New Champion problems

949 Views 15 Replies 7 Participants Last post by gyp_c, Jul 11, 2001

Double Tap

Discussion Starter · Jun 9, 2001

Hello Everyone, I'm new to the forum and hope you can help me with some problems I'm having with a new 1911. I have fired about 450 rounds through my gun, 350 of which were hardball, Winchester USA and UMC. Another 100 were JHP's and SWC's.

The problem I'm having is that the gun will jam on the last round in the magazine, FTF. The cartridge will make it up the feed-ramp and then balk as the rim is trying to go under the extractor. Only on the last round though. I thought it might be the factory magazines, so I purchased a Wilson 8 round mag and had the same problem.

This is not every magazine full, but out of the 450 rounds I've fired, it has happened probably 15 times.

I've cleaned the gun, I've lubed the gun. Any thoughts???

[This message has been edited by Double Tap (edited 07-19-2001).]

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Bear One

· #2 · Jun 25, 2001

Double Tap,

Have you tried different mags? I have had a Champion for about 7 years, but it only took me one MegGar mag to become suspicious of the 2 Springfield mags that came with the Champion. I have since placed both of the factory mags on the shelf and use Chip McCormick Shooting Star mags now. No problems to report, yet. However, I have only shoot about 2000 rounds using the CMSS mags. Just trying to help, since I was having the same problem with the factory mags.

Billy Ray

· #3 · Jun 26, 2001

Like Bear One said, it sounds like a mag problem. I would try the Shooting Stars--I've head great luck with them in all of my guns. Also, you might want to get some more rounds through your gun. Most guns should be broken in by 400+ rounds, but some take more. Give it another 500 rounds and let us know.

Good Luck,
Billy Ray

gyp_c

· #4 · Jun 27, 2001

http://www.sightm1911.com/index.htm

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/tech/reliability_secrets.htm

http://www.m1911.org/technic.htm

...Welcome to the world of the 1911...

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Nathan

· #5 · Jun 28, 2001

It may not be the mags if the Wilson doesn't work either. You said that it seems to balk when it hits the extractor, right? How does it feel when you just try and set a round to the extractor when the gun is disassembled? The extractor may need to be tuned which Springfield would do for you under warranty, but it may be easier and cheaper to have a smith do it if there is a good 1911 smith near by. I would guess about $30.

Gman8va

· #6 · Jun 28, 2001

My FS loaded was doing the same thing but switching to Wilson mags seems to have cleared it up. I noticed the last round out of the factory SA mags snagged a bit when unloaded manually.

Double Tap

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 1, 2001

Originally posted by Bear One:
Double Tap,

Have you tried different mags? I have had a Champion for about 7 years, but it only took me one MegGar mag to become suspicious of the 2 Springfield mags that came with the Champion.

Thanks for the reply Bear One. Yeah, I tried a Wilson 8 rounder, same problem. It got so I was just wasting ammo trying to figure it out. I sent the gun back to S/A and have had nothing but grief out of them so far, and they haven't even looked at the gun.

I will let you know if how it turns out.

Double Tap

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 1, 2001

Originally posted by Nathan:
It may not be the mags if the Wilson doesn't work either. You said that it seems to balk when it hits the extractor, right? How does it feel when you just try and set a round to the extractor when the gun is disassembled?

Hello Nathan, thanks for the reply. I'm pretty sure you are correct about the extractor. If I had been using my head I would have gotten on the internet and found you guys before I sent it back to S/A. Then I might have been able to fix it myself. Now I've spent $50 on Fedex overnight shipping(no UPS terminal near me)and I've been waiting for them to just look at my gun.

I need to learn a little patience!

gyp_c

· #9 · Jul 1, 2001

sOrry to hear it...Could you elaborate? What kind of "grief" are you getting? ...especially, since they haven't "looked" at it...Did they OK the return and pay for it?

Thanks In Advance.

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oldcolt

· #10 · Jul 1, 2001

I had this same problem with my Kimber. The solution may be an easy one though. I simply replaced the stock magazine spring on my *new* Wilson mag with a Wolff mag spring
and the problem went away instantly. The Wolff spring has more tension that you will notice when you try to load that last round.

hope this helps

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Double Tap

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 1, 2001

Originally posted by gyp_c:
sOrry to hear it...Could you elaborate? What kind of "grief" are you getting? ...especially, since they haven't "looked" at it...Did they OK the return and pay for it?

