What model 1911 do you like/use for WB?

[J. Frank Norfleet]

BD just sent me this

JFN

Krag_loader.pdf

[Happy Jack]

Doc, for legitimate Krag info contact Guntraders in Redmond, OR.  It is owned by our WBAS Committee member Texas Jack Morales. He deals in huge numbers of WWII and earlier firearms. He is our early firearms specialist for Wild Bunch. Will tell you the truth and if you want something he can probably find it.  May take awhile in the current atmosphere.

[Baltimoreed11754]

I built a 5 rd charger years ago and I’d like to post a photo but it won’t let me. I touch choose file and the other box doesn’t come up.

[Boggus Deal]

I built a 5 rd charger years ago and I’d like to post a photo but it won’t let me. I touch choose file and the other box doesn’t come up.

SASS, in their infinite wisdom, has this website so outdated and antiquated it won’t let s lot of people post at all, much less pictures.

[Baltimoreed11754]

Thanks, BD.

[J. Frank Norfleet]

I built a 5 rd charger years ago and I’d like to post a photo but it won’t let me. I touch choose file and the other box doesn’t come up.

 

To post a photo I had to convert it to a PDF. The choose file at the bottom lets me post pdfs.

JFN

[Doc Holloman]

Ok, a new addition to my Holy Grail list: Krag Speed loader.

[Baltimoreed11754]

If you take a peek at the Krag Collectors Association Forum there are several threads about Krag Chargers. There are basically 2 styles, one that the shooter uses his fingers to push the rounds from the charger into the gun and the one like I built that runs on gravity where pushing a paddle lifts a tab and allows the rounds to fall into the gun. Check out the mad minute shooting matches where they are running Krags on utube. Amazing shooting.

[Doc Holloman]

Follow up from Yesterday's wild bunch match:

 

I continue to  have a problem with my RIA Rock Standard in .45ACP. I bought the gun specifically to use in SASS Wild Bunch Modern Class matches. I had the local 1911 smith do a trigger job including a short trigger (I have short fingers) and set the trigger to 3 pounds. It has a 16 pound recoil spring. I have 500-600 rounds through the gun.

 

About every 10 rounds or so, the trigger doesn't reset. Lifting my finger off the trigger doesn't reset it. I have to pull the slide back about a quarter inch and release it to make it reset. I don't think I am "short Stroking" the trigger because when I deliberately short stroke it, the trigger will reset when I lift my finger off the trigger. I am using new Ed Brown and Chip McCormick mags.  I'm loading 230gr powder coated  round nose with 4gr of Clays. I gauged each round before loading into the mags. The problem does not appear to be mag or ammo related.  I have 3 other 1911s (Kimber Classic Custom, RIA Commander, and USGI, none of which have this issue.)

 

I have taken it back to the smith that did the work twice, and he hasn't been able to solve the problem. I am not sure I trust him (competence-wise) any more and am not inclined to give him any more work. The president of our SASS club used to be the commander of the Army Marksmanship Unit and it a bit of a 1911 guru, and he hasn't been able to diagnose the problem.

 

I'm beginning to think I have a 2.5 pound boat anchor on my hands. I would sell the gun and be done with it, but I don't want to pass along my problem to anyone else. Sigh, which Springfield model to buy?

 

Any thoughts?

[Garrison Joe]

I have an early RIA 1911 that has a very poorly machined trigger raceway.    My gun has too shallow raceway for the trigger stirrup, which binds up the release of a magazine about half the time.

 

Find a real 1911 smith to check trigger, raceways, disconnector, and sear spring pressure on the trigger.  Having to pull the slide back to reset trigger says the disconnector could be involved in this problem.

 

Easiest fix, and strongly recommended, is get to a more normal action shooting trigger pull.  A 3 lb. trigger pull is, IMHO, too light for reliable operation in 1911, and not needed for WB.  4 lb. is about as light as I set a 1911 trigger, but it's a real crisp and clean break.  Light sear spring pressure on the back of the trigger (something that is often done in an attempt to lighten trigger pull) gives you very little trigger reset force.

 

Yes, you need a good smith to work this gun over.  Send it to Boggus Deal if you don't have someone closer!

