S&W E Series 1911 Advice

[jsnbourne7]

Greetings! I recently bought a brand new S&W E Series 1911 (.45 ACP). It's my first 1911. Beautiful gun. I opted for it opposed to Kimber because it felt best in my hand, perfectly balanced. Came with two mags and I bought and additional Wilson Combat 10 round magazine. Took it to the range for an initial test. Put 100 rounds through. And I love the way it shoots….

When. It. Feeds…..

It will NOT chamber a round with a full magazine.

With ball ammo, it will consistently feed with 6 rounds in the mag. Sometimes with 7. Never with 8. The fuller the magazine is, the more the bullets want to nose dive and get stuck going up the feed ramp. And my usual carry load in my other guns is Hornady Critical Defense; if I put more than three bullets in, it won't load. It's like the polymer tip makes it stick on the ramp more. I've jammed like 10 bullets back into the case because of this problem.

I find it so difficult to believe that "I need to polish the feed ramp" to solve this as I've read on the internet…(I mean honestly: I will improve something that Smith & Wesson couldn't do?) and it's also hard to believe that I've got three faulty magazines from two different manufacturers failing the same way?

My plan is to throw another 500 rounds through it before I contact S&W. Maybe it just needs a proper break in? But I'd love to hear some direct advice & thoughts on this issue with folks more experienced than I…

Thanks in advance!

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[RVTECH]

Did YOU - thoroughly disassemble and clean the gun (and mags) prior to shooting it?

If NOT then please do so and report back.

The S & W E Series 1911 is one of the best non - custom 'off the rack' 1911s I have ever seen. A friend of mine bought one a few years ago and it was flawless on our first outing with it - but he had previously performed a complete cleaning.

Mags can make or break a 1911.

A guy gave me a a SS Colt 8 rounder several years ago and it WILL NOT feed # 8. I have adjusted, polished, etc and it will only feed 7. The original 8 rounder that came with it works fine, along with some 'ancient' pre war 7 rounders I have had for many years, and throughout several 1911s that have never skipped a beat.

 

[jsnbourne7]

I did do a field strip, cleaning & lubrication job on it right after I brought it home. Not the mags though…

 

[TTSX]

If you're shooting 230 grain bullets, you can try 185s instead. They are much lighter and will be pushed up into position faster by the magazine spring. Or just try different mags altogether

 

[Koda]

If i recall, nosediving is a magazine issue. 1911 magazines have different feed lips and spring tensions, but its surprising to hear factory supplied mags have the issue. I would first contact S&W about this and let them figure it out under warranty. Test only with their mags.

 

[jsnbourne7]

If i recall, nosediving is a magazine issue. 1911 magazines have different feed lips and spring tensions, but its surprising to hear factory supplied mags have the issue. I would first contact S&W about this and let them figure it out under warranty. Test only with their mags.

It being a magazine issue is what makes sense to me too…but THREE different ones all causing it is what has me scratching my head….

 

[Koda]

It being a magazine issue is what makes sense to me too…but THREE different ones all causing it is what has me scratching my head….

Two, mags are counted by type or brand. Set aside the Wilson Combat mag for now. S&W will only warranty using their mags.

Take one of the S&W mags and field strip it, clean it inside. Dont lube it but make sure it runs smooth. Be sure not to put the spring in backwards.
Take that mag to the range and see if it runs fully charged.

 

[ORhutner]

Greetings! I recently bought a brand new S&W E Series 1911 (.45 ACP). It's my first 1911. Beautiful gun. I opted for it opposed to Kimber because it felt best in my hand, perfectly balanced. Came with two mags and I bought and additional Wilson Combat 10 round magazine. Took it to the range for an initial test. Put 100 rounds through. And I love the way it shoots….

When. It. Feeds…..

It will NOT chamber a round with a full magazine.

With ball ammo, it will consistently feed with 6 rounds in the mag. Sometimes with 7. Never with 8. The fuller the magazine is, the more the bullets want to nose dive and get stuck going up the feed ramp. And my usual carry load in my other guns is Hornady Critical Defense; if I put more than three bullets in, it won't load. It's like the polymer tip makes it stick on the ramp more. I've jammed like 10 bullets back into the case because of this problem.

