Broken gun thoughts

[45auto]

Just had to shoot a bit at lunch today, good day for shooting, not so good for my Colt 1911.

Two "things" happened, that I assume are not related. If so, the odds are astronomical and I'm buying a lotto ticket today.

After a hundred rounds or so, I find that the firing pin is "stuck" out passed the hole in this series 80 Colt. The gun wouldn't feed at this point, which is good. Although, I've always wanted a full auto 45.

Assuming it was a plunger problem, I removed it and found that the firing pin, when depressed, kept getting stuck in the firing pin hole. No safety plunger or spring in the slide when doing this. So, could the hole have a burr? Bent firing pin? Thoughts? In retrospect, I have had some light primer hits, 1 per 2-300 fired rounds. I was checking my primer depths, mainsprings weights, cleaning the gun, but perhaps I wasn't looking at the right part!!

Secondly, it appears that the "nub" on the slide stop that locks back snapped off, not the whole thing. It works, but won't lock the slide. Same day, within minutes of each other. Anyone guess the odds.


This is the same reliable, accurate gun(30,000 rounds) that cracked the dustcover several months ago and I was debating on whether to send it back to Colt. It might be an easy decision now.

 

[1911Tuner]

Busted

Could be carbon or other assorted crud in the firing pin channel...Could be a bent pin...Could be a light burr (not highly likely) in the port...or it could be a combination of all three.

The slidestop lug? that does happen from time to time. I've had three Colt
stops do that over the years...Two guns were high round count...One happened at about the 1500 round mark. 30,000 rounds is in the upper register, so it's not surprising that there are "things" happening with the gun.
For the record, I've known of Wilson Bulletproof and Brown Hardcore stops that broke too...so it's not an uncommon thing. In any event, it's not likely that Colt will replace them on a 30,000 round gun except possibly as a courtesy when the examine the dust cover.

Curious...Is the gun stainless or blued?

 

[45auto]

Hi Tuner, Thanks for the reply.

The gun is carbon and blued except for the slidestop, which is stainless. I found that out when I refinished the gun, which I was not thrilled with. That's a Kimber "trick". If I wanted stainless, I would have bought a stainless gun.

Maybe the slide stop should be replaced after so many rounds, but the bbl fit is very good. I didn't want to mess with it...but!

The gun has run so well, I haven't even replaced the extractor yet, but it may be time for a mini overhaul of certain parts.

 

[Jim K]

If the slide stop doesn't match the gun, it may well not be original at all, so maybe Colt is not to blame. As to the firing pin, that sometimes happens when the spring is kinked or too short. There really is no forward firing pin stop on the 1911 - the pin stops when the spring goes solid. So a short firing pin spring will allow the pin to go far enough forward for the taper to wedge in the hole.

Jim

 

[45auto]

I bought the gun new so the slide stop should be original.

Looking closely at the breech face, it does have a 'depression' around the firing pin hole, more evident around the top. The hole may not be completely round as it appears. The fired cases show the indentation or "form" of the breech face on the spent primer.

Maybe too much dry firing with a weak firing pin spring, i.e too short, battered the hole a bit? Wear on the breech caused a problem?

I use moderate loads, so pressure or overloading would not be problem.

Assuming this is the problem, what is the "fix" for this?

Thanks

 

[BluesBear]

Sooooo...

You bought a blued Colt Government Model with a stainless steel slide stop and didn't notice for 30,000 rounds?

 

[45auto]

The slide stop was "blackened" or whatever they do to stainless. It matched the dull blued matte finish of this older 1991A1.

I discovered this stainless part when I stripped and polished the gun.

 

[45auto]

Update and some thoughts needed.

It appears the "problem" of the firing pin sticking may be the shape of the plunger hole in the slide. It "appears" not to be round anymore, larger in the disconnector area. The plunger was sticking up a bit higher and crooked, following the enlarged hole, and actually would "catch" the slide a bit. I assume that's the cause of the firing pin problem.

I'm a bit surprised the plunger could wear the slide in this manner.

So, what do you think? Series 70 from now on, repair it if doable, or call Colt and say "it's broke" and "what does your warranty cover"? Remember, this is the gun with the cracked frame.

Thanks