1911 Pistols and Jamming: A Short Guide

As revolutionary as the 1911 was when it was introduced to the United States Armed Services more than 100 years ago, it was not without its design shortcomings.

Well, not that there’s anything inherently wrong with the design of the venerable 1911, but they do tend to jam quite a bit.

This short post will break down the common causes of 1911 jams. Many jams, but not all, are caused by 1911 magazines, which will be an area of focus here.

Limp-Wristing

The first thing we will look at is a phenomenon called “limp-wristing.”

Limp-wristing occurs when a shooter does not maintain a strong grip on the 1911 when shooting. Since 1911 pistols are recoil operated, they need to be held with firm force when shooting, as the slide must move backwards far enough to extract and eject the spent cartridge before feeding the next one.

If you limp-wrist a 1911, there won’t be enough force for the gun to work against, and so most commonly what will happen is you’ll get a type of jam known as a “stovepipe” in which the spent casing will be wedged in between the slide and barrel.

If you get stovepipe jams frequently enough, you need to establish a firmer, tighter grip on the gun when shooting. You can’t let your arms be like limp noodles; you need to hold the gun securely.

That should solve the problem. If it doesn’t, your issue is likely the extractor or ejector.

The Ejector or Extractor is Damaged or Missing

The extractor claw is responsible for gripping the casing’s rim and pulling it free of the chamber; the ejector actually spits it out of the action.

If either of these two parts are missing, damaged, or very dirty, expect that condition to have an adverse effect on feeding. Improperly functioning extractors and ejectors can definitely cause jams.

Also, the springs that actuate them can be the culprit so if the extractors or ejectors themselves look to be in good order, check the springs.

Also, on the note of the gun being dirty, that can be the issue, too.

The Gun Is Very Dirty

Over time, fouling can accumulate in the chamber and around the action. If it encrusts the extractor claw, it can inhibit it from freeing the casing after the gun is fired.

But, another thing that can happen with a very dirty chamber is that it can prevent the action from extracting the spent casing.

You see, if a chamber is very dirty, when the gun is fired, the pressure will force the casing out against the inside of the chamber wall. The dirtier it is, the more friction there will be as a result, and the harder it will be for the extractor to pull the empty casing free.

In truth, you may be able to fix jams and feed issues by cleaning and perhaps polishing your 1911’s chamber.

The 1911 Mag Is Not Seated Properly

As stated at the outset of this article, your 1911 mag may be the culprit, and the most likely scenario, if the jams you’re facing are failures to feed, is that the mag is simply not seated properly.

Here’s something you can do to check. First, clear the 1911 and make sure there is no live ammo around, then load a few snap caps in the 1911 mag.

Lock back the slide, charge the mag, and give it a good, sharp rack up into the mag chute. You should feel it click in place. Release the slide, and it should easily and fluidly strip off and chamber the first snap cap.

If that did it, your problem was that you weren’t seating your mag.

The 1911 Mag Springs Are Fatigued

Another problem with 1911 magazines is that the mag spring could be fatigued. If your mag spring is on the way out, it won’t be exerting adequate upward pressure on the rounds in the mag, making it difficult for the mag to feed.

If this happens, and you’re sure the mag is properly seated, you might be getting some failures to feed in which the round hangs up on the feed ramp.

The 1911 Recoil Spring Is Fatigued

Lastly, if your 1911’s recoil spring is fatigued, it will also cause failures to feed. The recoil spring must be able to maintain enough energy to strip off the next round, feed it into the chamber, and return to battery at the end of the action’s cycle.

If the spring is starting to wear out, it might not be able to close all the way. In this event, what you’ll notice is that the slide will close part of the way but the action won’t reset. The first thing to do in this situation is check the recoil spring and replace if necessary.

Here for 1911 Mags or Gun Parts?

We carry a wide range of gun parts (including slides, barrels, and even pistol frames) along with 1911 mags that are tops for quality and priced very affordably. Check them out on our website and get in touch with us if you’re looking for a gun part that you can’t easily find.