Follow-up to "Fed up"

[coltcmdr1980]

I received both of my .45s back - the Government Model (70 repro) and the Combat Commander (80 serial number but no firing pin block - I am trying to use the proper nomenclature here....). Both have had some internal tuning, FLGRs, lowered (Gov't) and flared ejection and the Government a longer "combat" ejector.

Shot both and it seems I have an occasional FTF with the Combat Commander - usually around the 100th or more round - and close to the last round in the magazine..... I know I have to do more testing to try to determine a pattern, etc. I haven't had any issues with the Government Model but I have shot the C/Commander more. John suggested I start a new thread and I am... he's much more knowledgeable!

This Friday we qualify again so I will shoot the Government Model more.

Ammo is 230 gn FMJ from various manufacturers that all seems to work flawlessly in my Colt WWII repro that (knock wood) has never had a malfunction....

I have a couple questions I hope someone can weigh in on. Remember I haven't been shooting/carrying 1911s for many, many years (since the early 1980s) so I may have developed bad habits (20 plus years of Glocks). Could I be "limp-wristing" after 100 or so rounds? This last time I shot the C/Commander was last Friday (May 16) after I qualified first with my Glock 27 (180 rounds).

First, the FLGR - any opinions whether they are good, bad, not useful, etc in a self-defense firearm.

Second, and I haven't been able to find any info on this - if you leave your 1911 in Condition one for extended periods... will it cause any problems, or in other words, how long can you leave your 1911 in condition one before you may have reliability issues or other problems.

If I don't respond quickly please don't think I am not interested - I travel frequently (in fact will be gone for a month soon) and don't always have access to this type of forum where I travel.

Again I really want to learn as much as I can about the 1911 and would like to carry one again - in particular a Colt.... my first firearm as an agent almost 30 years ago was a Colt Combat Commander - like a fool I sold it years ago and have regretted it since....

Thanks again and best regards.

[TattooPaul]

I take it you have been trying an assortment of magazines, and hopefully taking notes on when failures occur. At first glance, seems ammo/magazine related if it isn't technique. Does other ammo work with fail? There's a lot to track down and many things that can be done to get this nailed down.

[John]

I have a couple questions I hope someone can weigh in on. Remember I haven't been shooting/carrying 1911s for many, many years (since the early 1980s) so I may have developed bad habits (20 plus years of Glocks). Could I be "limp-wristing" after 100 or so rounds? This last time I shot the C/Commander was last Friday (May 16) after I qualified first with my Glock 27 (180 rounds).

A properly tuned 1911 shouldn't suffer from such maladies. My ex-Colt, the Talon and the 9mm Springfield can be fired, while just resting inside the palm of my hand, with the web of the thumb just pressing the beavertail and the index finger on the trigger.

First, the FLGR - any opinions whether they are good, bad, not useful, etc in a self-defense firearm.

This is one of the things we have discussed here several times. The FLGR adds nothing to a pistol, either good or bad. If you like it, use it, if not dump it.

Second, and I haven't been able to find any info on this - if you leave your 1911 in Condition one for extended periods... will it cause any problems, or in other words, how long can you leave your 1911 in condition one before you may have reliability issues or other problems.

Well, a couple of years ago, our own Tuner found a 1911 which has been stored in that condition since WWII. The pistol worked fine when he shot it. A spring doesn't gets tired by staying compressed, it is the repeated cycles of compression/decompression that make it go bad.

.... my first firearm as an agent almost 30 years ago was a Colt Combat Commander - like a fool I sold it years ago and have regretted it since....

At least you have learned your lesson.

Shot both and it seems I have an occasional FTF with the Combat Commander - usually around the 100th or more round - and close to the last round in the magazine.....

FTF (=Failure to feed, i.e. the round gets stuck with its nose on the frame's feeding ramp, while it's rear is pushed by the slide). Is that what you are experiencing? Or maybe the nose of the round has partially entered the barrel's chamber, while its rear is wedged on the breechface (this is a Failure to Return to Battery or FTRB)? Two different things. We need more details to troubleshoot this, but as Paul said, make sure you try different mags and note if one of them has problems or all of them.

Oh and use factory ammo only please. We need to eliminate as many factors as possible and we do not want reloads to complicate the picture.

[coltcmdr1980]

Thanks again for taking the time to help me - John you are right about learning my lesson - and I suspect you have a great sense of humor. I guess, after your description, it is a problem of FTRB... The nose of the 230 gn FMJ round hits the top of the chamber, kind of at a 40 to 45 degree angle. So its not a simple FTF (that would usually go into battery with a push on the slide).

I have used different magazines but (bad for me) have not kept adequate enough notes to determine if it is a particular magazine but I will start to. I ordered some Checkmate mags thru here so once they come I will try with them.

I may also try to shoot it Friday along with the Government model (and all the others we qualify with......).

