Failure To Feed On Last Round

[AH6IP]

I have a .45 that functions fine until the last round, and it just doesn't want to feed, almost "stovepiping". That is with all my good (Wilson and others) magazines. I have noticed the round stopping on the "hood" during the feed cycle, as if it is jumping up to high. It feeds incredibly smooth during the initial loading and all subsequent rounds, just the last. Could this be caused by the slide stop, or magazine follower/feed lips, etc?

[Les Snyder]

AH6IP....would suggest a couple of things, but sounds like it is a back end problem of the cartridge not moving smoothly up the bolt face.. ink the slide stop and function a dummy round thru the cycle a couple of times to check for bump (this is typically a problem with double stack mags as opposed to a single stack.)..If you have access to a Weigand brass extractor gauge, adjust extractor tension so that it takes between 16 and 24 ounces of force to remove it ( I like to put a forward radius on the extractor hook as well as smooth out to bottom radius, and remove the inside "boss" of the extractor so that it is softer sprung only from the rear end, which is locked in place with an oversize firing pin stop)... check for a smooth bolt face around the firing pin hole, (I had an early numbered SA that had been fitted with a firing pin bushing that slightly protruded) .... and finally polish the top of the chamber and hood area.... have the magazine lips been cut back?.... try a new spring if the top round is not securely held by the spring... regards Les

[benny hill]

sounds like the last rd. is not going under the extracter, instead jumping in front of it & noseing up.

[AH6IP]

Thanks Les and Benny, but why just the last rnd jump in front of the extractor?

[DBR]

The last round doesn't see the same feeding conditions as the others. Instead of sliding over a cartridge, it is sliding over the follower. It may also get set forward when the next to last round feeds. On the military style magazine followers there is a little bump halfway along the follower to catch the last round so it doesn't slide too far forward.

[L9X25]

Another possibility is that the slide stop is keeping the follower from reaching the top of it's travel and helping the case slide under the extractor. It is the magazine's job to raise the bullet high enough to feed into the chamber cleanly. The engagement of the slide stop should be the only difference between the last round and the previous rounds.

Leo