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Thread: Confused over a double-feed

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    3rd September 2018
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    Confused over a double-feed

    It's been over 20 years since my last double-feed. Yesterday it happened with a new Wilson Combat E.T.M. magazine. Previously I had tested the is magazine with lighter loads, finding it to work 100% like my other Wilsons. Yesterday I tested with Federal 230 Gr. Hydra-Shok rounds which have a significantly heavier recoil. That's when the double-feed occurred.

    Previously I read on this forum about how double-feeds are caused by a weak magazine spring. Back at home I used my trigger scale to weigh the strength of the magazine spring in this and some other of my magazines. The readings from this new magazine were in-line with other recently purchased magazines.

    The pistol in use was a Colt 1991A1 that I've owned for 27 1/2 years. It has a long history of working great with this Federal ammunition.

    Experience shows there are people in this web group who know a lot more than I do. I look forward to reading and learning to gain some insight into just what went wrong.
    i sold all my handguns. . . . . . . . . . except for the 1911 style pistols in .45 ACP.

  2. #2
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    Only one time?

    Was it the last round in the magazine?
    Hawkmoon
    On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside

  3. #3
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    It only happened once. But, for context, I load all my mags at home some weeks ahead of range day. That way for ball & dummy purposes I won't remember where the dummy rounds are in the magazine. So, this mag left the house with 8 rounds in it and was not re-used once those rounds were all downrange yesterday.

    These were not the last rounds. There were two more left in the magazine after the double-feed.

    After my posting this morning I disassembled the mag and found some foreign matter adhering to the tube in several places. It looked about the size of tumbler media. I had to scrub a few times to get it to break loose. Cleaned it out and re-assembled.
    i sold all my handguns. . . . . . . . . . except for the 1911 style pistols in .45 ACP.

  4. #4
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    Let's hope it's something as simple as a gunky mag.

    Here's a little extra info that may come in handy sometime.

    I used to think that inertia feeds were simply a result of a weak mag spring that wasn't keeping the cartridge stack firmly held up against the underside of the feed lips.

    I've learned through experience that these things can happen if the follower hesitates or just outright stops at a critical moment in the cycling of the slide. I now diligently examine and test every magazine that comes my way.

    I completely disassemble, scrub, and dry all parts. Then I put just the follower in the tube and slowly push it the length of the tube using a cleaning rod or popsicle stick being acutely aware of any hesitation at any point in its travel up and down the tube. If I find any hesitation, I'll use 400 grit sandpaper to smooth either the spot inside the tube where the hesitation is occurring or the spot on the follower that is contacting the tube wall.

    Sure, the brute force fix of a heavier mag spring would be easier but not 100% certain. A combination of smoothing and a heavier spring may be the best way to go.

    https://forum.m1911.org/showthread.p...ate-mag-review

    https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=994506
    Likes (2) :
    L-2 (3rd August 2019), MuyModesto (4th July 2019)

    Last edited by Steve in Allentown; 4th July 2019 at 17:18.


  5. #5
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    Steve, thanks so much. I hadn't even considered what you explained until after reading your comments. I'll give it a try.
    i sold all my handguns. . . . . . . . . . except for the 1911 style pistols in .45 ACP.

  6. #6
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    This morning I disassembled the magazine. The tube was clean so I inserted the follower and found it travels freely, time after time. I'm going to load it up for my next range day and see how it does. For the next few range days it'll be "on probation", with me monitoring for 100% function before using this magazine for defensive purposes. Again, I'm grateful for the help.
    i sold all my handguns. . . . . . . . . . except for the 1911 style pistols in .45 ACP.

  7. #7
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    When you wrote double feed I assumed there was a live round mostly but not fully seated in the chamber and another round jammed up underneath it.

    If, after verifying the mag followers move freely and the mags are bone dry, this should happen again, there are several things you can do.

    First and most importantly is to replace the mag spring with a new and possibly heavier one. Wilson has a good reputation for standing behind its magazines. I would definitely contact them and explain the problem.

    If new springs don't solve the problem, it'll be time for more drastic measures.

    Inertia feeds occur when the top round is jerked out of the mag when the slide smacks the frame at the end of its travel. To lessen this impact the slide must be slowed down. The most efficient way to slow down the rearward velocity of the slide is to fit a flat bottom firing pin stop and replace the hammer spring with a 23lb or heavier one. The recoil spring should be either a 14lb or 16lb. Resist the urge to go heavier.
    Likes (1) :
    MuyModesto (7th July 2019)


  8. #8
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    Followup after 2 more range days: The cleaned out magazine tube solved the problem. The magazine has functioned flawlessly on both range outings. Thanks to Steve, your advice was exactly the cure.
    i sold all my handguns. . . . . . . . . . except for the 1911 style pistols in .45 ACP.

  9. #9
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    Good news.

    So, the root cause was a gunky magazine?

  10. #10
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    Precisely.
    i sold all my handguns. . . . . . . . . . except for the 1911 style pistols in .45 ACP.

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