What would you do with this 1911A1?

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CountGlockula

CountGlockula

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This brand spanking new gun just came into my rental range yesterday: Springer .45ACP Ultra Compact.
SA_Lightweight_Compact_350.jpg

So it's just a day old, but will go back today to scrutinize it some more.

Took it out of the case, and racked the slide without a magazine. Once pulled back and released, the slide didn't fully go back to battery. Only went 2/3 of the way. OK, so we decided to clean it and lube it. It still did the same thing. We figured, we need to shoot it :D before putting it out as a rental. Loading a full 6 rounds in the mag, only one shot was made. The rest had the same issue when the slide wouldn't fully go back to battery to make the next shot. So with 50 rounds, only 6 was successfully shot out of the new 1911.

What do you guys think is happening with this 1911? What do you guys suggest to do next?

Disclaimer: If this sounds like a 1911 bashing, please don't consider it because its more of a malfunction issue. Thanks!
 
Is there anything unusual with the recoil spring/system? Or are there any obvious fitting issues with the slide/frame or barrel lugs/slide?

Replace original spring with a stronger one?
 
It seems that there's a fitting issue between the slide and the lower reciever since it's difficult to move it forward.

The recoil spring is stock and may need a heavier one. But the last resort would be to contact Springer. Thanks for the input guys, I'll see what happens later today.
 
Send it to me ans I'll test it for a few months.................


Really, I'd call Springfield FIRST thing Monday morning
 
Ill-fitted barrel lugs or barrel link sound like the most likely culprits to me. I'm guessing the barrel link. It's probably out of spec and the slide stop hole is spaced too far, resulting in the barrel trying to stay in battery and jamming the slide. You could try taking it apart and oiling the lugs and link to see if it loosens up. Other than that, it's getting a trip back to the factory.
 
Sounds like a kimber I bought. They told me that I hadn't broke it in correctly and that I clearly hadn't read the instructions on how to break it in. I told him I'd send it back to him if he agreed to put it where I thought in was most useful.

I hope you get a better response from Springfield.
 
Does it feel like its full of sand when you work the slide? Kind of crunchy and all?

The last couple of Springfields I had had a somewhat similar problem, and it was due to some nit wit carving part of the serial number on the underside of the slide where the disconnector rides, causing the slide to drag and hang.

Hows your thumbs too? The thumb safety that came with my Loaded sliced mine up pretty quick and had to be filed down.
 
I'm with Oro. If it don't work, make them fix it. If you fiddle around yourself you may void the warrantee.

This is one reason I avoid buying new guns. The last one was a revolver, and it worked fine. ;)
 
I had a milspec Springer once, choked on everything I fed it. Got rid of it and bought a Glock 36. I can't believe they'd let a gun like yours past quality control. Tacky.
 
The gun should function, obviously, and there's no excuse for it to leave the factory in this condition. Compact 1911s are problematic, everyone knows it and they should be watching for stuff like this on the assembly line.

Unfortunately, there's little you can do (even shooting it to break it in). I don't mind doing a bit of 1911 bashing, myself, and think the design is old and too often out of the box guns simply lack reliability. Make it a compact and it's worse. I see 1911s malfunction all the time on the range—and it's one reason I got rid of a Colt Gold Cup years ago.

When you pull the slide back and let it go, I'm assuming you have to use the palm of your left hand to snap it into battery. The only thing that might possibly work is to try a stronger spring and see if it won't force it into place.
 
It's funny how every time there is somebody complaining about a malfunction on a 1911, all the tupper ware fans come out of the woodwork to bash on the 1911 design.:rolleyes:

Honestly, I think there's better advice that could be offered than "it's an old design" or "get a glock"-type advice.
 
Contact Springfield Armory! I have a SA GI.45 1911 that had some issues feeding hollowpoints and issues returning to battery with any ammo. They fixed everything fast and improved a few things I didn't ask them to do for free.
 
Honestly, I think there's better advice that could be offered than "it's an old design" or "get a glock"-type advice.
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There have been some good suggestions. The best of which was to send it back and have them look at why their gun doesn't work.
 
NEWS FLASH: Springfield Armory doesn't MAKE all of their guns. They import a lot of them. Some have parts that are forged or cast elsewhere and then assembled here. I have three "Springfield Armory" guns, and all of them bear the marks of other arsenals in other countries.

