Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I bought this gun off of someone near Richmond (through a WTS ad here) about 2 months ago and finally got it to the range yesterday. I have to say that I'm pretty displeased with this firearm. Out of 50 rounds fired, it failed to feed 4 or 5 times and failed to eject once. I was shooting regular Winchester ball ammo when this occurred.

I will have to say that it's super accurate at 25 yards - much moreso than my S&W .40 cal. I was getting about a 12" group out of it at 25 yards. But the FTF/FTE issue has me a bit discouraged.

Here's the thread where I made the purchase. http://vagunforum.net/sold/1911-compact-t2825.html

Seller indicated that he had the gun for about 8 years and never fired it. hmmm... I guess I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. No sense complaining to him about it since he never fired the thing and therefore "didn't know" that it had problems. Unfortunately, I knew after I got it home and racked the slide to load the first round that I was going to have problems because I could tell that it wasn't feeding smoothly. Was hoping that it would perform better at the range, but it didn't.

Might want to try a different mag. I'd start there. There is a place called AIG tactical, bet you could get a deal on a mag there.

Wanna sell it?

Vahunter wrote:Might want to try a different mag. I'd start there. There is a place called AIG tactical, bet you could get a deal on a mag there.

AIG Tactical - I hear that place is awesome. Everyone should go there and buy something

I actually have two different mags for it. I can't recall for certain if one was worse than the other. It was cold, kids in the truck - I just wanted to shoot it a bit. Will have to take it out and get serious with it this week sometime.

WRW wrote:Wanna sell it?

Don't think I'll sell it right now. I may try polishing the feed ramp a bit and see if that helps. Also need to determine if it was one magazine or both that were having the problem (one mag came with it, I bought the other at the gun show on the way home that day).

Hope that's all it needs to get it working for ya. Keep us posted on your progress.

Vahunter wrote:Might want to try a different mag. I'd start there. There is a place called AIG tactical, bet you could get a deal on a mag there.

Yup. Definitely try a different mag. Also try the ones you have by leaving one or two cartridges out. If that solves it then the mags need to be broke in. Just leave them loaded all the time and it will work itself out -- if its the mag. I had a couple do the same thing on .45s.

Toss those jam-a-matic mags and pickup a Kimber or Wilson Combat.

Follow-up

I took this gun to the range (the SharpShooters S&G) and shot a few rounds through it. It seems that the magazine has a little play in it. When I insert the magazine, it catches on the release, but only after it drops down about an eighth of an inch. This is dropping the next round just far enough off the feed ramp to cause the nose of the round to catch right below the lip of the ramp.

If I hold the magazine up with my hand while I shoot, there's no FTF problem at all. I haven't really messed with it to see if I can determine a solution...whether modifying the magazines somehow or...

Has anyone seen this problem before?

Have you tried another 1911 mag?. Even a Commander mag will work, it will just stick out a bit.

I have the magazine that came with it (6 round) and one that I picked up at the gun show on the way home (7 round). Both have the same problem.

Hmmmm.... worn or damaged magazine release or release spring, maybe?

I guess. Maybe I should take it apart and see if I can break it real good lol

You're going to need this...

http://www.okiegunsmithshop.com/Colt1911Gov.jpg

I think a mag release would be relatively easy to replace. If you do it let us know how it goes. I might want to do a job or two on mine...

Mag release is simple. Just remember, you only rotate the tension screw on the opposite side of the button about an 1/8 turn, some people think its a screw and crank on it, destroying it.