High Standard Problems

[Redding]

I purchased a High Standard GI model 1911 recently and went to the range to put a few Winchester 230 grain FMJ 45 caliber rounds thru it to get the feel for this pistol. I loaded the magazine with 6 rounds and when I pulled back the slide, there was FTF on the first 2 rounds, then it chambered the 3rd and all went well from there. Tried again and the same thing happened the next go-around. So, I resorted to loading 4 rounds in the magazine and the FTF occured a lot less. No problems with ejecting the spent rounds or with the slide staying open after the last round was fired. After 40 rounds, the spot weldings on the base plate of the magazine gave way spewing the magazine spring, follower and cartridges. My shooting was done for the day.
I got home and disassembled the pistol to find that the recoil spring plug was badly pounded down around the lip where the barrel bushing meets it at 12:00 o'clock. The finish was worn off and there was a noticable 'lip' formed from whatever did this. In addition, when I tried to remove the barrel bushing it would not come out, though it turned counter-clockwise easily. The lug I could see at 12:00 o'clock with the bushing turned in this way was also pounded quite a bit and the finish was off of it also. Any thoughts?

[ArmscorBA]

Please send it back to:
Armscor precision
150 N Smart Way
Pahrump, NV 89060
Attention Ivan
Please enclose a note explaining the problem.
Thanks
Ivan

[Redding]

Ok, I will take it back to the gun store and have them ship it back to you to inspect. Thanks.

[John]

Please send it back to:
Armscor precision
150 N Smart Way
Pahrump, NV 89060
Attention Ivan
Please enclose a note explaining the problem.
Thanks
Ivan

What? Did Alan hired you too? Was Martin not paying you well? :) :D

:lm:

[Redding]

Took it back to back to the gun store and their on-site gunsmith thought that the metal used in the recoil spring plug and barrel bushing was too soft, so he replaced both with Colt parts. Replaced the magazine too. I'll go fire it again and see what happens.

[ArmscorBA]

John,
Someone has to keep an eye on things!!!! :lm:
Ivan

[pdphill]

Metal too soft??????????????????????

[ArmscorBA]

PDPhill,
Which part did you test?????????????? And what was the RC????
Ivan

[pdphill]

Redding,
I think Ivan's question above is for you, not me.

[Redding]

I may be wrong, but I got the impression that it was his opinion that the metal was too soft after finding no other reason for what happened. At first he thought that maybe the recoil spring was too long, but it was according to spec. I will go out to the range this coming weekend and try the pistol again with the new parts and see what happens and report results.

[Redding]

Ok, all's well. Went to the range this morning and put 60 rounds thru it and only had 3 FTF, and those on the first round out of the magazine only - all other rounds fed smoothly. Must have been faulty magazine problem. No damage to barrel bushing or recoil spring plug this time. I scanned the entire forum and found 2 other people with this problem. First had put a barrel bushing from a standard GI 5" model into a Commander and found that the longer bushing was binding on the barrel due to the more acute downward angle it makes on recoil. The second reported that his recoil spring was 'stacking' which I intrepreted to mean the coils were fully compressed and thus acting as a solid metal bar before the slide had completed it's full rearward travel, damaging plug and bushung. Neither applies in my case. Who knows? I'm happy that my psitol operates a lot better and am looking forward to more range time in the near future.