 

good luck, GJ

[Happy Jack]

this  ^^^^^^^^      Trigger is too light for all but the finest quality 1911's used for serious target work. RIA's like most of the lower cost 1911's are machined to "less than perfect" quality. Even my bullseye 1911's have 3.5-4# triggers.  There are plenty of "gunsmiths" but very few "1911 pistolsmiths".

[Doc Holloman]

this  ^^^^^^^^      Trigger is too light for all but the finest quality 1911's used for serious target work. RIA's like most of the lower cost 1911's are machined to "less than perfect" quality. Even my bullseye 1911's have 3.5-4# triggers.  There are plenty of "gunsmiths" but very few "1911 pistolsmiths".

 

Our club president referred me to 10 Ring Precision in San Antonio.  Less than an hour away.

[Doc Holloman]

I have an early RIA 1911 that has a very poorly machined trigger raceway.    My gun has too shallow raceway for the trigger stirrup, which binds up the release of a magazine about half the time.

 

 

good luck, GJ

 

Having the opposite problem with the mag.  It is getting jarred lose when the gun is fired.  But I attribute that problem to myself.  When I got the gun the mag insertion was too stiff, and I also wanted an extended mag release (short fingers) so I put in a new release with a lighter spring.  Since then I have changed teh spring twice and the mag release again, searching for a release that will let me insert the mag normally, but not be so light that the mag comes loose.  Haven't found the sweet spot yet.

[Boggus Deal]

Remember, if it’s a Traditional gun, you can’t use and extended mag release.

[Garrison Joe]

Mag release is not normally a hard problem to solve.  If you have a quality release in the gun now, take it out and look for a rounded top to the projection that fits into the magazine's retention slot.    That tab should be flat and have almost a sharp edge, but no burrs.  Install just release without it's spring and lock screw.  It should push through the frame to right without dragging until the "keyhole" flat projects out of the frame by the thickness of a quarter.  It should push back to the left through the frame without dragging until the release button sits in it's normal position, and the surface of the keyhole end is flat with frame.  The spring should not be kinked.  The release lock screw probably needs a new part put in - the one the factory put in mine looked like it was machined with a dremel (or a chainsaw).  Wolff has a set of five decreasing strength release button springs.  That kit is worth having.  Like this part kit from Brownells:

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/frame-parts/magazine-release-parts/magazine-release-springs/1911-auto-reduced-power-mag-catch-spring-prod16540.aspx

The strongest spring in the kit is a factory strength spring.

 

Reassemble release.  Take a marker and color around the retention slot of a mag that does not always stay in the gun.  Hold the release fully pressed in.  Seat an empty mag up in the well while making sure the release doesn't back out until the mag is fully seated.  THEN let go of mag release button a couple of times.  Take mag out with button pushed in again.  Look for marks in the marker paint above the retention slot on the mag indicating that the mag is not getting fully up to the catch of the release.  If no marks, then load a mag with dummy rounds (or live rounds if you will pay close attention), mark the mag wall around slot again, and repeat the seating  and release button cycling a few times.  You still should see no marks in the dye on the mag.  If you see marks where the release is touching the mag wall instead of slipping into the slot, the frame could be mis-machined and needs some serious troubleshooting.

 

And, have you had another shooter fire your gun to check if you might be riding the mag release button with one of your two thumbs?

If they don't have the release let off unexpectedly, it really could be your technique.

   

 

good luck, GJ

 

 

[Doc Holloman]

Remember, if it’s a Traditional gun, you can’t use and extended mag release.

 

Not traditional.  Arthritic right thumb won't let me shoot one handed.

[Baltimoreed11754]

If you’re having issues inserting a mag it’s not a mag release spring issue it’s more the geometry of the release and how the edge of the magazine engages it to push it out of the way to allow the mag to go all the way in and lock. You also have to have enough spring pressure to retain the mag when the gun cycles. There’s no real reason to reduce this spring very much if you’re using two hands to operate the gun as the weak hand thumb should have to trouble pushing the mag release.

As far as trigger reset problems remove the reduced power junk and go back to as the gun was designed springs for a match or two and see what happens. Though you might want to polish the bows of your trigger and the grooves that they slide in on the odd chance there’s a burr but I’m betting it’s your reduced springs. A WB pistol does not need to be set up like a bullseye target pistol shooting one handed at the 10X ring at 25 yds.