Garrison Joe

Yes, that SASS alias rings a bell with me. A few years back, I used to see it in some of our forum discussions. If I remember correctly/ A SASS Alias name is requested by a member as part of their shooting personna. If the requested name meets SASS guidelines and is not registered as a SASS alias yet, the SASS office assigns the requested alias to the member requesting it. Then, when they shoot or converse here on the Wire (forums), the alias name is used rather than real names. Never have heard of a family member asking about an alias being assigned to one of our members. If you have a serious concern, then you should contact the SASS office by email or phone. good luck, GJ

Rough rails on the frame or in the slide are not really a function of the steel forming method! Sounds more like the machining on the Rugers was quite a bit smoother than the "forged frame" guns. Honing or polishing the rails a bit will make almost any gun feel smoother, and probably increase the slide closure speed, SLIGHTLY. You are confusing the machining finish that was put on the frames and slides with the process of producing the raw frame before any machining was done, and attributing a poor surface finish to "forged frame/slide". When the rough finish was almost certainly due to machining quality (fit and finish), not the process of making the raw frame or slide. I think the operative phrase you already used is "I dunno" 😀 I have two Colts, both with forged frames. The one made about 1974 was smooth from the factory. The newer one made about 2000 was rather rough until I polished the rails on frame and in slide. But even then, the rough feel on the 2000 Colt did NOT cause the gun to fail to feed. It just made it feel clunky when racking the slide. But, I do understand that you can't go buy a 1970's made forged frame to check this for yourself. good luck, garrisonjoe

A failure to feed and chamber is almost never due to the frame manufacturing process. Ruger has proven they can investment cast steel parts to tight enough dimensions to launch space missions. Shooting matches demand less than that. While frame manufacturing process MIGHT make a difference is in how long the frame will stand up to maximum strength loads, I would not put the difference in feeding reliability on that for a new gun. Maybe after 100,000 rounds you will see a difference. No, you have one of several likely causes in failure to feed. First most common I find is: ammo that is not to spec. If you don't have and use a loaded round gauge to check your match ammo and your loading die settings, you are not being serious, especially as a cast bullet loader! Bullet seated too far out of case and the nose of the slug hitting the VERY SHORT forcing cone of a 1911 barrel is most common problem. Second most common: using low price/quality magazines. Run a few true Colt, Wilson or Tripp mags with your ammo and gun, and see what you get. IF good mags fix things, you may not need to look for more gremlins. Feed ramp smoothness and transition from ramp into chamber of barrel is important. "3 point jams" (look them up to know what they look like) often come from either the feed ramp of the frame or sharp chamber mouth edges at the back of the barrel. In the period from 1950 to 2000, NRA bullseye shooting was a major use of 1911s, using lead semi-wadcutters and low power. All 1911s back then had to go to a gunsmith to be tuned in the ramp area, chamber, springs, slide fit, smoothness to shoot bullseye matches flawlessly. Most still need at least a little smoothing and tuning to shoot WB power level lead bullets, even the Round Nose designs. Included in that tuning is shaping and tensioning and smoothing the EXTRACTOR. Perhaps the most important single part in the gun for correct extraction AND FEEDING. But as was mentioned before, if you have not run at least 300 factory level rounds through your 1911, it's not broken in yet. Clean every hundred. Lube as the various lubrication guides for the 1911 show at each cleaning. Don't take guns to serious WB matches until you have got the gun to be able to run 250 rounds of your ammo in a single match. Pushing a gun into a match too early (before you and it and your ammo loading is right) will just sour you on that gun for a long time! Folks who need a shorter "startup time" than that, ought to let a skilled 1911 smith do it for them. good luck, GJ

Sure, that Springer MilSpec is a Traditional compliant rear and front sight when the 2 dots on rear and 1 on front are blackened. As per above, lots of folks use a sharpie. Same as has been done on the original Ruger made SR 1911 good luck, GJ