As an aside the reason I sold my Colt Combat Commander so many years ago was I had it refinished (it was blue) and it was like a dull satin nickel finish. I was concerned about rust from carrying it concealed daily. I can't remember now where I had it done but it was while I was living in Colorado as a police officer.... well I never liked the finish and, again, foolishly traded if off. I regret that more than any other gun I have parted with hence the reason I am trying to get this Combat Commander to work - it is set up the same as the earlier one except it will remain blue.

The ammo is 230 FMJ - Sellier and Bellot ot Federal American Eagle..... Thanks again and I really think this is one of the best forums I have ever seen. The knowledge base here is amazing.......

[coltcmdr1980]

Forgot to ask another question - between the series 70 and 80. I know about the firing pin safety but was wondering if anyone has heard of a 1911's hammer dropping without the trigger being pulled. In other words if the sear broke etc that would cause the hammer to drop..... due to a part breaking from fatigue or wear. Hope this makes some sense......

Otherwise, aside from dropping a 1911, I am trying to determine what the FPS in the series 80 is for.... Some people say they would only carry a series 70 in condition one with a holster that has a thumb-strap and I was wondering what your opinions are on this since I carry w/o the strap......

Thanks again

[kcshooter]

Although in theory it is possible, it would take a catastrophic failure of several parts before a hammer can fall without a trigger pull, and I don't know that it's ever happened. I'm sure the one-in-a-million failure has happened, but it's far from a serious worry as long as you maintain your gun properly.

The FPS is debateably a solution without a problem. I wouldn't worry about condition one carry in either a 70 or 80 series with an open-top holster.

The only thing I'd add is in regards to your extended ejector on the Gov't. Some are long enough to keep a loaded round from being able to clear the ejection port. For a range gun, no big deal, but a very big deal on a carry piece. Make sure that you are able to consistently hand cycle a loaded round from the gun and if you are not, file down the extended "finger" until you are able to. Sometime they start the ejection process so early that the only way to clear a live round is by dropping the magazine and letting the round fall out the well.

[John]

So its not a simple FTF (that would usually go into battery with a push on the slide).

In a failure to feed, the round won't feed by pushing the rear of the slide. A FTRB can be cured by slightly pushing at the rear of the slide, if it is not a severe stem bind causing it.

The ammo is 230 FMJ - Sellier and Bellot ot Federal American Eagle.....

S&B is good ammo, I have no experience with Federal, but from what I hear here, it is OK.

Forgot to ask another question - between the series 70 and 80. I know about the firing pin safety but was wondering if anyone has heard of a 1911's hammer dropping without the trigger being pulled. In other words if the sear broke etc that would cause the hammer to drop..... due to a part breaking from fatigue or wear. Hope this makes some sense......


Well, that's not very probable. Even if the sear nose breaks or the hammer hooks break, the sear should be trapped by the half-cock notch. Actually, the S80 mechanism was implemented to prevent the pistol from firing, if dropped straight on its muzzle. We have an article in the Technical Issues forum, which describes how hard it is to make the 1911 fire, even if dropped from a considerable height.

Otherwise, aside from dropping a 1911, I am trying to determine what the FPS in the series 80 is for.... Some people say they would only carry a series 70 in condition one with a holster that has a thumb-strap and I was wondering what your opinions are on this since I carry w/o the strap......


I won't carry in a holster with a strap. As I said before, it is not easy to make the 1911 fire even if dropped from quite a height, I think it's something like 6 meters, and it should land in a specific way, people have managed to reproduce such firing by dropping the pistol only with a fixture, so they could achieve that exact angle.

The S80 mechanism was more of a lawyer thing than anything else.

KCShooter is right about ejecting a live round. This is mostly something we see in Commanders (and shorter pistols). I do not consider it a major issue, since I can't foresee any case in which I would have to unload a loaded round in a hurry, unless it is a bad round which didn't ignite. If something like that happens, you would be either dead or behind cover, where you can eject the round in relative safety, by turning the pistol upside down. Of course, it's a problem that should be fixed, but I won't feel underarmed carrying a pistol which has problematic ejection of a live round. As long as it ejects the empties I feel OK.

[Rio Vista Slim]

coltcmdr1980,

You have received some very expert advice to your questions. If you have no objections, I'll expand on a couple of things....

Sellier & Bellot ammunition has always been a reliable performer for me. Additionally, Federal American Eagle ammo has never malfunctioned, or been the cause of a malfunction, in any of my Colts.

Those who advised checking your magazines did it for an important reason. Failure to return to battery malfunctions can most often be attributed to the magazine, if ammo difficulties have been ruled out. All the magazines I own are regularly tested before being placed in the rotation for reliable mags for carry. The next time you fire your Combat Commander, keep track of the magazines and round count, to determine if a pattern is present.

I also keep several new recoil springs, firing pin springs, mainsprings, etc., in the event I feel that a spring change is in order. I don't "hedge" my bets with my Colts, and often will change a recoil spring when it appears to be getting too short, as opposed to waiting for recoil spring malfunctions to develope. Springs are cheap insurance against a host of possible problems with auto-loading pistols.

Just a couple of extra thoughts for you to ponder.