Repair / Evaluation of 1911 in Fort Wayne?

[greyhound47]

My boss / friend has a nice officer size 1911 called an Amigo. It is a beautiful gun but it is a jam-o-matic. Three different people shot it with various types of ammo and it jammed a lot through it all. The first time I felt the gun I thought it's recoil spring was too weak. He sent it back to the manufacturer, supposedly, through Gouger Mountain. It came back saying, "the gun is fine. Shooter is limp wristing". Three different people shot it with limp wristing as a possibility in mind and it continued to happen.

Can you just get varying levels of spring strength and keep replacing them until it works or should this be performed by a gunsmith? Let me know if you have any ideas!

 

[Hoosier Glocker]

I had a commander model of that same brand with problems. I also had the same experience trying to get it fixed through Gander Mountain (they're useless). BTW, they don't ship it back to the manufacturer, they are a warranty repair center for these guns and just ship them to their gunsmiths.

There are other dealers/gunsmiths throughout the country where you can send it for warranty repair listed in the manual. The problem is you have to pay for shipping. The only reason I used Gander Mountain was to avoid the shipping cost.

I just ended up getting rid of mine at a loss rather than spending more money trying to get it fixed. I won't be buying any more cheap 1911's.

 

[Double T]

What magazines are you using?

I have the government and commander and have had zero problems with wilson mags.

Can you also explain what kind of malfunction is happening with pictures? Stove pipe? FTF, FTE, Failure to return to battery.

A lot of problems with extraction may be solved with a longer extractor. if it's failing to extract, perhaps the spring is too stiff?

If its failing to feed, get rid of the crappy mags they give you with it. Trust me. The top round nose dives like CRAZY.

I've read of issues with the specs on the mag catch, but I believe this is the first amigo ive read about with issues. Really can't help without pics or a better description of the failure.

 

[Double T]

I will be at roush first thing in the morning. I might look it over if the owner is there.

 

[sloughfoot]

What magazines are you using?

I have the government and commander and have had zero problems with wilson mags.

Can you also explain what kind of malfunction is happening with pictures? Stove pipe? FTF, FTE, Failure to return to battery.

A lot of problems with extraction may be solved with a longer extractor. if it's failing to extract, perhaps the spring is too stiff?

If its failing to feed, get rid of the crappy mags they give you with it. Trust me. The top round nose dives like CRAZY.

I've read of issues with the specs on the mag catch, but I believe this is the first amigo ive read about with issues. Really can't help without pics or a better description of the failure.

This is really an excellent answer. Get a Wilson mag and shoot the gun. If it malf's with a Wilson mag then get it to Jerry Johnson for tweaking.

 

[greyhound47]

Thank you for the thoughtful replies. Great points. I am guessing the spring is too weak (bc it sure feels weak) and the mag is crap. It is not returning to battery / FTF.

 

[Double T]

Failure to feed on the 1st round is typically a mag issue. If it's consistently a certain number from a full mag the feed ramp might be out of spec.

If it's just not going into battery either the rounds are too week or the spring is too stiff. Cycle the crap outta that slide and see if she loosens up, if not, buy a lighter spring.

 

[drillsgt]

Hi, sorry to hear about your friends problems. Unless I missed it nobody is going to really be able to help you unless you specifically discuss what type of malfunctions you are having as there are different causes. Are you having failures to feed or failures to eject or both etc.

 

[greyhound47]

Hi, sorry to hear about your friends problems. Unless I missed it nobody is going to really be able to help you unless you specifically discuss what type of malfunctions you are having as there are different causes. Are you having failures to feed or failures to eject or both etc.

As I stated above, it is not going into battery / FTF. The number of rounds in to the mag are not predictable. The more the gun is shot the less it does it.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Sounds like you are limp wristing.

Seriously though, great advice already given.

 

[Armed-N-Ready]

Lots of good advice already.

How many rounds have been run through it? Some 1911s are a little fickle for the first few hundred. Springs and magazines are the most likely causes of FTF failures like you described. I've also played around with loads to determine what the best load is for each 1911 but in general they should shoot almost anything you feed it. Hope the solution comes quickly.

 

[greyhound47]

How many rounds have been run through it? Some 1911s are a little fickle for the first few hundred. Springs and magazines are the most likely causes of FTF failures like you described. I've also played around with loads to determine what the best load is for each 1911 but in general they should shoot almost anything you feed it. Hope the solution comes quickly.

Good point, Rick. We only fired about 70 rounds through it. We're going shooting at Hillside Sunday. We'll try it some more. You up to go with us?

 

[drgnrobo]

I have heard good things about Kustom Ballistics in Decatur for 1911 tuning.

Address 1684E 900 N
Decatur, IN 46733
Phone: 260-724-3065
sales@kustom-ballistics.com
But also have heard rumblings of retirement a few months ago

 

[Double T]

If it malfunctions again, snap a pic and note what round it happens each time. Also need to know if the cartidge is in the chamber but the slide isn't hitting with enough force to push the round in. Also need to know if the cartridge "lip" is going under the extractor before going into batter (extractor slamming into case stopping full battery)

Each round slams into the feedramp at a different angle from the magazine, which is why we need to know if its consistently in the middle of a mag. If its at number on or seven, odds are its a mag issue.

If I didn't have a birthday party I would come over, but, prior obligations :-(

 

[dhw9am]

Beware!

As soon as someone says Gander Mountain, I get an a** ache.

 

[Kagnew]

This is really an excellent answer. Get a Wilson mag and shoot the gun. If it malf's with a Wilson mag then get it to Jerry Johnson for tweaking.

+1 on Jerry Johnson in Churubusco.

 

[midget]

Neil Keller at kustom ballistics is the best in the area... He did a lot of work on my last 1911 and built my current limited gun...