[HollowpointHank]

Well I finally made it to the range with The Ultra Compact. As some may know I am trying out the Federal EFMJ bullets. They seem to feed alright except for the last one in the clip. It hangs before going into battery. I can manually rerack the slide and it goes on in and everything is ok. I might have a problem with the mag spring but I'm not sure. Anyway, I put about 35-40 rounds downrange and here are the results. First from 15 yards (not feet) I went through about 4 mags worth. Then from 15 feet (not yards) I let loose with another two mags worth performing the mozambique technique. The gun is very accurate and I am pleased with the ammo. I will have to see about the FTF on the last round. I may send it to Wilson Combat and go ahead and get a total reliability package performed on it. I think that would solve any and all potential problems and I could go ahead and start carrying it as my primary. I'll let you know what I decide and invite your comments and suggestions.

 

[HappyGunner]

How many rounds fired

From that Ultra Compact? Was slide well oiled at range? Are you holding the gun really firm on that last round that hangs? Did you try other Wilson Mags?

 

[HollowpointHank]

Slide is oiled, holding gun tight, no I haven't tried other mags, just the two that came with it, both do the same thing. Wierd huh.

 

[HappyGunner]

How about the recoil spring Assy?

If this gun has a lot of rounds fired it just might be a problem related to the recoil spring Assy.

 

[Redneck Repairs]

Wilson is fantastic , i would speculate that the feed issue is possibly an extractor tension/radious issue, hard to say without seeing the pistol cycle tho . anyway Enjoy it and good luck

 

[P95Carry]

Thx for report Hank - just another thought re mag's - are mag followers absolute dead free in travel? Take mags apart and give em a clean anyways - no lube other than perhaps some dry lube but - with just follower in place - feel for any ''snagging'' of travel at top end in particular.

Might be nothing at all but - have had that prob before. And yeah - wonder if recoil ass'y checks out Ok - tho doesn't sound that is a prime candidate.

 

[ExSoldier]

Reliability package may not help....

I may send it to Wilson Combat and go ahead and get a total reliability package performed on it. I think that would solve any and all potential problems and I could go ahead and start carrying it as my primary. I'll let you know what I decide and invite your comments and suggestions.

I called them about my SA micro and they said they would do the job for $100 but since it's a sub 4" barrel, they will not warranty the work to be "glitch free." That's a telling comment on sub compact 1911s.

 

[Redneck Repairs]

Yea sub sized 1911s are twitchey LOL i had to replace the extractor on the better half's detonics and had similar issues , it took me about 150 rounds firing normaly less than a mag at a time tweaking the extractor to get it back to relyable . I am shure a compitent 1911 smith could have done it in 10 min or so but there isnt one in my area and i didnt want to send it out . but the feed issues described reminds me of how it was acting uppon replacement .

 

[ExSoldier]

Never again....

Yea sub sized 1911s are twitchey LOL i had to replace the extractor

I've owned two sub compacts: A Para P10 and a SA "micro" both in 45 and I'll never own another. Too many issues.

 

[HappyGunner]

Mine are good to go

Both my Ultra Carry 3" and Tac Pro 4" have never failed.I say their good to go.

Maybe others have problems with the smaller 1911s does that mean everyone will have the same problems?

 

[ExSoldier]

Sub 4" 1911

Both my Ultra Carry 3" and Tac Pro 4" have never failed.I say their good to go.

Maybe others have problems with the smaller 1911s does that mean everyone will have the same problems?

I have seen too many reports from too many different areas and situations to be 100% sure my sub 4" 1911 won't fail in a life and death encounter. Heck I even wrote the legendary LTC Jeff Cooper on the issue and he put it into one of his columns! We maintained some correspondence on the issue for several months. He is of the opinion that it's possible that in barrel lengths less than 4 inches the 1911 design itself may become "flawed." I have to agree. Very few folks in my IDPA club own them, and they urgently advised that I not purchase one. I ignored them...and I was wrong. My ParaOrd P10 was a total POS. Then when I thought that just HAD to be a fluke, I bought my SA "micro." The very same thing happened. Jam-A-Matic. I couldn't get to the bottom of any magazine I tried...even friends of mine loaned me mags and those jammed too. Life is too short to maybe shorten it further with a possibly unreliable design. Even if it's a big FAT "maybe," it's happened to me too many times to take the risk. But that's just me....

