We get asked questions from time to time about troublesome 1911’s that have feeding problems. Our experience is that this is exception to this style of pistol and not the rule, but every now and then a 1911 will start to experience a strange type of hiccups. When this happens there are two culprits to rule out before you go any further.
1. Magazine: Are you using a cheap GI type magazine that came with the gun? If you are, upgrade to something like a McCormick or Wilson mag. Most feeding problems in autoloaders can be traced back to the magazine. Both of the aforementioned mags are high quality. We have found that Wilson’s mags cure even the crankiest of guns.
2. Extractor: Proper tension on the extractor is key to getting a smooth running gun. Slide a round under the extractor when the slide is off, and it should hold it. If not, you need to tweak it a little. If you are brave, you can bend the extractor to get the desired tension. If not, this is something your local gunsmith you should be able to take care of for you in a matter of minutes.
***If you take your 1911 to your local gunsmith and he doesn’t know where the extractor is on your 1911, RUN don’t walk out of the shop. Find someone who is familiar with that weapon system.