Used Colt 1911 FTF problems, maybe

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    jimbobborg

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,122
    Northern Virginia
    I picked up a used Colt Combat Commander yesterday and shot it yesterday and today. It came with one magazine, labeled 38 Super. I shot two mags yesterday, no real problems but it would not lock open when the magazine was empty. Today, I tried with the included magazine and two 10mm mags. I got stove pipes of live rounds with all three magazines. I'm thinking that I should be using 9mm mags so I ordered five Wilson Combat 10 round mags. Is it safe to assume that using the mags I have is causing the problems?
     
    TheOriginalMexicanBob

    TheOriginalMexicanBob

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 2, 2017
    33,070
    Sun City West, AZ
    What caliber is the pistol? Different calibers use not only different magazines but magazine springs, ejectors, extractors, recoil springs and some other parts. Being a used gun it might have the wrong weight recoil spring. All that needs to be sorted out before determining where the problem lies.

    If the problem is magazines, I’ve found the best to be factory Colt, Wilson Combat and Chip McCormick Shooting Star which has been purchased by Wilson Combat I believe. A genuine Colt mag will have the trademark Rampant Colt on the baseplate...generic magazines won’t.
     
    j_h_smith

    j_h_smith

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 28, 2007
    28,516
    Compare each mag to the one that works properly. My guess is you will see a difference in them. Use the 45acp mags only.
     
    T

    TheRealJimDavis

    Active Member
    Jan 28, 2013
    479
    The Burnie
    Yeah, you definitely need the right caliber mag. Especially in 9mm and 40, they have little bumps at the back to prevent FTF’s and hold the shorter cartridge forward. I’ve also seen quality mags fix feed problems. I used to exclusively use Tripp cobra mags. Now I have a handful of CMC’s too, (their flush fit holds one additional round). Your Wilson’s will fix your problem.
     
    M

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,581
    Harford County, Maryland
    I reread the OP. The stove pipes with live rounds are typically from weak mag springs or spread feedlips. I would look at these areas first.

    If you are dropping a case during extraction it may be causing a misfeed with the attendant live round stove pipe as well.

    It seems the pistol may need a knowledgeable tuneup and you will be off and running. I would load a round, remove the mag then shoot the pistol. Do this through one mag. Watch the cases. If the case dribble off to the side or fall through the mag well then the extractor needs a lookie see.
     
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