Poll: Ruger SR1911 Nosediving 1st Round

[Member 5605]

New off shelf Ruger SR1911

Issue:
When a loaded magazine is inserted and the slide is sent home, the first round (#7) is sent into a nosedive and locks up the action.

What ammo I have tried:

• I have tried factory 230gr RN-issue present
• I have tried 185 TC factory rounds-issue present
• 185 RN reloads-issue present

Magazines I have tried:

• Ruger factory magazines
• Kimber factory magazines
• Wilson tac magazines (thanks to Tarster)
• McCormick mags (thanks to Tarster)

Other things I've tried:

• Polished feed ramps thinking that may have been an issue. Issue still prevalent.

Today I went out and shot about 100 rounds or so using exclusively the Ruger magazines. The slide would bind on the first round 25% of the time. This wouldn't matter if I pushed up on the magazine while sending slide home.

After getting home I disassembled for a clean bit noticed this:


I'm getting two distinct spots that the rounds are hitting when being fed. Noticing the lower location is right at the bottom of the ramp where any round hitting that would bite and seize because nothing is kicking it upward to go into the chamber.

Contemplating the thought of taking a dremel and extending the feed ramp down another 1/8-1/16" to alleviate that bite.

I'd rather not send to Ruger at this point, while their customer service is great, I'm not sure if I'm ready for the possibility of any back and forths with this pistol if I get it back with note saying "no problem detected".

Currently have over 300 rounds through it at this point. The 230gr round nose ammo is 1.250" and I have the 185's at 1.250" as well. I did run some dry runs minus firing pin to see what was going on so I could slam everything around without the fear of a negligent discharge. I will attach a photo of the round below.

It's clear there how it hits. Don't mind the circular ring, that's just where the bullet seater was pressing.


Thoughts on my possible solution?

Read More

 

[jordanka16]

I would send it back to ruger, it does sound like something is wrong, I can count the number of times mine has jammed on one hand, over several thousand rounds. If they say nothing is wrong I guess you could take the dremel to it then.

Wayno your issue sounds like it could be weak magazine springs, or it could need some recoil and mainspring tuning.

 

[Levetti]

If you gently nudge the slide forward or tap the bottom of the mag really hard when it jams does the round chamber? I had similar issues with my Kimber until about 450 rounds. Mine just required a proper break in and now it has functioned flawlessly for the last 300+ rounds.

 

[Member 5605]

If you gently nudge the slide forward or tap the bottom of the mag really hard when it jams does the round chamber? I had similar issues with my Kimber until about 450 rounds. Mine just required a proper break in and now it has functioned flawlessly for the last 300+ rounds.

Mixed bag. When it bites hard, nothing will make it go forward.

Sometimes I could tap (ouch) hard and it would send the round home, other times... I banged it once on the table and it took some wood off so I didn't do that again.

I did notice though that sometimes if I held up on the magazine it wouldn't do it, but sometimes even doing that didn't help. Because of the inconsistency, I cannot commit and say that pushing up on mag would fix it.

Should also note that this only happens on the first round. I know the first round sticks up becuase it doesn't have the support from the rounds below as seen in these images:


While that's the case, it doesn't explain why mine fails to feed.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I'd check to see if loaded rounds are/can contact the slide stop.. they should not. If they hit that, they aren't as likely to go into the chamber.
Check it with the slide off, slide stop and loaded magazine in place.

 

[rick benjamin]

Get photos of failure to feed
Send photos and gun to Ruger

 

[KKG]

By polishing the feed ramp you have given Ruger an out on any warranty work. You should have sent it back when the problem first showed up. You might try it anyway.

 

[jrd541280]

At least give them a call. You may not be the only one with this problem.
That looks like some pretty hard hitting, I'd hate to see a loose crimped bullet get deeply seated and then go home and fired.
Keep us posted.

 

[Member 5605]

My cousins Ruger on the left, mine on the right.



Judging by the lack of feed ramp on mine, I'm thinking that is the problem.

 

[jrd541280]

Oooops.

 

[Mister Bisley]

Definitely send to Ruger. They will make it right. Heck, you might even get a new pistol

 

[Member 34319]

I vote send it back. It shouldn't be doing that in my opinion. Nor should it need to be "broken in".

I'm not a fan of things that need to be "broken in". In my eyes that just means the manufacturer didn't make a good product.

 

[SIG34]

I say it's your mag? I had same problem with a rock island after getting a Wilson Combat mag 100%

Also cleaning the gun and maybe polish the feedramp won't hurt

 

[coop44]

Are you racking the slide manually or dropping the slide with the slide stop?
Is the slide moving freely on the rails?
Is the ejector binding inside the slide?
Is the disconnector binding in its hole or is it or is it rough?
Honestly it could be almost anything making it do this your best bet is probably to send it back to Ruger or spend the money with the gunsmith to have it tuned

 

[Ura-Ki]

I'm sensing two problems here with the OPs pistol, One, the feed ramp doesn't look like it was fully cut to final depth, and two ( would need to see the underside of the slide) the breach face may be roughed up a bit or, the bottom of the breach which strips and feeds the rounds may not have the correct bevel!
Sounds like there are some issues with Ruger build quality, I'm seeing several people with basic fit and finish issues that should have been taken care of at the factory!

You guys decide to forgo Ruger on settling these issues, Definitely take them to @Velsey, he has all the correct tools and exact mil spec measurements and the experience needed to "fix" what shouldn't have been an issue!

 

[awshoot]

If it was me, it would be all I could do to prevent myself from working on that myself, though I'd probably choose a file over a dremel -- things go wrong fast with a dremel. That said, I would really try to force myself to send it to the factory to have it fixed.

 

[Member 5605]

Thanks guys.

and @awshoot, I have a rounded dremel stone that's perfect fit for the ramp.. I'd normally fix an issue myself but with a gun this new.. I'm going to reluctantly send it in.

I'm calling Ruger tomorrow and arranging this to be shipped back. After seeing the ramp from my cousins it made it clear as day what needs to happen as well as what is wrong. He is going to measure it tomorrow for me and I'll know how short my ramp is.

Thanks for talking sense into me everyone. Much appreciated.

 

[Velzey]

Ruger will make it right. Looks like they made the rough cut but didn't finish it up.
Ruger is really good about everything lately.
Blackhawk grip frame is broken? What's your business name and ffl #? Ok we will send one right out to you! I'm amazed at their customer service on several major problems
I've had.

Btw it doesn't matter if someone modified your Ruger or whatever. You can't void the warranty.

 

[Member 5605]

Ruger will make it right. Looks like they made the rough cut but didn't finish it up.
Ruger is really good about everything lately.
Blackhawk grip frame is broken? What's your business name and ffl #? Ok we will send one right out to you! I'm amazed at their customer service on several major problems
I've had.

Btw it doesn't matter if someone modified your Ruger or whatever. You can't void the warranty.

YOu know, the whole Rough Cut issue makes sense. As I look at the photos I took tonight of both frames, I can see where it looks like mine went through tooling #1 but was never finishes, especially how rough the ramp was when I got it. I've been browsing images on the web and all of the other ones look like they were finished.

 

[Velzey]

Somehow I missed this first pic!
Yah this ramp is not properly formed quite yet. ‍