Yeah!, first 1911, but....????

[Bfish]

Congrats on a great purchase! I would say number your mags, make sure you buy decent ammo, and then shoot the crap out of it! You'll be good to go!

 

[NHT3]

I've never had any problem with Wilson mags.. Usually what I suggest as a fix to folks that are having feeding issues. I don't think there should be any breakin on a WC pistol. IMHO a Wilson should run like a Swiss watch right out of the pouch and I think the guys at Wilson would agree with that. Probably as others have suggested that ammo could be the cause of your problem.
[FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member[/FONT][FONT=&amp]-- [/FONT][FONT=&amp]GSSF member[/FONT]
Ruger MK III, M&P & 1911mechanic
NRA Basic pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] –[/FONT]Certified Glock armorer

 

[craigkim]

OP is your CQB a new or used gun? If used go ahead and replace the recoil spring and firing pin spring. Mags wear out, especially the Wilson's. Replace carry mags annually. All failures in my Wilson have been ammo related. I clean the gun about every 400 rounds.

Most budget ammo anymore (WWB, Federal Champion, UMC) seems to have variability in quality.

Wilson will fix a gun that run.

Do not! Locktite the grip screws!!!!!!!!!!!

Brand new gun. If I seem like an idiot, I apologize, but I literally don't know the first thing about 1911s. I knew/know enough to be safe and operate it. I picked up my pistol and headed straight to the range. Prior to buying, I did enough research to know I wanted full size, regular barrel with bushing or whatever, ambi safety, and I wanted to get one that I wouldn't want something better in a month. When I got into AR15s I bought 4 before I actually got what I wanted.

The manual actually recommends Federal Hydrashock 230 grain, "In the newer style", which I would think would mean HST? It also DOES NOT recommend Winchester 230 JHP. I know it's dirty, but my HKs ran it perfectly fine. Silly me to think that my HK45, at less than 1/3 the price, should be comparable.... I'll get over it. The way this thing shot, I'll need to start reloading. Shooting 500 rounds would have been pretty easy, were it not for the intermissions with the painful Glock 30s. I did not start out with WWB I started out with 150 rounds of the Remington and I mixed 3 mags of the HST in at about the 5th mag and then somewhere after about 100 rounds. My goal was to break this pistol in. The instructions say, "shoot 400-500 rounds through it before disassembling." Got 'er done. It ran HST before and after the WWB. I had one mag I noticed that the rounds felt extra tight in and as I looked I saw that the rounds weren't all parallel and there was some space in between the last few rounds.

The manual does say to avoid racking out a live round forcefully as it can fire the round by hitting, something on the primer? I found that odd. I need to read this manual. I have to replace recoil springs every 2000 rounds?!?

All in all, I'm not in a panic, just I didn't expect finicky from a pistol that cost more than any other firearm in my safe. Wondering if the 1911 thing is awesome or awesomely crazy.? I'd post a picture, but I need to learn that. It's pretty boring, it's all black with stainless barrel and the G10 grips that have parallel cuts at an angle. Quite grippy. I like plain old black to just look boring and not be flashy. I am thinking about how to tarnish the medallions in the grips or use some enamel paint to blacken them.

I was just thinking a little blue Loctite paste on the grip screws. Not too much, just a tiny dab. Honestly I've had to use red before on the side rail for my Benelli M4. Slugs just rattled it off otherwise. I backed them out when I wanted easy enough. Made me nervous still though. I'll look into o-rings. Awesome tip.

Finally, I need to start reloading I guess. I'll start looking for those "beginner" threads. I literally have problems finding any decent factory loads, ever. I even prefer magtech to wwb, but often times wwb is all I could find.

Thanks for the help.

 

[halfmileharry]

I wouldn't worry to much about it!
Don't go changing stuff, It was 1 bad round!
I think if I'm not mistaken 6 months ago Wilson mags were the only way to go, now their not up to snuff. Go figure.

I wouldn't say they're not up to snuff BUT....I bought some of the new blue ones and they're ROUGH. Followers hanging up, springs tight and scratchy. Not what I'm used to out of Wilson mags. NOW, After a few hundred rounds through them they're smoothing out. The old Wilson mags were slickarse smooth out of the package.

