[Steve in Allentown]

Well, if I press the barrel all the way down and back as everyone shows, it is less than 1/32"

The gap can be greater than 1/32" but it should not be less than 1/32" when the barrel is firmly back against the VIS.

When the gun is together and I have the slide locked back, there is considerable forward to backward movement of the barrel because the locking lugs are not engaged.

This is normal.

. . . if the barrel is moved rearward the edge of the barrel is pretty much aligned with the feed ramp.

This is not what you want. Feeding occurs when the barrel is fully down on the barrel bed and back against the VIS. This is when the 1/32' gap is critical.

In the pic you can see where brass is being rubbed on the barrel at the bottom. Could this be why I have had an occasional misfeed or jam where the round gets stuck as it enters the chamber?

Without some accurate measurements it's difficult to know for sure what's causing the malfunctions. However, the bullet nose should not impact the barrel ramp. Rather, it should glide over it. If it impacts the barrel ramp with enough force, it will push the barrel forward and upward causing the barrel lugs to come into hard contact with the slide lugs resulting in a malfunction.

Some dimension of your barrel and/or slide is "off". It's possible that moving the barrel ramp slightly forward will fix the problem. In doing so the ramp will be moved forward enough to create the correct 1/32" gap as well as stopping the impact of the bullet nose against the ramp. You'll want to maintain the correct ramp angle also.

HOWEVER, this is not a task to be taken lightly. You should take the time to be 100% certain that there's not something else that's causing the malfunctions before firing up the dreaded Dremel and grinding on the barrel. You do not want to reduce case head support by moving the ramp forward too much.

Spec for the ramp angle is 35° but you don't want the unsupported length of the case to be more than .260". Less is better. So, it becomes a balancing act to get the ramp angle as close to 35° as possible while not exceeding .260" of unsupported case.

Gap between barrel throat and feedramp

Barrel Overhang Modification Photo

 

[Steve in Allentown]

Is the evidence of brass left on the bottom of the barrel ramp supporting that?

It is a strong indication for sure.

I just know that with the slightly shorter JHP it is not reliable enough to carry that ammo in it.

Describe "unreliable". Is the nose of the bullet on the frame ramp? Is the rim behind the extractor claw?

 

[Steve in Allentown]

I Thought the Max was 31.5 degrees. Any steeper and you get a 3 way bind

You're correct that the max is 31.5° but the min is also 31.5°. It's the only 1911 blueprint dimension I can recall that has no allowance for variance. Can you get away with a 29° or a 33° ramp angle? Sure but you're tempting fate and the result may well be that the the pistol will only function with specific types and OAL ammo.

Here are some critical dimensions.

EDIT to add

I just realized you're questioning the angle of the barrel ramp not the frame ramp. Yup, the barrel ramp spec is 35°. The frame ramp spec is 31.5°.