Gunsmiths? Colt 1911 wont drop mags free.

[Sirshredalot]

Hello INGO.

My Colt Lieutenant Commander is having issues dropping mags free.

It is not specific to the brand of magazine and does it with all of them...this is also a "new" problem....and I have not changed anything about the gun.

I was at the range shooting some reloads, and I had a fail to feed using an old GI magazine, so I tried to drop the magazine to clear the jam and it wouldnt drop free...had to cycle the slide then pull the mag out.

UPON DISASSEMBLY:

I detail stripped the gun and the symptoms are as follows.

BARE FRAME ONLY: Mags insert and drop free with NO resistance whatsoever.

TRIGGER BOW: When dropping the bare trigger bow over a variety of magazines, it is smooth and does not catch giving no resistance.

MAGAZINE RELEASE: With the magazine release in the bare frame...magazines insert snug, but drop free and clean when depressed.

The problem arises when the trigger is installed in the frame...the trigger bow is rubbing on the magazine tube.

It does this with ALL of my mags...I tried tweaking it gently but to no avail.

What causes this and how do I fix it?

Please and thank you
God bless
-Shred

 

[ghitch75]

you need a trigger jig to make the bow square or as i do just work it with your hand till the mag drops free....

 

[Sirshredalot]

Thanks for the reply ghitch75,

I spent some time with the gun assembled and grips off....tweaking the bow with a screwdriver.

The diagnosis:...My Colt hates colt and mec-gar magazines now...but loves CMC's.

Got the bow straightened out and she feeds and drops CMC's every time....so its CMC mags from here on out.

Its amazing that what must have been .002 in overhang can make such a difference.

God bless
-Shred

 

[ghitch75]

yep it don't take much to get them to hang......glad your gettin' it worked out....

 

[texas123]

Replace trigger.

 

[ghitch75]

Replace trigger.

most are smith fit so you have to square them any way....