Answer

When the slide stops, something is binding. Find what’s binding and fix it. 🙂

Okay, what I do, and don’t consider me an expert at this, is to put lipstick, magic marker or Dykem on the parts, cycle it a few times and check where the markings have been worn or transferred to another part. For me, at this stage, lipstick works best. The magic marker and Dykem don’t transfer well enough for me to see what’s happening.

By the way, wait about two weeks and all sorts of garish lipstick and nail polish are available cheap at the after Halloween clearance sales. 🙂

For your specific issue, I can’t tell from the description what you have done or what still needs to be done, but I’m thinking the link may be an incorrect size as another option to look at. This also might be a good question for the pro course web cast, since Ken will diagram it out so it’s easier to see the relationship when fitting the barrel. Go back through Gene Shuey’s 1911 course DVDs too, if you have them. Jeff

Answer

I’m no expert either. But it does sound like the link being a bit too long, so that the barrel didn’t tip down far enough to clear the lugs under the slide. -TL

Answer

Sounds like there could be a couple of potential problems. The slide stop could be coming into contact with the feet lugs. As the link rotates in an arc the slide stop can come into contact with the feet and simply not clear it. This should be easy enough to check, with the barrel out of the gun install the slide stop into the link and see if the link can rotate completely from one position all the way over to the other. It could also be that the feet lugs are contacting the frame before the barrel has had enough room to drop down fully out of engagement. This is from a longer link but not necessarily one that is too long since you say the barrel locks up. Ken

Question Follow Up

I checked the feet & they don’t need to be fitted. I did check the slide stop for rubbing & that is good. I do have some different sized links so I will try a smaller one but according to the math it should be the right size. I did put some sharpie on the hood & noticed that there is a little spot in the middle of the hood that appears to be rubbing on the breach face so maybe I didn’t get it perfectly flat. It took 6 weeks to get the barrel & I’ve been messing with it on & off for a couple weeks. Owner is pretty easy going but I really want to get this thing done.

I tried swapping in shorter links with no luck. I did notice some rub/contact marks between the right side of the barrel lug & the frame. Also this has the Clark/Para ramp with the rear of the barrel lug rounded. It acquired a shiny spot on each side of the lug where the rounded rear meets the flat sides. I lightly hit it with a stone but it still rubs. The frame has a hard edge that appears to be hitting those spots on the rear/side of the lug but it will slide through there just fine by hand. I have watched a couple of Gene’s 1911 videos and I have the pro course but haven’t watched it in a while. Obviously I’m missing something. I see no signs of any issues with the frame or slide. This did have a bulged barrel from a squib load and then another fired behind it cleared the barrel. When I got it it was locked open because of the bulged barrel.

Answer

The hood not fitting should not cause your issue unless it is so tight that the barrel doesn’t want to drop down out of engagement with the slide. A shorter link would cause the slide stop to hit the foot/feet/bottom lug more. I still think the barrel isn’t dropping down far enough to clear the slide before the back of the feet/foot contacts the frame. Ken

Answer

   That brought me to my current thought process of a shorter link.

It makes sense. If you post your measurements we can help you figure out what link you need. I miscalculated the first time I put in a link and didn’t split the diameter of the holes/pins, so I included the diameter both holes as my length. Needed to order a different link after I figured that out. Brownell’s has a link kit of various sizes that’s about $25 that can help. One (maybe several) manufacturers have links in half sizes too. Jeff

Answer

Correct but you said previously with the barrel out of the gun and the slide stop thru the link that the slide stop and link would travel thru their complete travel distance without binding. Ken

Question Follow Up

Correct, it will rotate through the arc. What I did notice is with everything put together minus the slide stop pin, it will cycle. However, when the barrel comes down low enough to let the slide pass over it & cycle I can’t get the slide stop pin into the frame because a small amount of the feet is blocking the hole.

What I have done so far is to remove metal from the feet to allow the slide stop pin to go into & through the frame hole in the unlocked position. That didn’t seem to help. I then fit it for a .005 shorter link. Upon try to cycle the slide it had the same results except now if I push down on the barrel I can get the slide to pull rearward. It is pretty tight but it will move. So I think I’m on the right track. I need to check lock up & see where it’s at. I think it should still be in spec & if I can afford another .005 I may try to go 1 link shorter.

Follow Up

Got it! The problem was the radius & width of the lower lug. I thought I had checked that multiple times. After thinning the lug just a little it will now unlock & the barrel is able to pass further rearward into the frame recess. At this point the safety will not engage since the slide will not come fully forward. I used the Brownells’ lug cutter to the point where the slide is flush with the frame. However, when assembled with the slide stop pin the slide is still being held back slightly from flush with the frame. I think the barrel holder is holding the barrel higher (more lock up) than when assembled with the link & slide stop pin. Therefore the lug cutter isn’t able to take off as much material as needed. It looks like the slide stop pin is stopping just slightly before the very rear where it should. I may need to remove a little more of the flat area by hand so the pin stops on the rear of the feet. Thoughts?

Answer

The feet of the barrel lug stop against the slide stop. So you will want to match the contour of the slide stop shaft to the barrel feet and take off material here until the slide moves are enough forward to position the slide where you want it. Ken

Question Follow Up

I remembered I installed a #2 link when trying to get the barrel to unlock. I have gone back and put the standard link back in which is the correct size. The allowed the slide to come forward slightly & the safety to be able to be engaged. With upward pressure on the barrel during the pencil test it has a slight catch at the moment of unlock. With the shorter link it does not have that problem. I shot it with the long (standard) link in it before the pencil test & had zero issues. Is there a long term effect that is problematic? With the .005 shorter link no catch at unlocking but the safety will not engage as the slide is too far rearward. Also with the shorter link the lower rear of the lug doesn’t contact the frame as well as it does with the longer link. How important is good full solid contact. I would think over time it would stretch or break the link if there wasn’t something else helping to take the force? With either link I don’t have great frame to lug contact. Only on the outside edges. With all this in mind will this be OK with the standard link installed or should the shorter link be used & refit the feet to allow the slide to come forward like Ken mentioned?

Answer

Okay, first, fit the hood. Then the upper lugs to get the proper lockup. Then the bottom lugs. Also the bushing, if needed.

Now that those are all fit, you fit the link. Measure the diameter of the slide stop hole in the frame (Gauge pins work well here). Divide in half for measurement A. Measure the diameter of the link pin (Calipers). Divide in half for measurement B. Measure from the bottom of the lower lugs to the bottom of the link pin hole (Calipers again) in the barrel for measurement C. A + B + C = Link Size. Pick the closest one. Install it. 🙂 Jeff

Question Follow Up

Well I have done that. The standard .278 link is what the math says.I just wasn’t sure about the slight catch during the pencil test with upward pressure on the barrel. As I said it seems to shoot fine. I guess it’s good to go.

Answer

Slight catch with the pencil test means the barrel is contacting the frame just before the barrel locking lugs clear the slide locking lug recesses. Fit the rear of the barrel foot lug so the barrel can move farther to the rear and therefore lower and that should cure the pencil test issue. It sounds like you are close so it should only take a couple of swipes with a file. A shorter link will decrease your lock up and more is better so make the longer link work. Ken

Reply

Great. Thanks for all the input.