what am I doing to cause a 1911 9mm to not go fully into battery on slidelock reloads...

fieldgrade

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...while shooting on the clock in a match? Probably 80% of my slidelock reloads at DeepRiver IDPA today required a bump with the heel of my support hand to shove the slide into battery, and yet I can sit at my bench at home as I am now, load the same ammo in the same mags, and everyone goes into battery on slidelock reloads.

Right now I have nothing to blame but the operator, and yet it never happens with the one 1911 I still own in 45.
 
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...while shooting on the clock in a match? Probably 80% of my slidelock reloads at DeepRiver IDPA today required a bump with the heel of my support hand to shove the slide into battery, and yet I can sit at my bench at home as I am now, load the same ammo in the same mags, and everyone goes into battery on slidelock reloads.

Right now I have nothing to blame but the operator, and yet it never happens with the one 1911 I still own in 45.

Just out of curiosity, what is the make of the 1911 9mm?


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Just out of curiosity, what is the make of the 1911 9mm?


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Rock Island Ultra, which is the second best running 1911 I’ve owned, even compared to a Wilson CQB, Dan Wesson Valor, and two Colts I sold this year. It didn’t do this the first few hundred rounds I ran through it. It was clean and lubed today, and has maybe 600-700 rounds through it. Someone suggested swapping for a heavier recoil spring today, but I’m wondering why it isn’t repeatable at my bench this afternoon.
 
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Good question. Sounds like the slide is dragging on something. Is the ejector nice & tight to the frame? Possible magazine issues? How heavy is your recoil spring?


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Good question. Sounds like the slide is dragging on something.

That was my thought. I just locked the slide back, shoved in a loaded mag, pressed my extended trigger finger against the slide to see what happens, and dropped the slide with my support thumb, as I do in a match (except for pressing my trigger finger against the slide) and it went into battery twice without a hitch. Really weird. It’s like someone has been telling me for two years to forget shooting 1911’s in 9mm.
 
I believe it’s due to round stacking. The mag was designed for a .45 acp and the difference in diameter creates gaps in the position of the rounds at the bullet end. This presents the first and second rounds of the mag at an inopportune angle to the feed ramp and causes your issue. My PM9 does the same thing. I think Atlas put out a video where he explains this but on a .40 s&w but same principle. I’ll try and find it.

ETA:


1:47 mark.

Good luck. I know how frustrating that can be. Maybe play around with different length/profile rounds.
 
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All ammo was case gauged?
Factory round nose 115 FMJ. I’ve run probably 10k of this Blazer without a hitch. I will say this same gun won’t run 147 Blazer. They load the flat nose conjugal projectiles in 147. That’s right. Conjugal, because I am screwed if I try to run those. Won’t feed AT ALL.

This RIA does have a ramped barrel. Not sure if that is helping.
 
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Do your bench test again from slide lock but with 7 rds in the mag and see if it’s repeatable.
I cleaned up the feed ramp and put a dab of oil on it thirty minutes ago so I’ve altered the parameters. Gun loaded fine just now with seven rounds, just like it does at the bench, and in a practice session.

I am about to abandon this platform in this caliber. It’s given me a headache in three different recognized brands of 1911s, ammo and mags, and stick with shooting 1911 in 45 (CDP) as JMB intended, or SSP/ESP and shoot a polymer blaster. It’s what I carry, anyway.
 
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I dunno. I think I would swap out the recoil springs. I think Wolf used to sell a 3 ring pack of different weight springs to fine tune. How long has it been since you have replaced the original recoil spring?


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I dunno. I think I would swap out the recoil springs. I think Wolf used to sell a 3 ring pack of different weight springs to fine tune. How long has it been since you have replaced the original recoil spring?


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Gun only has maybe 700-800 rounds through it. If the slide will fully chamber a round from slidelock with my trigger finger mashed against the slide and dragging the whole way as I did just a little while ago, it’s like the gun is haunted.

I’ve got some other recoil springs. I don’t know what came in it, but I have 10, 11, and 12 lb. Maybe I’ll try the 12 lb spring
 
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I hear ya bud. I’m tormented with the idea of buying/building a 1911 in .40 cause I’m so setup for that caliber and the flexibility (major/minor) is a HUGE plus. Add to this the fact that my Pointman is one of my favorite pistols I own and not going for it is that much harder. Sure I’ve had to mess with it a little but 1911’s chambered in 9mm are an absolute delight!!***




***when they’re working.
 
Is it possible that you are limp wristing it?

I have a new 1911 in 9mm that is giving me a fit with one type, but its not fmj!
 
Is it possible that you are limp wristing it?”
This is on reloads from slide lock where I’ve dropped the empty mag, inserted a loaded one and release the slide to chamber a round.
 
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magazine seating? are you seating the magazine more firmly at home when doing the test ?
When I am shooting on the clock I seat the mag fairly aggressively.
 
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or more aggressively under the timer on stage
That is entirely possible, although these issues never manifest themselves when I run 45.

That said, I am pretty sure that it is me that is the variable.
 
fieldgrade said:
...Gun only has maybe 700-800 rounds through it. If the slide will fully chamber a round from slidelock with my trigger finger mashed against the slide and dragging the whole way as I did just a little while ago, it’s like the gun is haunted.

Sounds as though you may have to sacrifice a goat at the range the next time you go shooting to appease the gun gods! :)
 
Better get out the Dremel. Lol
Next time this happens try slingshoting the slide to see if this overcomes the problem,
If it does that still leaves you the problem of figuring out if it's a hand placement issue or a mechanical issue
 
Heat, expansion, humidity??
It s way different at home than at the range???
What do I know, I’m 3 drinks into the evening
 
The heck of it is, for the first time I shot first in my division, even with lost time on all those reloads.
Heat, expansion, humidity??
It s way different at home than at the range???
What do I know, I’m 3 drinks into the evening
I ran it at the range in a practice session earlier this week in similar weather, conditions, time of day, sunshine, etc.
 
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just for giggles swap the mag catch from the 45 to the 9mm and try it
I swapped the stock one with a new one I had kicking around when I had some failures to lock back on empty a few weeks ago, since I didn’t feel like buying a half dozen mags, again. I had forgotten about that issue, although the gun wasn’t broken in either at the time.
 
I swapped the stock one with a new one I had kicking around when I had some failures to lock back on empty a few weeks ago, since I didn’t feel like buying a half dozen mags, again. I had forgotten about that issue, although the gun wasn’t broken in either at the time.
Mag catch or slide lock
 
I had one that had a out of spec mag catch it held the mags to high and caused drag on the slide. If you slowly rode the slide forward (no ammo ) it would stop just before going into battery a few passes of a file and all was well
 
Mag catch or slide lock
Sorry. Read "slide lock" when you posted.

I end up changing so many things on my pistols I forget.

I had fit an EGW mag catch to this pistol a month or so back. I could put the stock mag catch back and see what happens. Probably worth a try.
 
Could you be gripping the gun tighter in your mitts during competition, so that the friction of your thumb or thumbs on the slide is significant enough to cause the problem?
 
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Could you be gripping the gun tighter in your mitts during competition, so that the friction of your thumb or thumbs on the slide is significant enough to cause the problem?
I can mash my extended trigger finger against the slide while dropping the slide on a loaded mag and it goes fully into battery, sitting here at the bench.

It’s a head scratcher.
 
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