1. M6 Survival Rifle in .22/.410 (CZ - Czech Republic)
2. XD9/HS2000 (HS Produkt - Croatia)
3. GI.45 1911 (Imbel - Brazil)

When you send these things to Springfield Armory, they go over them and fix or adjust whatever needs adjustment. Usually the gun runs fine after that. If you ever wondered why people love the SA XD for its reliability but complain about the SA 1911s for not working out of the box... maybe it has something to do with the fact that they aren't made in the same factories or even with parts from the same factories. They just bear the same "SPRINGFIELD ARMORY" stamp.
 
Maybe I missed it said; but have you field stripped it to see if there is any obvious issue? The reason I say that is because when I was in the air force, we got a shipment of 1911A1's in and there was a thin plastic tube on the spring for the purpose of not allowing the slide to be fully jacked. There was even a tag that said to remove it prior to firing. But you might have already field stripped it. I may have missed that part.
 
dunno, but what many people call "POS's" i.e. my Norinco, goes forward just find and puts forth beautiful groupings. Springfield needs a call asap
 
It's funny how every time there is somebody complaining about a malfunction on a 1911, all the tupper ware fans come out of the woodwork to bash on the 1911 design.
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Im not a Tupperware fan at all, and I carried a Colt Commander, daily for about 30 some odd years. I gave up on the 1911's mainly because they have become so problematic and require to much fiddling with to be worth the time and bother.

The last half dozen or so Springfields I owned were nothing but trouble and all required some work, right out of the box, just to have them shoot. None should have left the factory as they did. Its a lame excuse to say you have the best customer service department out there. Maybe they need to put the people in customer service into the production department. It would save a lot of aggravation and money, on both ends, and maybe straighten UPS out due to lack of business in the bargain.

The gun should work out of the box without any break in or fiddling. If it doesnt, send it back. Why should you have to waste your time, and money on ammo doing their job for them? You paid to much for them as it is.
 
It's a Springer. It is performing as expected.

If you complain you'll be tagged as a "whiner."

The fix is DO NOT BUY SOUTH AMERICAN GUNS.

You bought crap and you got crap. Don't whine.
 
loop said:
The fix is DO NOT BUY SOUTH AMERICAN GUNS.

You bought crap and you got crap. Don't whine.
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It's not exactly fair to label all South American guns crap. While my "Springfield Armory" 1911 was junk out of the box, my three Bersa pistols (Argentina) all function as reliably as my Croatian and American ones. I've also seen a number of Taurus handguns that work well, though when it comes to revolvers, the cost of a Taurus is way too close to the cost of a S&W, so my personal pick in that case is S&W.
 
Gee.... and here I thought the only big time name gun with alot of issues was the Para line..
 
OK, I talked to several guys at the range and the gun is being sent back to Springfield. There was nothing we can do at that point.

I'll do my best to answer your questions:

Does it feel like its full of sand when you work the slide? Kind of crunchy and all?
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Not a lot of crunchy feel, it was a slight crunch...even after cleaning. It may be the slide and lower reciever frame had a slight mill issue. That's the best way I can describe it.

when it sticks, how do you get it back into full battery?
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With no ammo, by forcefully pushing it, the slide, forward. With live ammo after a double feed, it cannot...I'd have to lock the slide back with a lot of force because the slide is stiff/stuck, remove the mag and cycle out the spent/new casing. It happens with both new and spent casing after a double feed jam.

Hows your thumbs too? The thumb safety that came with my Loaded sliced mine up pretty quick and had to be filed down.
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Nope, no slicing of the thumbs. But I usually always get nicked, scratched and cut when handling 1911s; this time no I learned my lesson...gloves!!!

Unfortunately, there's little you can do (even shooting it to break it in).
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I think it'll take more than 5K-20K round break in, to allow the slide to function normally.

....but have you field stripped it to see if there is any obvious issue? The reason I say that is because when I was in the air force, we got a shipment of 1911A1's in and there was a thin plastic tube on the spring for the purpose of not allowing the slide to be fully jacked.
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Yes, it was field stripped and clean. No obvious issue. But you'll need to put a plastic divider on the recoil spring to safely remove it, when field stripping.

Thanks again everyone for your response. My bottomline from this experience of a newly delivered rental gun: buy a used one that has already gone through the break in.
 
It's just got the spring guide out of place but if you keep messing with it like you describe you'll likely grind it enough for springer to void any warranty when it gets there.

Nobody could disassemble the pistol and put it together correctly?
 
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