The case is being slammed into the slide wall during ejection, probably around the ejection port opening. This is very common when the geometry (shape) of the extractor (which you just changed) is not yet fitted to your gun. The dent comes from impact, while the sideways scratches are caused by the high-speed "twist" imparted during ejection as the case is pulled on the right side by the extractor hook and hit in the left lower rear by the ejector. Look for where there is a shiny spot of "brass rub" on the slide. Often it's on the lower side of the ejection port. But some times in other locations. There is more work to do when fitting a new extractor than just setting the tension. One of the best but short descriptions that I have found is here, written by Bill Wilson: https://www.m1911.org/technic2.htm Look at the very last diagram very closely. If you understand all of the angles and beveling he shows, you may not have to do more study. OK, so you probably do not understand why he is so particular about EVERY facet (machined cut) shown on that extractor tip. So, read this one next, and SEVERAL times, as it is pure gold! https://www.1911forum.com/threads/steve-in-allentown-extractor-fitting.829865/ And the extractor section of John Marshall's instructions: https://sightm1911.com/lib/tech/reliability_secrets.htm He makes this statement that speaks volumes about just "slapping in " any company's new extractor: "Most factory extractors and many aftermarket extractors need attention to achieve the optimum in reliability." OK, the lazy way to solve cases hitting the slide, is to cut away the slide where the shiny brass impact spot shows up. The "lowered ejection port" found on lots of 1911s from the factory is this kind of fix, whether a gun really needs it or not. Opening the ejection port like that lets a factory get "no contact" ejection without having to do special fitting. John Browning did not think that it was necessary - his slide designs did not use a lowered ejection port. Case denting was fixed by hand tuning the extractor tip to turn loose of the case rim so that the case ejects straight out to the right, or even upwards at 2 o'clock. I'm sure you have seen 1911s that toss brass straight up to land on the shooter's head, as well. That too is due to a poorly shaped extractor hook. A tighter grip on the case by the highest part of the hook will pull the case out high (12 to 2 o'clock). A tighter fit on the case rim down low in the hook pulls the case out so it slams into the slide wall under the ejection port. Also, check that you have the firing pin stop fitted so that the extractor is not twisting in it's bore. A problem called clocking. Can cause the extractor to turn and hold onto the case in a deleterious manner. Also, look for severe gouge in the extractor cut of the fired cases. A sharp or poorly shaped extractor hook will put a "horizontal gouge" in the angle part of the extractor cut. good luck, GJ

My take on your plans so far - Buy a belt suitable for your holster with NO loops sewn into the belt. Then you can experiment with buckling in front, or buckle spun to the back. A cartridge holder for at least 2 rifle reloads and at MOST 4 shotgun shells works just fine, because you can almost always start with 6 shotshells in your gun (unless you plan to shoot a side-by-side, then I'd suggest you immediately get a shotgun belt holding 10 shells (paired together) as well as the gun belt). And you might as well get 3 paired 1911 mag holders, total of 6 mags. Lots of matches shoot more than 28 pistol rounds on a stage, and you need a spare mag in case of fumble, misfeed, jam, etc. All your magazines then will come to hand the same way (height, angle). Some folks like wearing huge award buckles on their belt, and they are almost always in the back, for the AUDIENCE to see. And when worn in front they take over valuable "belly space" that is better used by ammo of some kind! Get a stout belt made for holster carry. Light belts will move around, break, sag, and holsters and holders need to stay put, too. Best results usually come from using same maker for belt and holsters and holders. good luck, garrisonjoe

Newish Colt 1911? They no longer polish/tune the feed ramp and round over the top entry into chamber like they used to. With lead bullets, it's important for 100% feed. FMJ round will feed fine where lead slugs are much more likely to stick on ramp or at barrel/ramp joint. Most other gun makers don't do as well as 50 years ago either. So, first thing I do with a new 1911 is lightly polish the feed ramp (cratex bob) and take sharp edge off top 1/3 of chamber entry. I also make sure the bottom of barrel entry is exactly matched (blended) to the top of the feed ramp with the barrel fully forward in the frame. Rare for factory to get that junction exactly right. A 1911 is not considered broken in until I have 300 factory-power rounds through it. And, I also check extractor tension and shape. Most have bad hook angles, rim clearance, and at least one edge that is sharp and can grab the rim as it feeds. Some are tensioned a little too tight, too. good luck, GJ

Lassiter in southern OH? Sgt Eli in southern IL? Three Cut in NC? Find them all in the SASS Gunsmith's list: https://forums.sassnet.com/index.php?/topic/311362-cowboy-gunsmiths/ good luck, GJ