 

[hps]

OP, MANY opinions!! enjoy that new gun.

 

[blackterror]

I was just thinking a little blue Loctite paste on the grip screws. Not too much, just a tiny dab. Honestly I've had to use red before on the side rail for my Benelli M4. Slugs just rattled it off otherwise. I backed them out when I wanted easy enough. Made me nervous still though. I'll look into o-rings. Awesome tip.

.

I would never think about putting loctite on my grip screws but also never had them come loose on me. I regularly clean behind my grips. I do have O-rings on one of my 1911s though.

 

[VERT]

OP your gun is fine. Replace recoil spring and firing spring around 3k-5k rounds or when you detail strip. You are correct on the 500 round break in before first cleaning. FYI I rack my 1911s hard to clear malfunctions and such. I suppose no reason to ravk hard for administrative stuff. My Wilson runs golden saber, HST and XTPs with no problems.

If you are close to Seymour I will help you with the detail strip when the time comes.

Wilson lube is your friend.

 

[romack991]

So, after this I had a little angst, cause, am I going to have to clean this thing every 400 rounds? Can I put a little oil in it at the range? I lost maybe a little confidence...

No, people get way to carried away with cleaning guns. I run a bore snake through mine before every match and give it a bit of oil, mobil1 5w30. That's probably every 500rds. About every month or so I'll pull the slide off and give everything a quick wipe down. That's about every 1500rds. Over the winter, I might do a full teardown and clean everything. Last year that was about 15k rounds. I've never had a issue related to a dirty 1911.

Second question. The Grip panels came loose..!..? This happens?!? Any reason not to blue Loctite those? I just can't understand the grip panels being designed where they can come loose. Other ideas?

Probably just wasn't snug and started coming loose. Snug it up and it shouldn't be an issue.

Third, I read in the manual that you shouldn't rack the slide forcefully to remove a live round? Something might hit the primer and fire it when you draw back on the slide. SO, if you have a malfunction, you gotta rack slowly and carefully? I am used to the opposite.

Rack away, just don't put your hand over the ejection port. I think the problem is some people put their hand over the ejection port and block the round from coming out. Then there could be the chance of it hitting the ejector after that.

Fourth, I've never cleaned my mags for ANYTHING before. You gotta clean these I bet huh?

No, unless you are consistently dropping them in the dirt. Shooting competition and dropping mags in the mud or wet sand, you'll want to clean them. For every day use, you'll never need to. BTW, Wilson ETM's have ran flawless for me.

FIfth and final. THe HI VIZ sight got dirty and lost all of its VIZ pretty easily. Any tips about that? Like Vaseline it before shooting so the gunk wipes off?

Is it fiber optic? When you get done, wet a q-tip with some IPA and wipe the gun power residue off it. That's about the best to keep it bright.

Congrats on a badass gun.

 

[churchmouse]

Where are you located. If you are close to Indy there are more than a few of us that wpould gladly help you diagnose issues.

 

[churchmouse]

No, people get way to carried away with cleaning guns. I run a bore snake through mine before every match and give it a bit of oil, mobil1 5w30. That's probably every 500rds. About every month or so I'll pull the slide off and give everything a quick wipe down. That's about every 1500rds. Over the winter, I might do a full teardown and clean everything. Last year that was about 15k rounds. I've never had a issue related to a dirty 1911.

And I would wager you are shooting decent ammo not the WWB he ran. That makes a dif.

 

[bwframe]

Brand new gun. ...

With all due respect, I think you are over thinking it. Yes, it would be nice if the gun ran 100% for your break in period testing. One failure that didn't duplicate in 500 rounds could be anything. It's still a machine, regardless of the money spent. Things can rattle loose, as evidenced, and things will settle in.

If I were you, I'd take this new found "laser" like shooting and put this sweet gun to work. Shooting competition is a true test to wring out your gun and crazy fun while you are.

