My 1911 is have serious problems stove-piping. Today was the worst ever, with 16% of rounds failing to eject. In attempts to fix it, I’ve installed a new extractor with a longer hook and a commander-style ejector, which sticks out over the magwell much farther than the original GI one.
Any suggestions to help me narrow-down and fix the problem?
When on of my .45s had a similar problem, the solution turned out to be the ejector spring. I had had a new one installed, and it was too strong. It kept jamming the brass on the way out. Give that a try.
Ejector spring? You mean the firing pin spring?
Isn’t the ejector spring inside the magazine?
Nope. I mean the little spring that keeps tension on the ejector. It sits behind the rear end of the ejector, in a little pocket. Must be exclusive to Llama, I guess.
Are you using factory, or custom loads? If you are using custom or hand-loads, check the calibration on your reloading equipment - you may not be putting as many grains of powder in your rounds as you should.
Factory loads. This happens regardless of brand.
IIRC, the Llama is not a 1911 clone, it has many differences.
Lemme get this straight: you’ve changed extractor and ejector, and still have the problem?
I wouldn’t think it was the ejector; my first suspect was the extractor, but if you’ve changed it, I’m kinda stumped. I might suggest switching back to a new, but stock extractor, though.
If it was the ejector, I wouldn’t think you’d be having “stove pipes,” but rather the half-ejected problem, with a spent round wedged between barrel and upper receiver.
The thing is, when the upper receiver slides forward “into battery,” the extractor should engage at that time, and remain engaged as the upper receiver slides backwards from the recoil until it hits the ejector, at which point spent round goes bye-bye, and new round is stripped from the mag as the recoil spring sends the upper receiver back forward.
But if you’re truly “stove piping,” that is the spent round not extracting at all from the chamber, and the new round in position to feed, but jammed into place because the old round is still in the chamber, I’d still be looking mighty hard at the extractor were I you.
How old is your recoil spring? If it’s getting worn, your upper receiver may be recoiling too fast for the extractor to “hang onto” the spent round.
But that’s all I got. Do a fellow .45 lover a favor? Keep me informed of your progress in resolving this. I’d appreciate it.
And for those who’re interested in what these mechanical thingamajigs and doodads are: M1911A1.
But you may really need to see the M1911 is slow action to understand exactly how the extractor and ejector work as the upper receiver (slide) cycles though its recoil/return motion to dig it. Don’t try it with live ammo, though.
By stove-pipe, I meant that the spent case is either eticking straight up, jammed in between the slide and barrel, or is stuck horizontally in the same place.
My recoil spring was a new Wilson Combat spring that came with a new full-length guide rod and recoil buffers. I’ve got 1400 rounds on it (and the gun) so far, but the problem has been there the whole time.
Next trip to the range I’m going to try taking out the shokbuff and putting in the original spring.
Late update: I went to the range on friday, and once I replaced the original recoil spring and took out the buffer. Less comfortable to shoot, but the problem seems to have decreased. I’m going again on friday, I’ll try to get some statistics