Faulty Magazine???

[Kid44]

I just picked up a brand new Ultra Carry almost 2 weeks ago. With a full magazine
it will not feed a round into the chamber, the round hangs up on the feed ramp, or the frame
just below the ramp. I put a single round in the magazine a few minutes ago, racked
the slide and the round chambered perfectly. Anyone have an idea what the issue could be?
I'm using 230 gr JHP, it is all I have for now.

 

[Richard Simmons]

Do you have another magazine you can try? Does it fail to feed just t first round? If it were mine I’d get some 230gr ball and see if it functions properly and reliably. If so then try an ammo with a different profile hollow point.

 

[Kid44]

Do you have another magazine you can try? Does it fail to feed just 5he first round? If it were mine I’d get some 240gr ball and see if it functions properly and reliably. If so then try an ammo with a different profile hollow point.

Only the factory supplied magazine for now. I begged and pleaded with Kimber customer service to send me another, but no luck. Pretty cheap of them to only supply only the 1 with a $1,000+ gun.
My Ruger Commander came with 2. I will find a better quality magazine. Ed Brown has a magazine trade in program, For $10 plus shipping you send 1 in and they send you an Ed Brown Magazine, I may take advantage of that program, plus try another bullet type. I want to make this my primary carry gun.

 

[stansdds]

First, are you allowing the slide to go forward without your hand riding the slide as it goes forward? Riding the slide can slow the slide enough that it will not shove a round up and into the chamber.

What ammo are you using? Ball (round nose) ammo is almost always a reliably feeder, but some hollow point and truncated cone bullets are problematic with the M1911 style pistols.

It is quite possible that it is a magazine problem, especially if you are not riding the slide and the bullet shape is conducive to smooth feeding. A significant number of feeding issues in semi-auto pistols stem from a bad magazine.

 

[tmd17]

.... A significant number of feeding issues in semi-auto pistols stem from a bad magazine.

I would say at least 90% of 1911 feeding issues are magazine issues.

OP, you said you have another 1911? If the mags from that one fit, try them.

As for me, I have 'more than a few' 1911's and I use Wilson Combat mags exclusively. The Wilson mags are hands down the best in the industry. When I acquire a 1911, I slip a Wislon in the gun and store away the ones that came with the gun.

 

[zeke]

Used to own various first editions of the manufacturers 3 inchers including Colt, SA and Kimber. The only mag that worked in all of them was Meggar's blued 6 rounder, which also didn't chew up alloy feed ramps. Now have a newer style Kimber Ultra with the ramped barrel, but still the Meggar mags with the folded over mag follower. This is qualified by the mags are now older, and don't know what the current versions are.

Mec-Gar Mag 1911 Officer 45 ACP 6-Round Steel Nickel

Apparently they still make them

 

[mckenney99]

I have a thing for ultra compact 1911's and they can be picky about ammo that they will feed and what magazines they like. My Springfield Micro Compacts work 100% with Wilson 7rd Officers magazines. My 3.5 in Springfield Champion 1911 prefers the 7rd Officer ACT mags and my 4 in Sig C3 prefers the 7rd ACTs also. All were marginal feeders with their factory supplied magazines. While Mec-gar magazines are VERY highly regarded and are factory OEM for many firearms, I have never tried them in 1911's as I have generally heard only fair reviews for them. In almost 40 years of using/carrying many different manufacturers of 5 inch, 4.5 inch, 4 inch, 3.5 inch and 3 inch 1911's, I have found that they all can be temperamental about the magazines they prefer. Just because the factory sends the gun out with a certain brand of magazine doesn't mean it is the best choice for that gun, just the most economical to usually function and get the gun out the door.

 

[2152hq]

Make sure the magazine spring is in the right way.
There is usually a top and bottom End.
..and a front and back.

If it's installed wrong, the follower isn't supported correctly under tension.

It feeds as a one and only First Round. No rounds underneath it.
It feeds all the other rounds from the magazine after that First round is cleared.'
Just doesn't want to feed the First Round when the magazine is fully loaded.


Also, when you load the magazine with that last round (first round up in the mag to feed),,is there still some tension to be felt on that cartridge after it's in the magazine?
..Can you press down on it a bit yet,,or is that last round just making it into the magazine and under the feed lips with no extra space to spare..

If the latter, it may be the follower. The follower usually has it's rear leg shaped so it hits the inside of the mag floor plate to match the limit of the capacity of the magazine.
It should however leave some space still available for the round to be able to be pushed down a little.
A little movement allowed in the ammo stack under spring tension.


Gun mfg'rs get their magazines from outside vendors. Rarely do they make them themselves in house anymore.
Some of those Vendors farm out some of their operations to other smaller mfg'rs as well.
It's tough to keep track of QC with that type of mfg'g going on.

 

[LVSteve]

Also, when you load the magazine with that last round (first round up in the mag to feed),,is there still some tension to be felt on that cartridge after it's in the magazine?
..Can you press down on it a bit yet,,or is that last round just making it into the magazine and under the feed lips with no extra space to spare..

Sounds like you've had some time with a 9mm Remington R51.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

1911's are made with 5" barrels and are all steel. Start shortening this, and adding that and you gonna screw something up. Stick with a Government model and leave all that ultra stuff alone.
Now.
Please pass the Canapes

 

[stansdds]

1911's are made with 5" barrels and are all steel. Start shortening this, and adding that and you gonna screw something up. Stick with a Government model and leave all that ultra stuff alone.
Now.
Please pass the Canapes

Not aware of Commanders ( 4 1/4" barrel) having reliability issues.

 

[chief38]

If you try 230 grain FMJ and they all feed flawlessly, I'd say it's the HP ammo. If you still have issues feeding, - probably your magazine. Just check the feed ramp for burrs too.

For the very brief time (3 weeks) I tried carrying a full sized 1911 many years ago, I carried only 230 grain FMJ - did not want to chance any HP feeding issues. That is what the gun and magazine was designed for.