So, your location might make it easier to suggest a nearby smith... GJ

This was just a survey, AFAIK, so I see no need for folks to run down others' opinions. State what you like and leave it at that, right? GJ

Colt Series 70s for Traditional. One I've had since 1973 - that's still my main match gun. Have a backup built in the 90s, needed more smoothing and tuning. Medium trigger, flat mainspring housing. Replacement 10-8 rear sight and custom front dovetail sight. Springs tuned for 160 PF loads. good luck, GJ

Slots in the retaining cap (at forward end of the slide handle) for the action slide, it sounds like. I have successfully used the Boyd's 97 fore-end wood to replace a real Winchester 97 fore-end which used that slotted retainer cap. Brownells had a spanner wrench that I bought 10 years ago for Winchester 12 and 97 model fore-end retainers. Works well. With some care, though, a flat end punch will USUALLY let you CAREFULLY drive the cap around far enough to let you unscrew the rest of the way by hand. Slightly different design than the one I have: https://www.brownells.com/tools-cleaning/gun-tools/shotgun-tools/winchester-model-12-double-ended-forend-wrench/ Midway shows this wrench out of stock now. But by the time you order wood, it might be back in stock. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1007012423?srsltid=AfmBOopPuDQdLydQsJJEt2SOwaPprUHov0RHSBofymO8N2ECiBD0HozD&pid=976945 good luck, GJ

Wolff most likely has to be snipped too to make 6 rounds fit. There are kits available with a replacement follower which is shorter than the Winchester (or Chinese) original. Those help, but they also replace the spring with a shorter length, IIRC. I've got 3 of the IAC 97 clones which will take 6 rounds in mag AND feed perfectly well with only a spring cut back to be 5" longer than the total magazine tube (that is, with all the guts out of the magazine, action closed, the forward end of the uncompressed spring is 5" longer than the mag tube body itself). That includes the factory follower being used. Snipping a spring is free - the 6 shot conversion last time I looked is about $40. If you make a mistake, order a new 12 gauge spring for a Rem 870. Same diameter and strength, and easily available. $7 last time I bought one. good luck, GJ

Very few sources for factory lead bullet loads at the slower-than-factory velocities common in WB. WB is a reloader's game! GJ

Get WST powder. Cleaner than Titegroup. 200 grain slugs making about 160 PF will probably need 4.6 grains of WST, but I find each 1911 gives slightly different velocities. Find a buddy with a chronograph and test your loads. good luck, GJ

In Wild Bunch Shooter's Handbook, no mention is made of pocket pistols. I would GUESS that if a match is offering to have some sort of pocket pistol side match, they will have to define what guns they will allow and how troopers will shoot it. The SASS Range Operations and Match Director Guide - Wild Bunch Action Shooting is not currently available on the SASS home site, or I would have searched through that. If you know of matches that are hosting a P P side match for Wild Bunch shooters, you might mention what match that is. Right now, AFAIK, pocket pistols is an official side match only on the Cowboy side of the organization. good luck, GJ

Declaration of a gun malfunction should mean there should be greatly increased attention be paid to the gun and the shooter's attempt to unload it. Not the range safety officers (perhaps including the unloading table officer at the time) ignoring the shooter's situation and leaving it to him to make a really bad safety move. "Malfunction" is called on the line to relieve the shooter of having to try to clear the gun on the clock to be able to continue. Shooter can even declare that themself. Also, it alerts the line workers that the gun needs special attention to get it to the unloading table safely, without the shooter carrying it, worrying about it, perhaps even trying to jiggle the action. And, of course, it relieves the shooter from the penalty of restaging a gun that is in an unsafe condition for normal restaging (loaded or cocked hammer on live round), so that they can continue shooting the rest of the stage. Then at the unloading table, it needs special attention to note what failure condition and how many unfired rounds are in the gun, and then attention to returning the gun to good function safely. Nothing in that awards a free pass to commit unsafe acts with that gun. Unsafe acts with a still loaded gun just magnifies the safety risks. Declaring a Malfunction is not a penalty, it's a notice to the posse that the shooter will not be trying to fix a problem with the gun on the clock. good luck, GJ

