Controlled feed & Slide velocity

[Involute]

After a few recent posts on magazines and feeding I started to look closely at the feeding on my 1911s. What I noticed is that when I push the slide forward at a slower than snail's pace, the round releases ahead of the extractor. If I push the slide forward a little faster, but still much slower than normal and stop it short of being battery, the round is under the extractor and in control.

I've tried different mags, bullets, guns and whatever - it's always the same, the mag releases early when the silde is barely moving. Is that typical behavior or should it still be controlled?

[Joni Lynn]

I've seen that happen when doing the same thing with some controlled round feed rifles. Once slide or bolt speed picks up a bit it should work correctly.

[1911Tuner]

Joni Lynn is correct. The tension exerted on the round has to be constant, and the only way for it to be constant is to keep pushing once you start. When you guide the slide into battery, you hesitate with it, because you're holding back against the spring. It's hard to retard the slide against the spring's force smoothly and evenly.

If you want to test the feed at below full speed, remove the recoil plug and free the spring. Draw the slide back, and push it into battery smoothly and without stopping. As long as the slide doesn't hesitate, and all is right with the gun, it should strip and chamber the round.

[Involute]

Thanks Joni & Tuner.
I was operating the slide without the recoil spring, but as you said - if the slide has a reasonable forward speed, then, all is well.

[1911Tuner]

It's not so much the level of speed as it is constant speed. Once the feed has started, you can't hesitate. The spring loose/push to battery with one finger is my litmus test for feed reliability. If it doesn't pass, I keep tweakin' 'til it will.

[Involute]

That test works great! By using just enough pressure to overcome the drag of the disconnect the slide will glide forward into battery without the slightest hiccup.

[1911Tuner]

That test works great! By using just enough pressure to overcome the drag of the disconnect the slide will glide forward into battery without the slightest hiccup.

Neat, huh? As long as the slide is pushing, the round is under control, assuming that nothing is wrong with the gun, and the magazine is okay.
If the slide hesitates or slows, the round gets loose from full control, and it's likely to hang up.

Kinda lays waste to the advice to stick a heavier recoil spring in it to cure a failure to go to full battery...don't it? ;)

The definitive test is to top off a magazine and cycle it like that to the last round. If all feed and go to battery, the feeding phase of the gun is okay.

[Involute]

Kinda lays waste to the advice to stick a heavier recoil spring in it to cure a failure to go to full battery...don't it? ;)

Ya, It's suprising how little effort it takes to strip the round from the mag. Once the slide is in motion there's enough momentum that you don't even feel it feed - there's just a different sound than when it's empty.

[pa_guns]

The spring loose/push to battery with one finger is my litmus test for feed reliability. If it doesn't pass, I keep tweakin' 'til it will.

Hi

Does the test cover everything in terms of feed (that's feed, not food)?

Bob

[1911Tuner]

Hi

Does the test cover everything in terms of feed (that's feed, not food)?

Bob

Everything that could be caused by the gun itself. The magazine is the unknown at that point. Good spring...Positive control of the last round, etc.