[m657]

....been a LONG time since I've had THIS problem...

Got a new (ever-so slightly used) Taurus PT1911 model....it loves the FMJ RN 230s & 200s....doesn't care for lead TC or JHP reloads that work well in other make 1911s. Barely manages to digest the lead RN 230s....

Reloads spec out in case gauge, and chamber fine in a 625-8.

What am I overlooking?

 

[Sebago Son]

Are your cases of mixed headstamps and number of reloadings?

What is the mode of malfunction?

Drew

 

[Guest]

Lots of problems when the bullets are sized to .452 or larger. I size my 230 RN's to .451 and it eliminates most of the FTF problems....the other thing to do is make sure they are taper crimped properly.


giz

 

[m657]

re: "Are your cases of mixed headstamps and number of reloadings?"

mixed cases; unknown reloadings-

re: "What is the mode of malfunction?"

Failure to feed. I can take one of these and hand load it in the chamber and it fires singly.

The cases are clean, and taper crimp seems proper.

I'm going out today for further range evaluation.

Plus, there's a pin match....I'd probably do better if I could see 'em better....

 

[dennis40xnc]

It’s been my experience that magazines are a contributing factor to chambering problems. That is to say if the ammunition is of proper quality and there are no problematic issues with the fire arm.

 

[m657]

Agree with magazine potential.

Just back from range. Can switch FTF mag from PT to another 1911 and continue with no problems.

At this point, with about 200 rounds through it, the PT seems to like LRN and JRN 230. It does not like any other configuration I've found so far.

It has been accurate enough for early trials on the 8" falling plates at 25'.

It does NOT like JHP or any version of TC I've tried.

 

[xtimberman]

Have you disassembled the gun to see if a few of your handloads chamber OK? I have chamber gauges for several cartridges, but I like to see that my rounds drop all the way into the removed autopistol barrel with a satisfying "plunk". They should slide right back out and fall into your hand when you turn the barrel over. That is the very best chamber gauge, IMO.

Another thing is the 230 gr. RN bullet design....all RNs are not the same. The most common commercially cast 230gr. RN bullet nowadays seems to be the Magma Engineering RNBB design that Oregon Trail, Meister, and many others sell. IMO, the nose on that bullet is too short to run reliably in some 1911s. It runs OK in my Colt, is iffy in my son's Springfield, and will turn my buddy's tight-chambered 1911 with a rough feed ramp into a jam-o-matic. I wish someone would start offering 230gr. RNs with the exact profile of a GI hardball bullet.

xtm

 

[Sebago Son]

It may sound silly, but have you tried chambering an empty case from the magazine?

Failure to feed can mean a nose dived Round, a slide that does not go into battery, or a round that simply will not complete the passage up the feed ramp.

Look closely at the type of failure to feed.

Also, segregate rounds by headstamp and control your magazines during the test. Look for trends.

 

[Skip]

I cast my own H&G #68 and the Lee copy as well. I also have a PT1911 that digests them like a house afire. I size them to .452" and have no problems whatsoever.

One G.I. magazine failure but other than that the PT1911 of mine will out shoot, out function 1911s that cost 2 to 3 times as much as it did.

There is something you are missing. How do they fail to feed? Do they go all the way into the chamber? Where are you getting the bullets? How hard are they? What is the OAL?

Lots of other things can be causing your problem.

Here is one problem I encountered with purchased lead bullets in an auto. They were so soft that they would hit the feed ramp, dent or become disfigured and stop cycling. The tap, rack, eject drill always seemed to work through this problem. After I got done with those bullets, I didn't buy any more from that guy!

FWIW

 

[m657]

Thanks for the ideas gents.

Here's a little more information :

Although I did put a few on paper to get idea of group size, primary target today was the 8" falling plate rack at 25'.
Using RN loads, it was possible to run the rack frequently without miss. Using non-RN loads there was a lot of tap/rack/ drills.

Magazine
Unrelated. Multiple mags work well in 3 different 1911s. No issue with any of them.

Bullets
Variety today includes: 230 FMJ factory; 230 LRN reloads; 225 TC lead reloads; 210 FMJ commercial reloads; old 215g "flying ashtray" JHP; 200 JHP reloads; 200 FNL reloads; 185 SWC reloads; 180 FNL reloads.

All of these work with the 'old' 1911s and/or the revolver; only the RN work well with the PT.

OAL & other metrics
Nearly all of these fit well in a case gauge. Most that jam in the PT will chamber/fire in the others.

There are a couple points of FTF:
in a few cases, the nose of the bullet has not elevated on the feed ramp and doesn't chamber. A very few did have nose dents. All but a few of these later work fine in the other pistols. A small handful (out of 600 rounds) do not chamber in a 625-8 I brought for control. I will be running those through the Lee Factory taper crimp die next session.

No FTE. No jamming in chamber. This is a feeding issue, and dimension seems much more critical than the others.
About 90% of what wouldn't hand feed into the PT chamber would work fine in the others.

I will be loading up some 230g jacketed hard ball for the next phase.

Not looking for bulls eye accuracy yet. The mid-and non-hot upper range loads of W231 seems to be very pleasant.

Some of what I used today I loaded over 20 years ago. I also had a few boxes of WW2 230 RN ball for comparison. Those worked perfectly.

Further tips?