Chambering malfunction

biggs357

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I just got back from the range and the oddest thing happen,every time i got to the end of a clip/mag out of my 3gen 4046 .40 cal,the last shell would fail to feed right and end up with the nose facing strait up pinched in the slide.I would clear the shell and put it back in gun and it would fire.I tried firing rapid and slow but the same thing happend every time with every clip/mag and only on the last shell.

I thought mabye it was the ammo but it did it with winchester t series hps,pmc starfires,and even some fed hst 165gr hps.I went through a total 4 boxes of ammo and the only thing other than ball ammo was my fed 180 gr.I haven't done anything but clean the inside of the gun but i had polished the slide.I just hope i didn't damage the gun while doing this.
 
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I just got back from the range and the oddest thing happen,every time i got to the end of a clip/mag out of my 3gen 4046 .40 cal,the last shell would fail to feed right and end up with the nose facing strait up pinched in the slide.I would clear the shell and put it back in gun and it would fire.I tried firing rapid and slow but the same thing happend every time with every clip/mag and only on the last shell.

I thought mabye it was the ammo but it did it with winchester t series hps,pmc starfires,and even some fed hst 165gr hps.I went through a total 4 boxes of ammo and the only thing other than ball ammo was my fed 180 gr.I haven't done anything but clean the inside of the gun but i had polished the slide.I just hope i didn't damage the gun while doing this.
 
When you clean youf pistol after shooting, do you service your magazines?

If not, do so.

Magazines need to be cleaned too.
 
i cleaned them when i first got the gun but from the time i cleaned to now i have only fired 200 rounds throught them.I will clean them and the gun again to see if that may help.
 
Stovepipe. May need to replace the spring in the magazine. Had the same thing happening with my Kimber TLE the other day. Grabbed another mag and the stovepipes ceased. You could feel how much lighter the spring tension was on the "bad" magazine. Ordered one from Wolff for a couple bucks. Problem solved.
 
biggs357: Is there any chance that when you cleaned your mags the first time that the followers were all put in backwards. I just checked one of my .40S&W mags and it is fairly easy to do. Will all of your empty mags cause the slide stop to work automatically? If not check to see that the indent on the magazine follower is in the proper position to push up the slide stop. That last cartridge is being pushed out of the magazine improperly for some reason. You just need to find out why and correct it. ... Big Cholla
 
Ok i just went and check and every empty mag and all allowed the slide to lock back properly.
So is just time to get new springs or new mags.
 
biggs357: I don't know. I would buy one new spring (Wolff is great) and one new factory mag. Give each a try. Analysis of a problem like this is a difficult guessing game unless one has the handgun and the offending mags in hand at a work bench. I would also look at the fit of the extractor. With multiple rounds in the mag the next round up is being held in position to slide in under the extractor. But, when at the last round there may not be enough pressure to hold the cartridge in place letting it travel forward slightly from the previous recoil and it is being pushed towards the chamber 'ahead' of the extractor instead of behind it. I guess new stronger springs would fix that problem? You have to work sort of like a Detective would; i.e., look at all the possibilities and eliminate them one by one until you find the solution. ........ Big Cholla
 
Thank you all for listening to my gripe and i've already looked up the price of new springs and i'll be buying a set of 3 wollf springs along with a new recoil spring too.

If that doesn't work i'll report back,thanks again.


Dana Capron
 
Most excellent advice from forum members. I've had this happen with a couple of autos-Stovepiped live round is probably the result of magazine lips allowing early release of the round (the slide pushing it out of the mag. too early) and a slightly weak spring. Push a round out of the mag. with your thumb (slowly) and you can see it pop out and up too soon. Safety first !
 
here an update on my 4046 not chambering right.I cleaned all the mags/clip,stretched the springs,and the same thing happened at the range today.the last shell in every mag/clip stood strait up,even the ball ammo did it.

So is it the recoils spring or mag springs.Should i get new mag springs and recoil spring or get new mags and recoil spring.
 
Put an empty in the mag first and load up from there,,, If they all fire and feed,,,, Replace the mag springs first.
Peter
 
I don't think it has anything to do with the recoil spring. I think the problem is being caused by the magazine followers. Evey other round feeds fine except the last one. That would suggest that the follower is not getting all the way to the top before the round is being stripped from the magazine. If the breach face is catching only the top quarter of the rim as it travels forward, it will force the nose of the round into the front of the magazine causing it to nose up. Further forward motion of the slide will send the round straight up causing the stovepipe jam.

This could be caused by two things. The magazine springs are not strong enough (fast enough), or the magazines are not seating deep enough into the mag well. When the mags are seated, is there a good amount of up and down play? That could be your problem. A worn or loose magazine catch could be the culprit.

WG840
 
Ok i've checked each mag to see if there is any play up and down.I don't have any empty casings so i'll have to wait till wednesday and another range trip.In the mean time i'll have to order new springs.

Mickey D sorry sir but i don't believe in colt.I had 2 of em and hated both of them.A colt king cobra and a colt pocket lite .380 both proved to be pos's,oh and they are way over priced
 
biggs357,

I forgot the simplest fix for the most common cause of this problem. The magazine lips may just need to be tweaked open a bit more. That has solved many problems just like the one you described.

WG840
 

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