Newly acquired Ruger SR1911, Long Post

[JackF]

I recently acquired a new SR1911 45ACP. Was wondering if anyone else here has one and has had troubles with it returning to full battery after firing? I fired the first 50 rounds through it Friday and 7 or 8 of the rounds would not fully chamber, slide stopped aprox. 1/8" from full battery, and I had to push the slide forward to chamber the round. Two of the rounds wouldn't chamber even by pushing the slide and had to be ejected. Needless to say I was not pleased as I had read nothing but raves about the SR1911 so I called Ruger, I was concerned that maybe the chamber was not finished correctly. The C/S person asked me what brand ammo I was shooting, told him PMC. He told me PMC as well as other off shore cartridge makers have trouble chambering in the Ruger because of Rugers tight tolerances and some of the off shore makers loose tolerances. I had read on another gun forum about the "plunk" test where you disassemble the gun to remove the barrel, drop the unfired cartridge into the chamber and the cartridge should make a plunk sound when it hits the bottom and the back of the cartridge should be flush, or slightly lower than the hood of the barrel. The unfired PMCs didn't plunk and the back of the case was proud of the hood by about .010 to .015. Then I dropped a fired case into the barrel, there was a slight plunk and it seated slightly lower than the hood. Next I got my Gage pins and Mic out and found the minor dia. of the barrel meeting the chamber is .442, the dia of the cartridge at the mouth is .470. Again, took one of the unfired carts., dropped it in the chamber, pushed hard with my thumb and removed it. Sure enough, the rifling in the barrel left marks on the bullet about .030 up from the case. So, I re-seated the remaining ammo until they all chambered properly. My question now is this; the coal is now 1.175 and the max coal for the 1911 I read is 1.275, 2009 Speer Reloading Manual, so should my barrel be chamfered where it meets the chamber to allow the bullet to enter and not interfere with the cartridge chambering?

Sorry for the long post but I love the gun, or at least will when this chambering problem is solved, and hope one or more of you 1911 experts will chime in.

Thanks.
Jack.

[Harold_V]

I'm no authority on guns, but I can relate an experience I had with P.O. Ackley (who I truly admired).

I own what is, for all practical purposes, a wildcat 6MM Remington. The headspace was set about .100" too long, and not discovered until the gun had been fitted with a Harry Lawson thumbhole stock, with the cartridge size engraved on the breach. Way too late to alter the headspace.

I simply made brass from '06 or 270, and now have a very functional rifle, albeit one for which one can not purchase ammunition.

I make mention simply because in spite of careful measures, the occasional error gets shipped. It appears to me that you own one. It's going to be interesting to get the opinions of those who know guns well, however, as I may be wrong.

Harold

[steamin10]

In ameteur gunsmithing the question becomes.. Having a gun that will eat everything you shove at it, or a museum piece that takes hand built ammo?

I had a 45 acp Star PD that I carried for many years. I bought PMC ammo and practiced shooting with local reloads. Reloads, tho light, would sometimes have swelled cases and would not feed. So I bought a press, and sized the bottom ends of the case after the reloads were done. The few thou removed made all the diference. So, do you destroy the chamber of the gun, or buy working amunition. It is just a machine, all the parts have to fit and work for you.

Seems simple to me.

I have 2 Astra .22 short pistols. Neither will operate on standard ammo. They have to be HIGH velocity, to operate dependably. They are pocket pistols for varmint control, and I carry them as I roam the property. They dispatch rodents, Possum, Racoon, cats, dogs, and other controlled varmints. (I believe in gun control, I use two hands 0

[pacrat]

Not claiming "egg spurt" status by any means but own 3 and have tinkered more than a few 1911's and even built one from frame up from parts.

Your statement,

Sure enough, the rifling in the barrel left marks on the bullet about .030 up from the case.