 

[HappyGunner]

Spend more get "Quality"

Just spend the money needed to buy a quality 1911.:wave:

 

[ExSoldier]

Money Ain't Everything....

Just spend the money needed to buy a quality 1911.:wave:

Well, actually, I thought both ParaOrdnance AND Springfield Armory offered "quality" 1911s. They do...as long as the barrel is 4+ inches. I think the message from Wilson Combat as to how they'll do a reliability package on a micro but won't guarantee the work says it all.

 

[rocky]

Hank, nice shooting. Looks like you are shooting a bit right on the second target , but good groups for 15 yrds and rapid fire. Hope you get the final details worked out on your gun, however I must agree with Exslodier, short 1911 's are problematic.

 

[HappyGunner]

Not sure what that means

Well, actually, I thought both ParaOrdnance AND Springfield Armory offered "quality" 1911s. They do...as long as the barrel is 4+ inches. I think the message from Wilson Combat as to how they'll do a reliability package on a micro but won't guarantee the work says it all.

I think the message from Wilson Combat as to how they'll do a reliability package on a micro but won't guarantee the work says it all.
Not sure what that means.

Well I like their Mag design but I have read where people have not gotten what they thought they were paying for with work preformed by Wilson Combat.

If Wilson Combat won't guarantee the work then Wilson Combat should just turn down the job.

 

[ExSoldier]

I think the message from Wilson Combat as to how they'll do a reliability package on a micro but won't guarantee the work says it all.Not sure what that means. If Wilson Combat won't guarantee the work then Wilson Combat should just turn down the job.

I think what it means is that when it comes to 1911's Wilson has an extremely respected name. They're not the only folks who don't guarantee work done on the mini-45's. Buddy of mine is a gunsmith that now works for Cylinder and Slide. Same thing. Wilson won't turn down $100 (would you?) especially if they warn you first and you still have them do the work.

 

[HollowpointHank]

Is their any other gunsmiths that would guarantee their work to make a 3.5" 1911 reliable? I'm not trying to get a perfect hollowpoint shooter, just with the efmj's. Their almost ball ammo.

 

[HappyGunner]

Guarantee

What does someone want in a guarantee? guarantee that my 1911 will always shoot no matter how I maintain it? guarantee that my 1911 will always shoot no matter if I use poorly designed reloaded Ammo.? guarantee that my 1911 will always shoot even if I hold it like a undercooked hotdog? guarantee that my 1911 will always shoot even if I never ever oil the slide?

All gunsmiths are wanting to make a buck if you wish to send you'r guns to them great.

If you buy a quality 1911 from someone making them in the USA then if you do have a problem you can call them right where they are being built.
This without having to call some repair station that has not a clue how to fix even a lawnmower.

 

[ArmyCop]

I use federal's EFMJ's. Never had a failure - all mags worked ok with me with them.

 

[Redneck Repairs]

IMHO micro 1911s can be made utterly relyable, the wife's detonics was as purchased untill an ejectore hook broke ( not totaly uncommon even on fullsized 1911 ) after tuning and radiusing properly it has eaten another 6k rounds or so with only spring replacement and no malfunctions that arnt directly attributable to either operator error or improper cleaning howeaver micro 1911s are right on the line of what you can do with the design to the point it takes a special smith to wring the most out of em accuricy and relyablity wise its more watchmaking than gunsmithing to balance all the factors of feeding a .45 with that little slide mass , and that increased spring pressure . they are fine if they run but will not take the abuse or neglect the 1911 design is famous for putting up with i kind of equate them to full race guns if tuned properly there is no better tool , if tuned improperly well its a pretty paperweight and for the record i would have NO issue sending it off to wilson , or brown , or a half dozen others . They may not " garontee" it will be perfect but ill wager it will be relyable if properly maintained ( replace recoil springs every 1500 rounds, properly lubed , mags cleaned regurarly ect.. in 1911 if you want combat relyability , well buy a 5" gvt model because every step smaller or more accurate comes with a price from that platform. Thats just my experiance yours may differ . point is they can and do run , but not all of them from the factory , and not for everyone. If i did not have 100% faith in ours , i certinly would not put up with momma carrying it

edited to say we feed it 230 hydra shocks exclusively