Help Help My Ejector is Loose!!!

[combatantr2]

My 29 round old old Norinco 1911/45 acp 5in model has got a loose ejector. Just got it today and fired about 29 rounds of hardball ammo with 2 failures to fully chamber a round. Its okey the pistol was quite dirty and did not bother to clean before I shot it. Anyways, after field stripping the pistol I noticed and felt it that my ejector was a little bit loose. A movement can be felt if you try to wiggle the ejector itself but more on a sideward play. Although during the test firing all shells ejected flawlessly.

My dealer has offered two considerations; 1. shoot the gun as usual and anymore damage to the ejector or cause by the ejector to the other part they will repair or replace. or 2. return the pistol asap for checking and for a possible pistol replacement.

Frankly, Im not too eager to accept any of the two as I will be gunless again for a few days or weeks, w/c I had been for a month before I got this pistol.

This is my 3rd Norinco with the commander as my 1st. But this is the first Norc I had that there is an ejector issue.

Question, assuming I decide to remedy the ejector problem, is this something I can do by myself? I have never worked on a 1911 other than field stripping but Im willing to learn. Or is this something I can live with and nothing to worry about.

Hoping for everyones kind assistance.

Thanks.

 

[jaybar]

Take option 1

A liitle bit of wiggle is OK. I'd wager that just about any 1911 you pick up up will have some noticeable "wiggle" in the ejector, some more than others. The ejector is held in place by 2 vertical cylindrical legs that fit into corresponding holes in the frame. The front leg is usually pretty close to the hole size in the frame, plus it is pinned in place so you feel very little wiggle around it, The rear leg which is there for gross alignment only is usally a bit undersized to accomodate for frame manufacturering tolerances. This is where you will usually feel the movement. The ejector's front to back orientation is maintained by the slot in the slide. The legs are there to take the stress. As long as the legs aren't broken (usually never happens) don't worry about the "wiggly" ejector - it will perform its assigned duties without harming itself or or any other part of the gun.

 

[Jim K]

I agree that some "wiggle" is no problem. If it gets worse, you can peen the legs of the ejector a little so they fit tighter, but I see no reason to do that.

First lesson in being a gunsmith - don't mess with what works.

BTW, it is very unlikely the ejector had anything to do with the failures to feed.

Jim

 

[combatantr2]

Crazy me, itchy itchy hands. could not help it... i got the ejector pin out cleaned the ejector holes and dry cleaned the ejector and applied some little amount of 'bulldog' steel glue to the ejector legs. Placed back ejector to frame and shot 34 flawless rounds. From the range... field stripped... and inserted a loaded mag in to the mag well and noticed that my top round, casing part of the round in the magazine seem to make some little contact with the ejector when I used the chip mag. As for the stock magazines top round seem to have ample space and it does not seem to contact the ejector. So i reckoned that maybe when i re-installed the ejector the rear leg seemed to have not seated properly down the leg holes resulting to a very slight dip of the ejector on the front part. removed the pin tried to removed the ejector again and mighty me I could not remove it anymore, damn steel glue. got a miniature ball hammer... tapping the rear part of the ejector with 8 or 10 tap hammers, voila! its loose again. (by the way i protected the ejector with some folded handkerchief against the ball hammer strike). got the ejector out, cleaned it again refitted but this time no glue. still a little play. refitted the pin, hit the range and fired 21 flawless rounds.

Now, what did I accomplished thru all these? Nothing

Oh well, crazy me.

Thanks everyone.

 

[jaybar]

First law of gunsmithing

Hopefully, you learned that you shouldn't ask for advice unless you intend to use it.

Jim keenan said (and he knows what he is talking about)

First lesson in being a gunsmith - don't mess with what works.

The good news is that you did adhere to the second law which is:

If you just gotta screw around altering parts - always work on the cheapest one to replace

New ejector costs about $10, new frame $200.

 

[B36]

Second lesson

Reread the first lesson.

Not being critical, but most of the problems that came into my shop were created by people 'working' on working guns.:banghead:

We have all been there so you live and learn

 

[BluesBear]

The top round of an eight round magazin hitting the ejector is a common problem in some guns made to origtinal 1911 specs and especialy in guns with extended or Commander style ejectors.

The CMC eight magazines use the old Devel follower.
When these magazines were first introduced they were packed with an instruction sheet that addressed this issue.

 

[combatantr2]

Bluesbear;

Thanks very much for the info. But so far the CMC magazine seem to be working great and so far its not a problem. The top round contact with the ejector does not seem to impede or is a factor with the operation with my pistol.

And yes my 5 inch Norinco seem to have the extended ejector and it ejects the empty shells just flawlessly.

Thanks.