Should not be happening. With any firearm using factory ammo. Bullets being engraved by lands when chambered drives the start pressure way to high. And interferes with chambering a round. The 45ACP headspaces off the case mouth. Not a rim or shoulder. And the chamber should be "throated" to clear any bullet loaded to SAAMI spec. Here is a link to the SAAMI cartridge and chamber dimensions. Check your chamber and ammo against SAAMI specs.

http://www.saami.org/PubResources/CC_Dr ... omatic.pdf

so should my barrel be chamfered where it meets the chamber to allow the bullet to enter and not interfere with the cartridge chambering?

Yes, this is the "throat" just forward of the case and before the lands start. [see chamber drawing]

COAL is not always relevent because it doesn't take into account the bullets ogive. A SWC wadcutter design would clear lands where a Hard Ball round which is fat in the front may not. Match Chambers are usually cut for SWC ammo of about 200 grains. As opposed to Hard Ball of 230 grains and round nose. Your over the counter Ruger should be chambered to digest any factory ammo unless designated a TARGET or MATCH gun.

Now all that said. Almost any new 1911 built to tight tolerances requires a break in period of approx 200 rounds before they function 100%.

JM2c

[JackF]

Thanks guys for the responses,

Before I call Ruger back I will try to find a box of Winchester or Remington 185 gr JHP, the wt. and type of PMC carts. I was having trouble with. If they chamber fine, the trouble is with PMC. I will also load a few 185 JHPs myself to see if they will chamber. I suspect the problem will end up being the throat of the barrel ahead of the case. Will let you know the results.

Jack.

[redneckalbertan]

Do you have another gun chambered in .45ACP that you can try the PMC ammo in?

[JackF]

Hi Redneck,

No I don't, this is my first 1911 but I think I have caught the bug. I love this gun and the 1911s in general. BTW, I found some 230 gr round nose in a box of various shells, their coal is 1.270 and they "plunk" just fine so I also suspect the problem may be with the 185 gr JHPs.

Jack.

[JackF]

Went to the gunsmith yesterday and 185gr JHP off his shelf would not fully chamber nor would 230gr wad cutters? from the mag for his own 1911. He also took the barrel from one of his 1911s on display, did the plunk test on that barrel with the 185 and 230gr and they chambered fine. He said send it back to Ruger. I contacted Ruger explaining my problem and explaining what happened at the gunsmith, they said send it back and Emailed to me a return label. Am off to Boise today so will send it back when I return. Will post results when I get it back.

Jack.

[PeteH]

In the past, Ruger has been absolutely superb about fixing flawed guns. I hope that's still the case, and I also hope that you'll keep the rest of us informed as to what happens in this instance.

[pacrat]

Went to the gunsmith yesterday and 185gr JHP off his shelf would not fully chamber nor would 230gr wad cutters? from the mag for his own 1911. He also took the barrel from one of his 1911s on display, did the plunk test on that barrel with the 185 and 230gr and they chambered fine. He said send it back to Ruger. I contacted Ruger explaining my problem and explaining what happened at the gunsmith, they said send it back and Emailed to me a return label. Am off to Boise today so will send it back when I return. Will post results when I get it back.

Jack.

So it is obviously not a problem with a specific ammo. Likely a short throat. The engraving of lands on bullets that are pushed down until flush with hood a good indicator.

Ruger has excellent CS rating. Let them fix it for sure.

Keep us posted.

[JackF]

Update,

Got back from a trip to Idaho Wed. May 1st and sent the SR 1911 to Ruger on the 2nd. Got an Email from Ruger today that the 1911 has shipped and should be here on the 10th, no other message was received. Am anxious to see if the 1911 was replaced, repaired or if they say they found nothing wrong and returned as is. I really hope they fixed it as I love this pistol and wish I had discovered the 1911 45 cal. years ago.

Jack.

[PeteH]

Don't be too surprised if it LOOKS like they returned it without doing anything. Check the internals. A friend of mine told me that he'd had a #1 that had a chatter-mark in the chamber. He complained, they said "send it back", he did, and he got back a gun with a perfect chamber. No comment from Ruger, or so he said.

Sounds like the lawyers gave good advice for a change: "Fix it, but don't admit you fixed it".