Prodigy project

[moose97]

I acquired a reasonably priced used 4.25" Prodigy and its a jam-o-matic. Lots of extraction issues, stovepipes, etc. My plan was to use it to learn the 2011 platform and do upgrades along the way. I ordered the EGW Practical Extractor and will look at aftermarket magazines. Maybe MBX? Ultimately, I'd like it to be my backup LO gun to my DWX. I appreciate any feedback or advice! 

[Aiden]

How thick is the coating on the bottom of the slide rails? Is it starting to wear? Does the slide cycle smoothly on the frame? 

[RJH]

Send it to Springfield and get it fixed under warranty. That way you'll know it works before you start changing stuff, and that if it doesn't work you'll know it's what you changed. My factory mags have worked fine, but if I was going to buy ready to go mags I would get atlas or if I wanted to spend a little more and get the extra round mbxs

[moose97]

1 hour ago, Aiden said:

How thick is the coating on the bottom of the slide rails? Is it starting to wear? Does the slide cycle smoothly on the frame? 

The coating doesn't seem too thick & is showing early wear. The slide does hang up on the disconnector.

[moose97]

1 hour ago, RJH said:

Send it to Springfield and get it fixed under warranty. That way you'll know it works before you start changing stuff, and that if it doesn't work you'll know it's what you changed. My factory mags have worked fine, but if I was going to buy ready to go mags I would get atlas or if I wanted to spend a little more and get the extra round mbxs

Fair point on sending it in first. 

[80seriesaddict]

That’d be my vote too. At least you’d have a solid base to work from. The few times I’ve used SA customer service they’ve been pretty good.

[392heminut]

Sounds like issues with the extractor tension. Like the others have said, send it back to SA and let them deal with it.

[Aiden]

Factory warranty is a good idea. Get it squared away with them, then as you try to change parts you have a working factory part to use just in case.

 

If you're new to 1911/2011, it's a lot easier to start troubleshooting something that worked, then developed issues. The other way around is much harder unless you have patience, money, and time to burn.

[moose97]

Thanks all. Registered for the warranty & immediately contacted customer support. 

[ultimase]

Enbarking on this same journey with a 5 inch as well. After checking it I found that was a relatively low serial number thus  first gen gun. After light strikes, and some failure to extracts as well as noticing the hang up on the disconnector I did the same, and called Springfield last week and had it sent in.

 

[RJH]

13 hours ago, moose97 said:

Thanks all. Registered for the warranty & immediately contacted customer support. 

 

16 minutes ago, ultimase said:

Enbarking on this same journey with a 5 inch as well. After checking it I found that was a relatively low serial number thus  first gen gun. After light strikes, and some failure to extracts as well as noticing the hang up on the disconnector I did the same, and called Springfield last week and had it sent in.

 

 

 

Y'all let us know how the process goes and what the turnaround is

[DarthMarl]

Send it to the factory, I am going to have to send mine back

[jonb.]

My prodigy gave me a multitude of issues everything you described I have since fixed but now I'm getting light strikes. I have an extended firing pin coming in for that. An issue you don't seem to have yet is a broken ejector which failed in mine after 1000 rounds. I recommend swapping it if you're already working on the gun. Cheelys extractor was easy to fit for my smith. 

[jonb.]

Sorry to answer your last question I don't know the turnaround at Springfield as I tend to at least for 2011s usually do the work myself or my smith. I rarely send the gun back since I prefer to upgrade failed parts. Springfield will simply replace the part that failed with the same "new part". Lol

[392heminut]

5 hours ago, jonb. said:

 An issue you don't seem to have yet is a broken ejector which failed in mine after 1000 rounds.  Cheelys extractor was easy to fit for my smith. 

So, was it a broken ejector or extractor?

[RJH]

3 minutes ago, 392heminut said:

So, was it a broken ejector or extractor?

 

I'll take what is ejector and over insertion of mags for $300 Alex

[jonb.]

It was the ejector. My mags are MBX they don't touch. The stock ejector is mim so everyone's experience may vary. I love my prodigy just think there are better parts than Springfield is willing to use so why not upgrade. 

[Racinready300ex]

6 hours ago, jonb. said:

My prodigy gave me a multitude of issues everything you described I have since fixed but now I'm getting light strikes. I have an extended firing pin coming in for that. An issue you don't seem to have yet is a broken ejector which failed in mine after 1000 rounds. I recommend swapping it if you're already working on the gun. Cheelys extractor was easy to fit for my smith. 

