1911 9mm feed problems

[cernstus]

I just finishing building my first pistol. It's a caspian race frame with an sti slide in 9mm. I bought 6 springfield(metalform) magazines to go with it. The barrel is a kart easy fit, which went in fairly easily. The only problem I have had is that it doesn't feed very well. The rounds seem to be slamming into the feed ramp instead of riding up into the chamber. I didn't go for a ramped barrel, but I don't think that makes a big deal. I am hyposthesising that it is a magazine problem. The mag followers seem to be nosing down instead of forcing the bullets up. Any one with experience?

 

[doctruptwn]

1. You said you have an STI Slide, Was the frame a 9mm, or 38 Super frame.
2. You Have 6-9mm mags I assume all new, are you having the feeding problem with all 6.

If the answers to the questions are:

1. I'm not sure or no. and 2. yes.

Your proplem is likely the frame. The 1911 frame feed ramp has a specific angle for 45 acp, and a separate angle for 38 super/9mm. Fear not all is not lost, but you need a good gunsmith who is VERY familur with the 1911 and can re-angle the feed ramp for 9mm.

If your frame was a frame designed for 9mm, then you first should polish the feed ramp so that it is very smooth, use extreme caution doing this and put the dremel tool away, this is best done by hand. I have serious doubts that all 6 mags would be faulty. If your angle is correct, your ramp is polished, your mags are all new there is another issue, that will require an experienced eye to find.

 

[Buzzdraw]

Stock kit frames have the .45 spec ramp. A 9mm/38 style frame ramp is different from a .45 ramp. Grab a 9mm Colt frame and a .45 frame; its pretty obvious. The .45 ramp has less metal on either side of it than does a 9mm.

I doubt if you will be able to get your gun 100% dependable by removing metal, since you actually need more metal in the feed ramp area to work with, not less. Don't try to remove metal forward (toward the dust cover) in the effort to create a 9mm frame ramp; you will certainly cause feeding issues. These issues will require either frame ramp weld-up or going to a bridge cut for a ramped barrel.

Most everyone doing a 9mm buildup on a high-cap frame will bridge cut the frame, then install a Nowlin-Wilson or Para style ramped barrel. Personally I prefer the Nowlin-Wilson because of its greater bearing area on the frame.

Once you get the barrel fit hurdle passed, you get to tune the mags. Hi-cap mags for 1911's generally do not run dependably out of the wrap.

Sorry to be the bearer of possibly troubling news, but truth is better than sugar-coating.

 

[grwd]

The op has a ss frame, buzzdraw.
The ss metalforms are some of the more reliable ss 9mm mags.

I wouldnt build an unramped 9mm 1911, hicap or not.
You could have an issue in the ramp/throat, the barrel timing, the mag release, any one (or more) of a number things.

 

[Buzzdraw]

I should'a looked up Caspian Race Ready before I assumed single stack; duh! I'll assume that you did specify the 9mm/.38 Super frame choice.

9mm single stacks are finicky to get running, for all the reasons Olyeller lists and more.

I too have had excellent luck with Metalform "Springfield" style 9mm mags. They took a small modicum of tuning, probably due to the fact the batch was produced just before Metalform's summer holiday. To get 9mm 1911's to run perfectly I find that I need to seat the bullet out a tad more than what I would for a Glock or similar.

 

[technetium-99m]

As far as I know STI just offers a 9/38 slide, they don't differentiate. Take the frame and get it cut for either a W/N or C/P ramped barrel, I don't know if anyone local can do this (olyeller or Dr. Greyson will be able to point you in the right direction).

Look at it this way, you get to practice and fit another barrel!

Edit: Poo! I didnt read beyond the first response, do what they told you to do and you should end up with a nice running pistola.

 

[Traxxis]

I wouldnt build an unramped 9mm 1911, hicap or not.

+100 on that. It can be very dangerous... you need a ramped barrel.

 

[cernstus]

well crud guys, I appreciate all the help. It was a .45 frame that I have converted to a 9mm unramped pistol. I was told that for the loads I would be shooting unramped would be ok as the support was really only needed for hot or at least warmer loads to prevent blown cases. I haven't really noticed the cases fishtailing on the feed ramp, just ramming into it. I never had much luck with the magazine followers that didn't have the forward skirt in .45 either, so I just kinda assumed that was the problem. I also have a #9 recoil spring on order cause I kinda figured the #14 wasn't letting the gun cycle consistently fully to the rear to properly strip the next round from the mag. Other that the rounds occasionally slamming into the feed ramp she runs pretty well. Mags do drop freely now that I have a wilson extended slide release. I do hate to order a new barrel and have the frame cut out.

 

[grwd]

+100 on that. It can be very dangerous... you need a ramped barrel.

I dont think its really a safety issue as much as a reliability/feeding one.
Ive seen colt 9mm commanders that eat anything and have plenty of support in their unramped barrel.

 

[grwd]

if its only an intermittent thing, and its hitting square in the ramp; you might do well with a mag that releases the round a little earlier or sits higher up on the mag catch.