I find it so difficult to believe that "I need to polish the feed ramp" to solve this as I've read on the internet…(I mean honestly: I will improve something that Smith & Wesson couldn't do?) and it's also hard to believe that I've got three faulty magazines from two different manufacturers failing the same way?

My plan is to throw another 500 rounds through it before I contact S&W. Maybe it just needs a proper break in? But I'd love to hear some direct advice & thoughts on this issue with folks more experienced than I…

Thanks in advance!

Smith and Wesson firearms come with a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser and since you bought it new I would work directly with them to resolve. I am sure they will have some standardized testing procedures for you to perform that will help them diagnose and determine if it needs to go back to S&W or is a user correctable issue. With today's ammo prices I wouldn't want to throw $250 worth of ammo at the problem and see if it improves. Continued problems with the gun will just further reduce your confidence in it and create a larger negative opinion that you will have to overcome.

 

[solv3nt]

Out of curiosity, why did the S&W 1911 feel better in your hand than the Kimber? Aren't the weight and dimensions close if not identical?

I would grab a WC 7 round magazine and see if that works. 1911's are notoriously magazine fickle.

 

[TTSX]

Out of curiosity, why did the S&W 1911 feel better in your hand than the Kimber? Aren't the weight and dimensions close if not identical?

I would grab a WC 7 round magazine and see if that works. 1911's are notoriously magazine fickle.

Possibly front strap checkering. My 1911s that have it vs the ones that don't feel very different from each other even when that being the only difference

 

[Quirt Evans]

Magazines, magazines, magazines.
https://how-i-did-it.org/magazines2/read-my-lips.html

 

[Koda]

Grip thickness, grip safety, front strap, arched mainspring, trigger undercut....

 

[jsnbourne7]

Out of curiosity, why did the S&W 1911 feel better in your hand than the Kimber? Aren't the weight and dimensions close if not identical?

I would grab a WC 7 round magazine and see if that works. 1911's are notoriously magazine fickle.

The biggest thing was balance. The Kimber was very 'nose heavy'…I felt like there was a weight on the end of the barrel. The S&W felt perfectly balanced (and still does with a full mag in it). And yes…the grip thickness and the strap textures were also part of it. The Springfield I held had the balance but idk it just didn't feel "right'… Smithy just fit the hand just as it should.

Put 400 rounds through today (230 grain)…minimal failures, got better as we went along. I think she just needs a good break in…..the Wilson Combat and a newly purchased Kimber mag were flawless.

Came home and tried racking a critical defense with a full 8 rounder…no dice. But with 7 in it racked.

Maybe another 500 rounds and she'll purr…..

 

[Koda]

Iirc, Kimber mags are made by Checkmate... good stuff.

 

[HA556]

Iirc, Kimber mags are made by Checkmate... good stuff.

Any way to verify current ones? I ask because here is a side by side of my factory supplied Kimber mag and one of my Chip McCormick mags. As you can see, both have the CMC followers. Identical with the exception of the side stamps.

 

[Koda]

Any way to verify current ones? I ask because here is a side by side of my factory supplied Kimber mag and one of my Chip McCormick mags. As you can see, both have the CMC followers.

View attachment 1832248
View attachment 1832251
View attachment 1832252

Ill have to check tonight. Its probably CMC who made them. I recall Wilson Combat bought out CMC and rebranded those mags.
Prior to that i learned Kimber mags were made by one of the better 1911 mag companies, and they were much cheaper, but the same thing, so I bought some... and they all worked great.
Ill dbl check tonight.

 

[Koda]

Any way to verify current ones?

Ill have to check tonight. Its probably CMC who made them. I recall Wilson Combat bought out CMC and rebranded those mags.
Prior to that i learned Kimber mags were made by one of the better 1911 mag companies, and they were much cheaper, but the same thing, so I bought some... and they all worked great.

Heres a pic of the follower. The mag has the Kimber logo on the bottom of the baseplate. The follower isnt a CMC Shooting Star, and I cant remember now anymore who made this type of follower. Kimber PN 1000172A.
Used to be able to get these for $20ea and they run great in my CCO.