Slide Dropping in Mag Load
 

Hi Folks,

I took three guns to the range today for function testing. One was a new to me Colt 1991 (ORM) that had seemingly minimal usage and is stock except for an aftermarket MSH. On three or four magazines the slide would drop forward when I inserted a magazine. It happened with both Colt and Wilson mags.

Any ideas about what gives?

FWIW, each time this happened it did properly chamber a round and the gun ran flawlessly otherwise.

I had a plastic gun that did the same thing, turned out to be a weak slide stop spring. I'm sure thats not the issue with yours since there is no spring there foe 1911s. Check for excessive wear on the slide and stop.

Here is a bad pic of a worn slide where the stop catches. Notice how it is angled backwards instead of a 90 deg.

http://i.imgur.com/eeRIXrF.jpg

your picture sucks.... :P I fixed it for you

I have guns that are modified to do just that. I drop a mag, slam one home and the guns chamber a round. Maybe the previous owner did some filing. Glocks are famous for this "failure" to stay locked back.

I'll never know for sure but I doubt the guy I bought it from had this done. Also, it didn't happen with several other mags. It happened randomly and when it did, I would drop the mag, clear the chamber and reload the top round back into the mag. Then I'd reinsert the same mag and NOT experience the same event.

Moreover, I see no signs of excessive wear. By outward appearances the gun is cherry and the slide cuts appear to be identical to my 1991 Commander that has run perfectly.

I also just looked at my NIB Combat Elite and the cut angles are the same. None are 90 degrees, FWIW (Using Caleb's pic as a reference.)

funny... You are not right.

How hard are you slamming the mag home?

Like milk boy, I don't see a disadvantage as long as it feeds the top round properly every time. It's one less step you have to do.

I have a BERSA 380 that does this by design. Of course... 1911's aren't usually designed to do this. Bersa called it a "combat reload." If I slam the mag home, the gun strips a round and loads. I was.... like.... hmmmm.... don't know if I like that "option."
DaFadda

That's tough to quantify but the same way I do all my 1911 mags - a solid shove home. I also posted this on the Colt Forum and somebody brought up 'buffers'. That made me remember that there is some sort of rubber ring on the guide rod - could that be a contributing factor?

Check for a shockbuff on your guide rod, but that normally only affects slingshotting a compact gun. Check the lobe on your slide stop, the notch on your slide for peening, and your mag springs and followers. First place I would look is followers