal performance.

The comps I've installed haven't needed any spring changes. 

The break I feel is slowing the slide down, and preventing complete cycling.

According to the chart a 9lb should solve it.

Being an A1, I feel like I should change the pin and main springs as well. Mainly because there is no firing pin block safety.

Edited November 6, 2023 by MisterRicochet

[dapribek]

Let us know what solves your problem. 

[Joe4d]

I get the feeling you are just swapping parts without understanding the design.
Firing pin spring ? that has zip to do with cycling. Can cause issues if its really wrong like slam firing  or maybe if its really weak some issues if it isnt retracting the firing pin,,, but just cant see it having an issue or changing anything.
Then going with a lighter recoil spring and heavier main ? you are just counteracting yourself , normally people do that to maintain ejection, but trying to minimize muzzle dip for follow up shots. 
That looks like a bushing comp someone saw on TV,, they dont do much,, but add weight. Id change Just the recoil spring, and maybe the firing pin retainer based on how it was radiused. Dropping all the way 10 8 lb though and you could end up with feeding issues with tight 10 round mags.

 

[shred]

Quote from a very good 1911 gunsmith long ago "Drop-in 1911 parts rarely do".

 

Someone swapped the barrel bushing for a comp-bushing but didn't fit the bushing and now it can barely get through a magazine without jamming?  It's a mystery for sure.

 

Seriously, if that's the part that's causing problems, address the part first, then start mucking with springs once you are 200% positive it's not drag on the barrel, missing clearance or the (assumed) FLGR hitting something or the comp clocking or whatever.  There's a lot going on in the nose of a 1911 that isn't obvious if you haven't done a lot of them.

 

 

 

[OpenshooterMclass4lyfe]

I’d start by taking that ridiculous “comp” off.  It doesn’t do anything anyway.  From there I’d check and see how it functions.   Most the 1911s in 9mm I see are running 9-10 pound recoil springs.    I’m running a 9lb recoil with a 17lb main spring in mine and it functions with just about anything I put in it.   Even bunny fart loads that I make for steel challenge.  

[MisterRicochet]

Joe4d - I do understand the design. I did not however separate my thoughts when posting. The recoil issue is one issue and is simply the stock spring in combination with the comp. Stock ones range from 12-14lb.  The firing pin spring and main spring have to do with, as you mentioned, slam firing. It's a series 70 and they will on occasion do that. Mostly if someone puts a round in the pipe and drops the slide stop. The series 80 solved that issue with the firing pin block safety.

The ejection drops the casings at the shooter's feet. It's a Valkyrie break and slows the slide down, hence the need for the lighter recoil spring. The chart posted on this site elsewhere suggests a 9lb with a comp and higher without. Either is lower than stock.

 

The bushing is fine, there is no binding, grinding or hinderance of any kind. It operates as a bushing perfectly.

 

As for the Comp and whether or not it's ridiculous, isn't mine to say. The customer gets what the customer wants. It's not my place to pass judgement on their wishes. I just make it work. And you folk are competition minded folk, I thought to inquire here in hopes of words of wisdom.

 

What I've gleaned thus far is that a 9-10 lb recoil spring will solve the issue.

I fired a mag thru it this AM and had zero malfunction, however the casings landed near my feet. With the extra weight and doodads it felt like shooting a 22. So the break is doing what it's designed to do. Being aluminum, it really adds no weight. I don't personally recomend the aluminum against steel as it wears faster. But this is not a compitition gun. It's just for plinking.

 

So... why do people want the compensators and all the fancy stuff. Blame John Wick for that one.

 

 

[Runswithwood1]

It would surprise me if a heavier mainspring or firing pin spring would change anything. I would go with a lighter recoil spring and see what that does. It makes complete sense to me that a lighter spring would solve that issue. My 9mm 1911s always seemed over sprung from the factory as well causing muzzle dipping, I usually settled on a 9 or 10 pound

[shred]

We are trying to be useful (well, except for the crap posters)

 

The recommended springs for 'with comp' are for proper multi-port barrel-integrated-close-reamed comps, not bushing things.  I asked the guy who wrote the chart.

 

If cases are dropping at your feet with a 12 lb recoil spring and factory ammo, you have drag somewhere that needs to go away.

 

Slam fires on series 70 from dropping the slide is a trigger-job failure by whoever was monkeying with it.  Done right they can be stupid-light and not follow.

 

 

 

[MisterRicochet]

Thanks for the info.