Misfeed in wet weather?

[bbbass]

I don't use grease when it gets cold... even oil can gum up. Use a viscous-proof oil like FP-10 for ice cold weather shooting.

From the MSDS sheet: Severely hydrotreated mineral oils. Hmmmm.

 

[Flopsweat]

From the MSDS sheet: Severely hydrotreated mineral oils. Hmmmm.

Salad dressing?

 

[MilitantBEEMER]

I was using a red grease on my 1911 and experienced similar issues when it was cold out. Once the weather warmed it ran fine. I have since changed from a red grease to rem oil. No issues since.

 

[bbbass]

Salad dressing?

Really? Don't eat that stuff!!! And get your finger out of your brother's ear!!!

 

[drstrangelove]

From the MSDS sheet: Severely hydrotreated mineral oils. Hmmmm.

Wow, didn't know that. It's advertised to work without fail at freezing temps and it's never failed me. Never had a malfunction with my SBE using it. Had plenty of malfunctions using white lithium grease, Remington teflon spay, even ballistol, but never fp-10.

 

[bbbass]

Wow, didn't know that. It's advertised to work without fail at freezing temps and it's never failed me. Never had a malfunction with my SBE using it. Had plenty of malfunctions using white lithium grease, Remington teflon spay, even ballistol, but never fp-10.

I'm not saying it's bad stuff. i just like to know what I'm using. Hey if it works, say la v.

I also had lots of malfunctions with lithium in my AR and Remington on my 1911. I've found a few synthetic lubes that work and I stick with em until something better comes along. Don't we all?

That's my story and I'm "sticking" to it.

 

[Koda]

I've had this happen a couple times lately with my Colt LW Commander 45. It usually goes like this:

1. I shoot through my pre-loaded mags (FMJ ball ammo). Everything is hunky dory.
2. It starts to rain/snow while I'm reloading the mags (FMJ ball).
3. I try to keep the rounds dry but it's impossible to prevent some moisture getting on them and into the mags.
   
4. I get a mis-feed on one or two mags (never the same mag) about halfway through.

This happens randomly with my Colt mags, and with my Wilson Combat mags. So far, I haven't been lucky enough to have a completely dry day (it's the Northwest after all), so I don't have a dry control to compare it to. But I suspect wet rounds can cause mis-feeds.

Does this correspond to your experiences?

I bought a Wilson Combat mag and it would misfeed rain or shine brand new. Is it the one with the plastic follower? I returned mine. Never had a Colt mag misfeed.

I don't think rain is your problem. Are you shooting cheap dirty ammo? How old is the gun?

 

[Vendor Hidden]

Are you shooting cheap dirty ammo? How old is the gun?

Shooting good quality FMJ ball ammo. Blazer Brass 230 grain.
The gun is a Mark IV Series 80 Colt LW Commander. It belonged to my dad and near as I can tell he bought it in the late 80's or early 90's brand new.

I'm inclined to think the problem is either me loosening my grip slightly while doing a quick-fire drill (limp-wristing), or a lubrication issue arising from the cold weather as we were outside for a couple hours in 25° weather.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Could be. I'm constantly reaching into the snow to pick up brass. Maybe I'm unconsciously loosening my grip, like P7id0T suggested.

Can you spread a tarp to prevent brass from melting into the snow?

 

[Koda]

The gun is a Mark IV Series 80 Colt LW Commander. It belonged to my dad and near as I can tell he bought it in the late 80's or early 90's brand new.

those are nice guns, mine never jams. Is it by chance one with a flat top slide?
25° is cold, but not really anything extreme. Maybe buy a new recoil spring depending on how much its been fired over the years.

 

[P7M13]

This.
The mags click when they are properly inserted into the pistol. They don't come loose. I don't think that's the issue.

