Problem with my SW1911

[Texshooter]

I have a problem with my SW1911. Actually 3 problems involving either magazines or the slide stop. They are:

1. The slide won't lock back after the last shot.
2. The slide locks open with 2 rounds left in the mag.
3. I sometimes have to pry the magazine out.

Problem 1 & 3 occur with Wilson and Metalform mags. #2 occurs with the stock ACT-Mags and Mec-Gar mags. I suspect the slide stop since I have problems no matter what mags I use. BTW feeding and extraction were 100%. Any advice would be appreciated.

Tex

[John]

Let's start with Problem #3. You have to figure out what stops the magazine from dropping free. It can be due to :

- magazine catch (on the inside of the magazine catch, while the right side is releasing the magazine, the left inside side is catching up on it, and doesn't allow it to drop free). Some filing in that area will cure that problem. Remove the magazine release button and insert the magazine. Does it drop free? Then the button is your culprit.
- The grip bushings, or the grip screws are protruding slightly within the magwell, and catch up on the mag body. It may be slight, but if the magazine is a little on the wide side (dimensions-wise) it may catch up and not drop. Pass your finger nail over the bushings and see if it binds. File accordingly.
- Trigger bow too narrow. Remove the mag catch and everything else from the frame. Leave in only the trigger, and put the sear spring in to hold it in place. Insert the mainspring housing too. Check if the magazine still get stuck, if they do, then your trigger bow is stopping the magazine from falling free.
- Finally, there is a chance that the rear part of the disconnector hole is protruding inside the magwell a little and doesn't allow the mag to fall free. Visually inspect the inside of your magwell, to make sure the disco does nt come inside it. If it does, lightly file that area.

Problem 2: Most probably those magazines springs are not strong enough to hold the rounds to the rear of the magazine and they move forward due to recoil. Also, if you are using reloads, make sure that your rounds have the proper length. You do not mention if the pistol is new or used, and what condition the mags are in. Put two rounds in your magazines that create problem 2 and insert it into the frame with the slide removed, but the slide stop in place. See if the inside of the slide stop touches the front of your rounds. If it does, you can carefully file that pad a little, to give some clearance. Go easy, since that pad has to get pushed up by the magazine follower to lock the slide back.

Problem #1, finally, can be due to several things. What recoil spring are you using? Too stiff a spring and the slide does not travel all the way to the rear. What ammo? Too light a round can cause the same thing. Use the magazines which create this problem, as described above, on your frame with the slide removed but the slide stop in place. Empty mags this time. Does the follower engages the slide stop, as you slowly move the mag up in the magwell?

Keep in mind that problems 2 and 1 are ... contradictory! LoRL.

Let us know what you find.

[1911Tuner]

Do 1 and 3 occur together? Do the magazines have to be pried out every time...or only when the gun fails to lock?

[Texshooter]

I'll give a little more detail. I bought the gun NIB and all parts are stock. The Wilson, Metalform and Mec-gar mags are 7 rounders, the stock mags hold 8. The Wilson and Mec-gars are new, I bought them because the problem showed up with the others.

Tuner, I do have to pry the mags out whenever the slide fails to lock back. However, the first two times I had to pry the mags out the slide locked back and slammed shut when the mags finally came free. As I mentioned this happens withthe Wilsons and Metalforms.

Earlier I said all parts are stock, not entirely. I put a pair of gatorgrip stocks on it. I'm off to check those screws

Thanks for the replies, Tex

[1911Tuner]

Quote:

>Tuner, I do have to pry the mags out whenever the slide fails to lock back. However, the first two times I had to pry the mags out the slide locked back and slammed shut when the mags finally came free. As I mentioned this happens withthe Wilsons and Metalforms.<
*********************

Sounds like the slidestop shelf is climbing over the stop lug and hanging the mag up. Next time it happens, look into the well to see if that's it. Could be a bad slidestop w/out of spec lug.

Could be a mislocation on the magwell, even. Well sitting a few thousandths inch too far to the right. Measuring the thickness of the walls could provide a clue. Rare...but it does happen.

Could be that the well is slightly oversized and allowing the magazine to shift to the right as the follower engages the lug. Could be contact with the rear corner of the stop shelf with the bottom-rear corner of the slidestop lug pushing the follower to the right. See thread "Troubleshoot Tuesday" that I started last week.

Could be a combination of any or all the above...A slightly undersized lug and stop shelf...along with a slight mislocation/size of the well is "stacking"
into an overall out-of-spec condition. All individual parts are within spec, but
each one is at the high or low end of tolerance, with everything just happening to stack up collectively to throw the whole group of related parts out of spec.

My bet is on the slidestop lug alone, or possibly a combination of the lug's geometry, along with the angle at the rear of the stop causing the detent to resist upward movement so hard, that the shelf slips over the lug. If you have another gun...or know somebody who does...try the stop in your gun to see if it helps.

[Texshooter]

Could be that the well is slightly oversized and allowing the magazine to shift to the right as the follower engages the lug. Could be contact with the rear corner of the stop shelf with the bottom-rear corner of the slidestop lug pushing the follower to the right. See thread "Troubleshoot Tuesday" that I started last week.

Could this be why it happens with different brands of magazines? If so how is this fixed? I was thinking about ordering an Ed Brown or Wilson slide stop to replace the stock part. If the magwell is out of spec that would be a waste.

Tex

[1911Tuner]

Could this be why it happens with different brands of magazines? If so how is this fixed? I was thinking about ordering an Ed Brown or Wilson slide stop to replace the stock part. If the magwell is out of spec that would be a waste.

Tex

Could be...but not highly likely. Try another stop.

Slide off/stop in place...slide an empty magazine slowly into the magwell and watch the follower as it starts to push up on the stop. The follower shouldn't
shift to the right. If it does, try the corner bevel on the lug that I did
to correct the problem. Make sure to bevel the right one though. There are two. The one to cut is the one on the lug. About a 45 degree bevel should do it.

[Texshooter]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try a new stop and go from there.

Tex

[garrettwc]

Now would be a good time to point out the thread called "Trouble shoot Tuesday" where this mag follower/slide stop relationship is discussed in detail.

Texshooter, you may not need to replace the stop. And if it's a tolerance stack issue due to frame location you could end up having the new stop show the same problem. Read through the thread I mentioned above and then try identifying the issue as Tuner has described. May just need to dress the slide stop lug with a file.

[Texshooter]

I finally got around to inspecting the slide stop on my gun today and I found the problem. The bottom corner of the lug, where it contacts the follower, was mushroomed. Didn't see it when I cleaned the pistol but it stood out on closer examination. I didn't bother trying to file, I'll just replace it with an Ed Brown stop. I believe this is a MIM part because I have seen this kind of damage on a MIM part (ejector) on another 1911. Thanks to all who gave me advice.

Tex