 

[halfmileharry]

With all due respect, I think you are over thinking it. Yes, it would be nice if the gun ran 100% for your break in period testing. One failure that didn't duplicate in 500 rounds could be anything. It's still a machine, regardless of the money spent. Things can rattle loose, as evidenced, and things will settle in.

If I were you, I'd take this new found "laser" like shooting and put this sweet gun to work. Shooting competition is a true test to wring out your gun and crazy fun while you are.

BINGO.....One round means absolutely nothing even in a break in period. (what ever that is).
Shoot away.
Number mags, keep a round count Diary and keep notes. I've came up with all kinds of Genius on the toilet reading my notes.
You'll figure out what you like best.
OH, grip screws? Lightly snug them and don't worry about them. I'm sure they weren't tightened at the factory.
Damn, wish I had another new gun.

 

[VERT]

The G10 grips on my guns get loose after a couple hundred rounds. Just snug the grip screws back down and carry on.

 

[craigkim]

The G10 grips on my guns get loose after a couple hundred rounds. Just snug the grip screws back down and carry on.

Thanks for all your ideas. I got some federal American eagle ammo from midway, as it was one of the brands Wilson recommended in the manual. That'll keep me going for a bit until I can get reloading. I think I just had things too dirty all in all and that caused my one issue. My hands looked like I was a coal miner when I was done.

at first, I also wondered why they made the grip screws a standard screwdriver slot instead of a torx or hex, but now as I think about it, it's allot easier to find a tool in a pinch for a slot than hex or torx.

Im in fishers, so not far from Indy but a hike from Seymour. I Appreciate the offers to help. I'll let you know if I need it. Thanks.

 

[VERT]

I prefer the hex head grip screws. But honestly the standard flat head slotted type make more sense on a carry gun.

 

[Mike Elzinga]

Don't think yourself out the game. Just shoot it. If you have another failure in the next 1000 rounds, call Uncle Bill and ask him whats up. Number your mags and see if one of them has a recurring issue. I run a bore snake through the barrel every few hundred rounds, if I remember, but otherwise I don't really clean them until the trigger gets crunchy. If a WC gun won't run dirty, Im sure Uncle Bill would want to know about it. Any american made, brass cased ammo should be fine, some may be dirtier, but again, If your gun won't run any commonly available ammo, the manufacturer will want to know. It was 1 round, don't let it drive you crazy, just keep pouring ammo through it until you regain the confidence that you shouldn't have lost.

 

[Bully1]

Just like everyone has said, my luck with white box ammo is far from good. Use Remington if you have to use cheap stuff. As far as failure to return to batt, it's the ammo cause I've had the same issue with my Kimber. You think with the quality and cost of the WC it wouldn't have any issues but the ammo is where it's at!

 

[craigkim]

Just like everyone has said, my luck with white box ammo is far from good. Use Remington if you have to use cheap stuff. As far as failure to return to batt, it's the ammo cause I've had the same issue with my Kimber. You think with the quality and cost of the WC it wouldn't have any issues but the ammo is where it's at!

I ran about another 300 rounds through it last week. I ran a majority of the federal american eagle, a box of umc, and then another maybe 75 rounds of win 3 gun. No issues. The gun was visibly cleaner, as were my hands using these ammunition lines. All were 230 grain. Seems, that I essentially gummed up the gun last time with the wwb. I did run it wetter this time though with clp so that is another potential variable.

 

[ilcaveman]

I use clear nail polish on my grip screws that come loose. Holds the screw and east removal.

 

[Spyco]

Just out of curiosity, what company made your 1911. All these things you are mentioning doesn't sound like a Rock Island gun, but it's not a totally tricked out gun from Kimber. All these posts about generic 1911 issues are great, but some manufacturers have different issues right out of the box. Most triggers are awful and the slide to frame maybe rattling to ultra tight depending who it's from.

Check out Youtube videos. They can be some of the best info on a gun that you can look for besides weapon specific forums.

I have a Colt Series 70. It's old, it's not pretty, but it's a Colt. It can't run a full box of 50 without a failure, but I still love the gun. Something you might encounter with a 1911.