Thanks In Advance.

Hey gyp_c,

I got a RMA number from them, and sent the gun in. I had to use Fedex because I don't have a UPS terminal near me. UPS only allows firearms shipment from a terminal, not one of the mail places in the shopping malls and strip centers. Anyway, that cost me $50.

So I ship the gun to them and call the next day to see if it got there, yeah I'm a little paraniod, but even though the gun is an irritant, I still like it. It is a 1911 after all.

The person said that they did not have an RMA number for me and that they showed no gun. So I get a tracking number and a confirmation from the folks I shipped it and the guy's name who signed for it at S/A. I called S/A back and told them this and I was told that they were sure it would show up in repair within 48 hours.

I called back a week later and the gun still had not reached the repair dept. I was also told that my RMA had not been created when I said, so my gun had not been there as long as I said. So I had to produce the proof again that I had sent it when I said.

I called two days later and it is now in the repair dept., but they don't know when they will get to it because they are so busy. Busy fixing other guns that don't work I asked? That probably didn't help me any, but I'm a little sick of getting a curt answer every time I ask a question.

I got hold of Gary on the phone last thurs. or Fri. and ripped into him pretty fiercely, and then had to apologize because it turns out he seems to be a great guy. He offered to look into it and try and get something done. But he also said that they wouldn't be working but two days this coming week, 4th of July week, so it still might be awhile.

Like I said in a post above, I should have gotten on the internet and figured it out on my own. Probably would have worked out much more to my liking.

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gyp_c

· #12 · Jul 2, 2001

Hey...doesn't sound like YOUR fault to me!
I don't blame you at all...In fact, sounds like you're a lot nicer than me...(not hard to be)and at minimum a LOT more patient.

I had probs with my SA Champion at 600 rds...It was basically a bad parts set in mine. The ejctor and extractor were both bad after 600 rds...It just went to ****. I whined about it a couple times and a very cool guy I'd been communicating with asked me to send it to him for a check-up after I replaced the ejector and extractor...
He looked at he parts I replaced and completed the installations and adjustments as well as completing a trigger and reliability job that another smith had begun...It's fine now, but he was shocked at how poor the factory parts were. Of course so was I, but I had heard so many stories already, I wasn't surprised...

The factory can repair it. I'm sorry for ther grief you're going through though...about the last thing I needed when mine broke was any kind of BS about what I should do...I shouldn't have even HAD to do anything...Im with ya' on it...If you haven't yet, maybe you could get in touch with Dave Williams. He was the most concerned employee I corresponded with and I know he's helped many with their SA problems...His e-mail is :::

[email protected]

It's worth a try. I would try telling him just the facts and see what he says...If you haven't yelled at him already, I think he may be able to help.
Good Luck and keep givin' us a heads up...

You can reach me at thye addy in my profile.

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oldcolt

· #13 · Jul 2, 2001

odds are, if it were an extractor problem then the failures would occur more often and not only on the last round. Wilson mags are the best but they are by no means perfect. Did you ever only load 2 or 3 rds in the mag?
Did you have the same problem with FTF?

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Double Tap

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jul 8, 2001

Originally posted by oldcolt:
Did you ever only load 2 or 3 rds in the mag?
Did you have the same problem with FTF?

Hello oldcolt,

Yes, I tried loading two and three rounds in the Wilson mag. I tried it for about 50 rounds. I got the same results, about 4 FTF's, all on the last round in the mag.

Hopefully I will get it back from SA pretty soon.

Double Tap

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jul 11, 2001

Hey Everyone,

Just got my Champion back from SA. A short note stated that they had polished the feedramp and checked with hollowpoints.

They sent it back Fedex, and Fedex left it on my back porch without anyone signing for it??? When I called SA and told them they were not happy with Fedex. Thankfully, my neighbors are good people and not too nosy.

I will give it a workout later in the week and write a range report.

Thanks for all the help.

gyp_c

· #16 · Jul 11, 2001

LOL...Scary huh...After all the crap they give us and then they do stuff like that!
At least the bad boy is HOME!!!

Let us know if they fixed the real problem...Sounds like they worked on it...Hopefully they just didn't tell you all the work they REALLY did...

Good Luck...

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I Like The Shade Too!

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