@sigmadog I believe you misunderstood me. When you load the rounds into the magazine, do you tap the back side on a solid surface (table, work bench, your hand, etc) to force the cartridge to the back of the magazine follower plate? On the 45 magazines for my Kimber, there's not much slop, but I can leave 1/16" +/- behind the cartridge if I don't tap the mag. This is all done when loading the magazine, before inserting it into the mag well.
Point being, when the slide is coming forward and stripping off the bullet, if the bullet is already pushed forward, the upward force of the spring may not respond fast enough for the bullet to hit the feed ramp at the right angle and thus, get pushed into the chamber cockeyed.
I tap my mags out of habit, but did note that on my DPMS LR308 with the metal mags, if the cartridges are not pushed to the back of the mag, they often gall on the forward lip of the magazine and sometimes jackstraw on the feed ramp.

 

[Velzey]

Ever think you and your hands are just cold?

This is my exact thought, and limp wristing is also very easy to achieve in a Commander.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

@sigmadog I believe you misunderstood me. When you load the rounds into the magazine, do you tap the back side on a solid surface (table, work bench, your hand, etc) to force the cartridge to the back of the magazine follower plate? On the 45 magazines for my Kimber, there's not much slop, but I can leave 1/16" +/- behind the cartridge if I don't tap the mag. This is all done when loading the magazine, before inserting it into the mag well.
Point being, when the slide is coming forward and stripping off the bullet, if the bullet is already pushed forward, the upward force of the spring may not respond fast enough for the bullet to hit the feed ramp at the right angle and thus, get pushed into the chamber cockeyed.
I tap my mags out of habit, but did note that on my DPMS LR308 with the metal mags, if the cartridges are not pushed to the back of the mag, they often gall on the forward lip of the magazine and sometimes jackstraw on the feed ramp.

This is common practice for most shooters. I picked it up in the military, and it's so ingrained that I have to do it! Give the back of the mag a rap on my boot heel.

 

[Medic!]

This is common practice for most shooters. I picked it up in the military, and it's so ingrained that I have to do it! Give the back of the mag a rap on my boot heel.

I developed a bad habit of using my helmet.

Don't do that. Or one day your gona get a headache.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

try shooting with gloves when its cold out. may be limp wristing. also stuff tends shrinks when its cold and expand when its warm out so maybe keep'r lubed well to overcome added friction

 

[Medic!]

A ''Fun Fact'' nobody asked to hear.





When it comes to potential slide drag? Be it from grease, dirt, or dry metal?

A 1911 has 7'' of frame rail contact with the slide.
3'' of frame rail on each side of the frame.

A Glock has 1-1/2'' of contact area. If you count all four 3/8'' tabs.
And their thinner. So they lack the slide channel area of drag seen in the 1911.



I have no Idea why I felt compelled to say this.

Please don't kick me out of the 1911 club.
In the past, I have always been a member in good standing.

 

[Vendor Hidden]

@sigmadog I believe you misunderstood me….

Oh! Good idea. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I developed a bad habit of using my helmet.

Don't do that. Or one day your gona get a headache.

Yep! Me too, a habit I had to break after getting out. It's just so darned convenient!
'Sides, I'm pretty sure that's how John Wayne would do it!

 

[Kruel J]

You know, I was about to make a joke about ignoring the weather and switching to Glocks when I caught that the OP is running a Series 80 Colt. It dawned on me that my dad had one for years. And to be honest, I can remember being out with him on a cold rainy day shooting and having nothing but issues with the Series 80. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not.

That being said, if you're worried about cold weather shooting or choosing the right lubricant, skip all of that and shoot a Glock!

 

[Classic]

My EDC is a Colt Light weight Commander Talo edition. I found that the stock colt magazines had issues because the followers quickly degrade from new. I swapped out the guts with Tripp research components but that reduced capacity so I went with Wilsons. I saw that someone mentioned tapping your magazines and I'll admit I do this too, guns love consistency. I also use Gun butter to lubricate my slide rails... I no longer experience the issues you have