 

My prodigy had the slide coating built up in the firing pin channel. It was enough that it was kind of hard to get the pin out. Pretty easy to clean up. That may be all your problem is. 

 

You can break pretty much any ejector in a 2011 if you try hard enough. 

[jonb.]

Yah had that problem but I figured might as well go extended since I was working on the gun. 

[ultimase]

On 2/6/2024 at 10:15 AM, RJH said:

 

 

 

Y'all let us know how the process goes and what the turnaround is

 

On it's way back to me so roughly 2-3 weeks. Honestly, it felt like a while, but that's pretty good.

 

They have listed:

Inspect pistol

Reamed chamber

Recut & polished barrel ramp

Polished chamber

Refit barrel

Tuned extractor

Safety checked & tested

 

Hopefully that fixes the issues I was having with failure to extract and light strikes.

[RJH]

9 minutes ago, ultimase said:

 

On it's way back to me so roughly 2-3 weeks. Honestly, it felt like a while, but that's pretty good.

 

They have listed:

Inspect pistol

Reamed chamber

Recut & polished barrel ramp

Polished chamber

Refit barrel

Tuned extractor

Safety checked & tested

 

Hopefully that fixes the issues I was having with failure to extract and light strikes.

 

 

Yeah, a custom blaster probably would have been a couple of months.

 

Good luck, and hopefully everything works like it should. Let us know, thanks

[moose97]

17 hours ago, ultimase said:

 

On it's way back to me so roughly 2-3 weeks. Honestly, it felt like a while, but that's pretty good.

 

They have listed:

Inspect pistol

Reamed chamber

Recut & polished barrel ramp

Polished chamber

Refit barrel

Tuned extractor

Safety checked & tested

 

Hopefully that fixes the issues I was having with failure to extract and light strikes.

2-3 weeks sounds good to me. I finally got mine sent off Monday, so hoping it's around the same time frame. 

[jcc7x7]

Bought an early production, used 4.25 prior owner installed an EGW ignition set.

I adjusted trigger weight to my preference.

Installed a Dawson ext firing pin and new wolf FP spring.

Adjusted extractor

 

It runs like a scalded dog! Thank goodness.

Runs 124 FMJ's, HAP's, RMR TC, and Bayou, Hoosier 124 coated.

 

Been running STI Gen1 & 2 mags mostly, but the factory mags run also.

 

Know this doesn't help you but the three I'm around , two friends, seem to run.

So keep at it 

I'm running 1.150 OAL on Bayou and Hoosiers 1.169 FMJ's, and 1.050 on RMR TC 

good fortune

[moose97]

Welp, since I'm a normal human being & have to work, Springfield told me I needed to have a FFL ship the Prodigy there & back. Fine, whatever. I arranged this past Monday to have a LGS send it in for the warranty work. They called me back yesterday and said they cleaned & test fired it & were giving it back to me. I'm sorry, but wtf? I didn't ask for them to clean & test fire. I asked them to ship it.

 

Anyway, I have it back in my possession now. I'm kind of over it at this point. The LGS claims Springfield told them it would break in & they wouldn't authorize the return. This after they told me directly that they would have given me the return label if I would have said I was home.

 

I wanted to learn the 2011 platform with it, but now I don't know. Maybe I'll just skip working on it & save for a Priest or an Atlas. 

Edited February 25 by moose97

[RJH]

9 hours ago, moose97 said:

Welp, since I'm a normal human being & have to work, Springfield told me I needed to have a FFL ship the Prodigy there & back. Fine, whatever. I arranged this past Monday to have a LGS send it in for the warranty work. They called me back yesterday and said they cleaned & test fired it & were giving it back to me. I'm sorry, but wtf? I didn't ask for them to clean & test fire. I asked them to ship it.

 

Anyway, I have it back in my possession now. I'm kind of over it at this point. The LGS claims Springfield told them it would break in & they wouldn't authorize the return. This after they told me directly that they would have given me the return label if I would have said I was home.

 

I wanted to learn the 2011 platform with it, but now I don't know. Maybe I'll just skip working on it & save for a Priest or an Atlas. 

 

 

Strange. Almost sounds like there was some miscommunication somewhere. 

 

If I was feeling brave I might try some ammo and see if it happened to work now, sometimes things do smooth out over a little bit of time but, I wouldn't put much ammo through it if it wasn't working. And if I wasn't feeling brave at all I would call Springfield again and get it worked out.

 

I do get being aggravated at it all though and just wanting to move on so that would be completely reasonable as well