Causes of Stovepipes?

[Daddy Warcrimes]

Springers had a batch of bad extractors with their 2002ish models (or so the rumor goes). I had this problem with my Milspec; replaced the offending part now works flawlessly.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Sheldon J]

how smooth is the breech face. I've seen just this problem on a SA 1911 before that was solved with a little polishing

That seems to be the issue with almost every 1911 out there if you don't think so go hang out on the 1911 forum for a while.

[Rustynuts]

I did my own fluff/buff on it, so everything is smooth. This is a used gun, so break-in isn't a concern. Just shot 50-rds of +P Federal today out of 2 different Wilson mags and had about 8 FTF's! 6 or 7 of the stuck rounds. One so bad it almost flew out of the slide as a double ejection! Other 2 or 3 were slide lock backs.

I'm thinking maybe weak slide spring? I've been concentrating on a firm grip (maybe too firm), but these little 45's kick!

I've shot my brand new Kimber Ultra Carry (basically same gun as my problem SA Micro} the same or more rounds and haven't had a failure that I remember, so I'm not sure it's limp wristing.

[ghost tracker]

Y'all are kinda' goofy. Stovepipes are a direct result of...STOVES.

[cwblanco]

My used SA Micro has been throwing a stovepipe every now and then (3 in around 2-300 rds). Range guy said it was bad ammo, but it's the same ammo I use in all my range sessions and I've never had a stovepipe in any other guns, even an almost identical Kimber Ultra. Shot some Federal HST, and promptly got a stovepipe on the 4th round. So much for ammo as the culprit!

I'm thinking either a mag problem, or the short barrel is causing a mean muzzle flip that launches the next round at a bad angle to the barrel. One problem could be I'm using Kimber mags in an SA gun?

One frequent cause is magazine adjustment. Check to make certain that the top portion of the magazine where the round feeds is not too tight or too loose, and make certain there are no burrs on the magazine.

[ELCruisr]

One thing I can tell you is most 3" 1911's don't like +P. Too much slide velocity and the owners manual also says to avoid it. Mine also does not like Wilson mags but runs great on factory mags. SA also says they recommend the mags with the metal followers with a raised dot.

If the round count is an unknown you might want a new recoil spring assembly.

[sheepdog]

Is the breechface (bolt) past the rim of the cartridge when it seizes up? If it does, you have a bolt-over-base failure. If it is not, you have or may have what the experts call a 3 point jam. I think the fixes for the two are different, but I'd have to look them both up. First, find that out. And even before that, I second the motion that you drop the plus P stuff for the moment (as noted in above post, slide velocity can generate problems) and get it running with plain old 230 ball-then get wilder if you want.
One other thing, IF you have a CMC Power Mag around or can borrow one, try that. That will lift the cartridge more positively and maybe either solve or help the problem. I know SA says don't run anything except factory 7s, but I solved a similar issue in a Springfield Champ by just going to Power Mag 8s.
I suggest you start keeping notes on what you do to try to solve it, and alter only one variable at a time (ammo, mags, etc.) as you may be in for a period of experimentation and the notes will help, especially if you have to send it back to SA.

[citizen510]

I had a similar problem with my SA Micro Compact .45. I ran just over 200 rounds through in less than an hour, rapid firing all 8 mags, then reloading and rapid firing again, etc and that cured it. I had to wait 30 minutes for it to cool off enough to pack it away for the trip home from the range, but after a full strip and clean it now runs just fine. In fact, my oldest brother and his youngest son helped me run another 200 through last weekend and not one problem. Rapid fire is like balancing a freshly rebuilt motor...take it out and run it hard...it will either balance out and run fine or it will break. Mine runs fine. A few more trips to the range and I will start using it as a primary carry.