It's just as dangerous as if NOT declared a malfunction. There should be no "free pass" here when a potentially mortal or serious injury could result. IMHO. The rules establish the stage firing line with a 170 degree downrange direction required to be able to fire any of our firearms. That eliminates most loading and unloading tables right there as being places where a gun can be fired for any reason, and maybe as a last resort, to clear it. This gun was declared malfunctioning. But for the shooter themselves to go ahead and try to fire that malfunctioned gun, without range safety officers attending? And without successfully determining what caused the malfunction? That is, generally, insanity. It's trusting to hope instead of finding and being sure the problem with the gun has been corrected. Did declaring the gun malfunctioned mean the gun would not fire? Not in this case! This particular case sounds to be an INTENTIONAL firing. Not an accident while trying to empty the gun and somehow getting an unintended firing because of lack of knowledge, lack of care, or a mechanical problem, all of which should have been avoided by an experienced range safety officer taking charge of the malfunction. good luck, GJ

BTW, every WB (and Cowboy) match needs access to a squib rod to assist the shooter with clearing stuck rounds or squibbed bullets! Lengths suitable for pistol clearing and rifle clearing. And a squib rod or drop weight to test for and remove wads stuck in shotgun barrels. Using one in this case would have been a correct way to get a round that the extractor cannot grab out of the chamber by running the rod from muzzle to chamber. Stick a small rag over the slide face and extractor to make sure the primer of the round does not contact the extractor tip when the cartridge is bumped out of the chamber. Why? Isn't this just a crutch for an ill-prepared shooter? No, it's because a loaded firearm may not be taken from the unloading table (which is the final "station" on the firing line of every stage) until it is cleared, except with direct supervision by a match official. Without a suitable tool to assist a shooter or a match official to clear the stuck round, one of the match officials must find a way to assist the shooter to place that still-loaded firearm into safe condition for temporary storage and transport - maybe even over the public road system. Make it easy to do so - keep clearing rods around the match. good luck, GJ

That's disappointing, IMHO. But glad you are seeking better understanding of the rules. GJ

No, as a matter of clarification, I did not allude to an answer. I provided the exact spot where the rules state the error and the penalty. The Pocket RO Card is part of the rule book, yes, but it has historically never been the main reference for the rule and penalty. It often lags behind being correctly updated when the rules are changed. It often paraphrases the rule and may be written in shorter form. The RO committee writes/approves the rules, they normally (from my understanding) do not compile the changes to the RO pocket card (an admin function after the rules are approved). good luck, GJ

Firearm discharge at the unloading table - rules say Match DQ: Under the Match Disqualification section, page 29 of WB Shooters Handbook: The only possible reprieve would be if the shooter had asked for a match official to assist with clearing the pistol, and they found that the only possible way to clear the gun would be to cautiously BLOCK or lower the hammer, take the pistol to the firing line, and fire it safely downrange with the rest of the posse safely behind the firing line. Then that becomes a supervised firing of the gun downrange, and no penalty is incurred. It is a major failure to attempt to clear a firearm at the unloading table if there is any chance it may discharge. There should never be an idea in the mind of a shooter that cocking and firing any gun at the unloading table is a safe thing to do. And, importantly, I have never seen a case where a well trained range official cannot get the firearm unloaded without it firing. And if there was any possibility of it firing, I would have insisted they do THAT at the firing line with safe downrange conditions. There is NEVER such a level of time or peer pressure at a match that the shooter should consider endangering themself or other shooters or spectators. good luck, GJ

Free advice given here is guaranteed (money back) for at least 60 days, so no rush getting it taken care of. 😄 GJ

I have given up on trying to use tenon mounts for larger/taller front sights, as have many smiths I know. Tenons just will not hold a heavy sight securely. Pretty easy to have a smith mill a standard dovetail on the front and mount a sight. Then the front as well as the rear is drift adjustable. And MUCH more secure. Perfectly legal for any Wild Bunch shooting. good luck, GJ

Gun stainless steel is usually a 41x or 44x series stainless, which IS MAGNETIC. That slide is very different than the common (acid resistant) non-magnetic stainless, like 304 or 316. THOSE are non-magnetic, soft(er), and not amenable to heat treatment due to greatly different alloy content. Nope, your slide is gun-grade stainless, almost certainly. good luck, GJ