[Hank+P]

Several months ago I purchased a CD EMS. Not long afterward I sent it back to the factory for service, the hammer would follow the slide down to half cock or rest. Took $30.00 and 3 weeks to get it back. Have had feeding problems sporattically with home grown stuff that works well in at least 3 other pistols since then. Several brands of mags, sometimes it cycles, other times it hangs up.
While cleaning it yesterday (after 200+ rounds)the slide movement was rough. The last inch or so of slide movement to the rear felt like running a very tight patch through a badly leadded bore. It appeared the slide was rubbing the top of the barrel as the slide started back. Marks on the barrel seem to confirm this. Just to make sure I had the cause of the problem I took out the spring and barrel and the tightness, creep ( if you described the motion of a trigger ) continued.
Tight is good but should I be looking at lapping or otherwise adjusting the slide/frame fit to make the movement smooth? Suggestions on how to make this happen? This exists with oil all over the rails.
Can't complain about the accuracy but would like to have some feed reliability. Thanks

 

[bjg-1911]

Trying to figure out what's causing your problem w/o being able to see the pistol is a tough one

...but there are some things you can do to try to smooth some things up.
I would examine the rails first...if they are 90 degrees and edges sharp I would conservatives bevel the edges with a #2 pillar file, on both the frame and opposing slide edges. Then I would get some 1000 grit garnet(non-embedding) lapping compound and dilute it with a nondetergent oil so you have more oil than compound. Lap the frame and slide w/o the disconnector and hammer-sear assembly in the frame. After several hundred cycles clean the "slurry" off the frame and slide reapply lapping compound and repeat. After the second time around oil the frame and slide and see if your roughness is gone. If not continue till it is gone

! Then reassemble with the disconnector in the gun and check how it cycles...if rough polish the disconnector rail of the slide and carefully polish the nose of the disconnector.Do the same with the breechface,
and check the extractor tension> If you don't know how to do this Go to Jack Weigands website to read about his tensioning jig.
And finally check the frame throat for horizontal machine lines which may slow down the feeding of the cartridges. Examine carefully because sandblasting will cover up a multitude of defects! You may have to sand the frame throat with vertical strokes of some #320 on a dowel to get rid of some of the sandblasting to see them...

!
....hope this helps- Barry

 

[Metal Smith]

Hi Hank+P, you said your barrel is rubbing on top of the slide, if this is the case the barrel bed in the frame may have to be lowered, its really tough to say without seeing it. Strip the slide & frame and work the slide to see if its binding. There can be a number of thing binding the pistol, use a majic marker to coat the parts to check for wear. What exactly is a CD EMS? Check the pistol out a little futher and get back with us, Pete

------------------
Metal Smith

The only thing I know for sure is what I can measure!
NRA Life Member

[This message has been edited by Metal Smith (edited 11-18-2001).]

 

[feedramp]

"Just to make sure I had the cause of the problem I took out the spring and barrel and the tightness, creep ( if you described the motion of a trigger ) continued."

If you took out the barrel, but the problem remained, then the barrel can't be a contributor to the problem.

The problem isn't a problem. Sort of. The slide is pressing the disconnector down, and the hammer, too. When that happens, the friction of the disconnector and hammer against the slide is easily felt, and can be misconstrued as abnormal. It isn't.

Even if the hammer is a full cock, when the slide gets to it, it will push the hammer back/down a little more than it is at full cock. Cycle the slide a few times slowly with the spring plug out so there is no resistance to rearward slide movement. You can also remove the barrel or not as you choose...it shouldn't matter. With the spring tension absent, you can more easily feel the friction of the disconnector and hammer as the slide travels the last inch or so rearward.

Remove the slide from the frame, and turn it over. Inspect the rear of the slide where it contacts the disconnector and the hammer, and see if the wear is even. Also inspect the top of the disconnector for a smooth surface, and similiarly on the bearing surface on the hammer.

If the hammer is wearing unevenly, then it will be pressing on one side of the slide as the slide moves back and forth. That will tend to make the slide to want to tilt in the direction opposite to the side of the hammer bearing surface that is higher...IOW, the side that is wearing the most, and thus will be shinier.

That means the slide will not be traveling evenly along the rails for that brief length of travel. Motion resistance will increase just that much more. If you have a tight slide/frame fit to start with, then the effects of this uneven pressure will become more pronounced.


Hope this helps.




[This message has been edited by feedramp (edited 11-19-2001).]

 

[Hank+P]

Thanks for the responses.
Metal Smith, CD EMS is a Charles Daly Enhanced Medium Size, full size frame, 4" bull barrel. I tried a colored marker across the top of the barrel and the tops of the lugs. Minor markings; not nearly as bas as I suspected. Quick passes with a small file, emory cloth and I think it clears.
Feedramp, I did notice the hammer drag across the back of the slide. The edge of the hammer looks like it needs a little Dremmel with rouge. The disconnector seems to have a rough spot on it as well. Thanks for the tips. After a little polishing I will try the slide without the hammer or disconnect and see if it is still rough.

 

[Metal Smith]

Hi Hank+P, sorry for the little bit of mis-imformation on lowering the barrel bed, I mis-read your post and over looked the part about you removing the barrel. Thank you "Feedramp" for pointing this out.
A little scuffing on the barrel is normal but of course you don't want bind. Your CD sounds a little rough, just be careful with that Dermel tool, Pete

------------------
Metal Smith

The only thing I know for sure is what I can measure!
NRA Life Member