1911 question

gunner81

I was shooting my Sig 1911 10mm today and the slide locked open like an empty mag but the mag wasn't empty and without a mag it stays locked open and so far I can't see anything blocking the slide or holding it open the gun is pretty new a little over a year old and i know no where near 1000  rounds through it any ideas what to look for

earlyagain

Could you have nudged the stop with your left thumb well shooting?

Zee

My guess is your support hand grip engaged the slide release. 

Wambli Ska

There is no spring in the gun that can push it up except for the mag follower/spring so something had to push it up for it to engage.  As Zee said, probably your own hand under recoil.

Bigslug

Shoot the gun left handed.  If the problem goes away, then it's grip interference.

Spk

Bigslug said:

Shoot the gun left handed.  If the problem goes away, then it's grip interference.

^This^

If it continues remove the slide stop plunger and spring, check for an obstruction in the plunger tube but I'm guessing it's a shooter induced issue.

gunner81

it is locked open and wont release at all and the slide stop is not engaged

gunner81

the slide wont move it is locked in the open position

gunner81

the slide stop never engaged that's the first thing I checked the slide is a little past where the slide stop is on the gun and the slide stop button/lever wont move up into the stop cutout

Justsomedude

If the slide is stuck back/open without the lever actually engaging it, I've had to repair one like that before and I can't remember what caused it, it was so long ago. I remember that it had something to do with the slide overtraveling too far rearward which would get it stuck. I want to say that a neoprene recoil buffer fixed it.

Wambli Ska

gunner81 said:

it is locked open and wont release at all and the slide stop is not engaged

Oh sorry, poor comprehension in my part.  That’s a new one on me!

jwv2001

I'm trying to figure why the slide would bind in the open position on a 1911.  One of the first things you could do is field strip the gun, clean and lube the slide and rails.  Try to replicate the "bind" by just working the slide by hand.  If it is binding you should be able to detect it at the end point of the slides travel.  Strip it again and look for wear spots on the rails or slide.  Get a little 400 grit wet/dry and polish at that spot.  Your gun is relatively new so it could still need to be broken in.

gunner81

I got the gun apart by forceing it open and what I found was the barrel wont freely move forward and backward in the slide even taken apart and pushing the barrel into the slide it wont freely back into it the fatter chamber is catching /rubbing the inside of the slide

gunner81

this is not good all I can come up with is that the chamber expanded but there is nothing that I can see

Wambli Ska

Commercial ammo or reloads?  And you are correct, this is not good.

gunner81

wheel weight lead 170 gr. .400 diameter  reloads that looks like I had a little buildup in front of the chamber

gunner81

the gun was clean before being fired and this happened on the 2nd mag so 14 rounds max went through it

Wambli Ska

Did the ejected cases look ok?

bullsi1911

Contact SIG.  See if they will fix it for you.

gunner81

Wambli Ska said:

Did the ejected cases look ok?

everything was normal and at first I thought that I grabbed a mag that I didn't fully load until I ejected the mag and realized there were still shells in it

earlyagain

I either saw or read somewhere that sometimes the notch on the slide stop. Not the frame, the removable stop. Is occasionally machined wrong or not enough. I can't recall the details, but the more knowledgeable people here or further research can maybe sort it out.

gunner81

I have a Ruger 10mm 1911 so I tried the Ruger bbl in the Sig and it worked as far as not getting stuck it wont go all the way in because the chamber end is a little different and the Sig bbl gets stuck in the Ruger slide at the same point as the Sig bbl was getting stuck so I tried my Sig Tribal 1911 in 45 just to see if it cleared the sticking point and it does clear but the barrel itself is so much different that I didn't even bother with it so it appears to be the barrel thats the problem why I don't know the gun didn't sound any different or have a different recoil

Spk

What you're describing seems like a barrel issue, if the gun under warranty contact Sig.

If you have a micrometer, measure the barrel dimensions to see if there is any bulging around the chamber.

Is the gun brand new or previously owned?

Justsomedude

Does the barrel retaining ring move freely?

Jayhawker

gunner81 said:

wheel weight lead 170 gr. .400 diameter  reloads that looks like I had a little buildup in front of the chamber

Are these your reloads or ones you picked up someplace? if this tracks back to being an ammo issue, its likely you voided any warranty you may have had....

Wambli Ska

Jayhawker said:

gunner81 said:

wheel weight lead 170 gr. .400 diameter  reloads that looks like I had a little buildup in front of the chamber

Are these your reloads or ones you picked up someplace? if this tracks back to being an ammo issue, its likely you voided any warranty you may have had....

Yeah, I don't think I'd mention reloads when contacting SIG.

gunner81

Spk said:

What you're describing seems like a barrel issue, if the gun under warranty contact Sig.

If you have a micrometer, measure the barrel dimensions to see if there is any bulging around the chamber.

Is the gun brand new or previously owned?

New about a year old

gunner81

Justsomedude said:

Does the barrel retaining ring move freely?

Yes

gunner81

Jayhawker said:

gunner81 said:

wheel weight lead 170 gr. .400 diameter  reloads that looks like I had a little buildup in front of the chamber

Are these your reloads or ones you picked up someplace? if this tracks back to being an ammo issue, its likely you voided any warranty you may have had....

yes I'm sure it wont be covered under the warranty and they are my cast reloads that I was firing all day out of 7 other 10 mm guns could this one have been double loaded or seated too deep I'm sure it could have happened 

Jayhawker

gunner81 said:

Jayhawker said:

gunner81 said:

wheel weight lead 170 gr. .400 diameter  reloads that looks like I had a little buildup in front of the chamber

Are these your reloads or ones you picked up someplace? if this tracks back to being an ammo issue, its likely you voided any warranty you may have had....

yes I'm sure it wont be covered under the warranty and they are my cast reloads that I was firing all day out of 7 other 10 mm guns could this one have been double loaded or seated too deep I'm sure it could have happened 

Those things certainly could have happened...or a set back could have occurred as the round was feeding out of the mag...

earlyagain

I always check the neck dia against SAAMMI spec on auto pistol reloads.

Never had any leading. But Im using Oregon Trail bullets. Hard lead. And mine are 45acp. Slow speed.