fail to feed on my RIA

[lunchbox]

yeah like i can sleep now

[lrb111]

Saying you polished the ramp, isn't specific enough. Were you working on the barrel, or the frame? If it was the frame it sounds like you made the slope steeper, or dished it. So, that the bullets are not deflecting up. If way too much material was removed from the frame area, then they might be hanging on the lower lip of the barrel ramp.

The general idea is to make slope of the ramp less inlined. A gentler slope.

Did you disassemble the RIA to work on it, or simply lock the slide back and try to polish going straight into it?

fwiw, it probably IS salvageable. FTF on RIAs was a common problem. That's because they were building straight off old G.I. specs. So, the list of problems that folks had with varying ammo over the last 100 years or so of the life of the pistol, were more or less built in to the RIAs. (What used to be a bug, became a feature.)

I polished the frame ramp on my RIA, with the slide off. Before taking the slide off I scribed the frame with a razor knife where the edge of the barrel ramp met the frame. That gave me warning line. I didn't dare go past that line toward the front of the gun.
I used a fine grit chain saw sharpening file. It is a round file, about a foot long, and is straight with no taper. They come two per package in the hardware section of WalMart by the chainsaws.
The key for me was to make stroke on the ramp to take out any regularities. Using the file pressed flatly on the frame ramp, I attempted to take metal off the top of the ramp. Make sure the ramp all turns out flat.

[lunchbox]

i had the slide off for this process and the slope before i started was steep and gritty i took verry little off the frame and tryed to make it a more gradual trip up to the firing chamber last night when i couldnt sleep i worked at it some more if i relese the slide and it feeds now will it be ok i need to go shoot it today and see but i dont want to go till im sure it will work out

[KinnyLee]

I've seen pics of feed ramp repair before by cutting into the frame and a replacement feed ramp stuff into the spot where the bad feed ramp used to be. Probably require the work of a competent gunsmith, but it can be done. Hope you don't have to come to that.

[Thane]

The thing is, there's supposed to be a bit of a gap between the frame's feed ramp and the chamber, when the slide is to the rear. If you make them match up, then with the slide closed, you'll actually have the two mis-matched, and provide a "hang-up" point for feeding. The angle also has to be more-or-less precise, or the round won't feed properly.

I have a RIA myself, and had feeding problems as well, several hundred rounds in. Turned out it was a combination problem. First, the recoil spring had lost tension, and was failing to provide enough force to close the slide. Second, a layer of powder residue had accumulated on the frame, but smooth and evenly, so that it wasn't immediately visible to cursory inspection. This residue was adding to the slide/frame friction, and slowing the slide down on the return cycle. I cleaned the residue off, and replaced the spring. The problem was solved.

Never, NEVER use a Dremel stone on a firearm, especially on moving parts, unless you know exactly what you're doing and how to do it. Once you remove metal, it's gone. This is especially critical around the barrel and feed ramp, which can respond very poorly to changes in geometry. Additionally, if you grind on the barrel's feed lip itself, you can create a dangerous situation, where too much of the cartridge's wall is unsupported. This can lead to a cartridge rupture, and the potential destruction of your gun, as well as injury to the shooter. Remember, while .45 ACP may be a "low pressure cartridge," it still operates at over 20,000 pounds per square inch.

If you -must- pull out the old Dremel, ONLY use a soft polishing wheel, NEVER a stone. The potential for slipping and taking too much metal off, or taking the wrong metal off, is too great.

My recommendation - take the pistol to a gunsmith, and get his opinion. I don't think I'd fire it until I got a second opinion on whether it was safe, or operable, at this point. A gunsmith's fee to look at it, and the possible replacement cost of the gun, are pennies next to the alternative. DON'T do ANY more grinding on your gun!

Yeah, I know it sounds kinda harsh, but people have been injured by things like this.

[lunchbox]

well thats no good i cant catch a break here thanks for the info

[dukalmighty]

Here's my .02 if you didn't do anything to the barrel and the gun now feeds bullets into the chamber and goes into battery then go shoot it and make sure it will cycle during live fire if it cycles okay then you' fixed you're gun but in the future stick with polishing compounds and a buffing tool not grinding tool,if it still seems a little hesitant try polishing it to remove any rough areas

[dukalmighty]

If worse comes to worse sarcoinc.com has a new frame and slide for 164.95

[lunchbox]

ok i guess i could try it out maybe a couple hundred rounds would help smooth it out i hope all is well

[boomerang]

A picture is worth 1000 words to people trying to help you diagnose the problem over the internet.

Put the barrel on the frame without the slide (like this) and see how the frame and barrel fit.

[lunchbox]

i just put 200 plus rounds of dirty ball ammo through it not one problem there but i tried to put 25 hydra shocks through it and it fail 4-5 times i think it may just have been to dirty though i will put a pick on in a bit

[lunchbox]

[Reysc]

RIA has the best customer Service IMHO. Give Armscor in Nevada a call and tlak to Ray /Ivan/Arnel and you wont be disappointed. P.M. me if you need their number..Don't lose sleep on it, you will be taken cares of..

[lunchbox]

will i have to like send it in and wait 6 months or what????

[Thane]

You know, looking at those pictures, I'm betting you're fine as far as the barrel/chamber goes.

You might try a new recoil spring and some different self-defense ammo. But if you had no problems with ball ammo, I'd say you're okay.

I use Hornady XTPs, so I've no idea if Hydroshoks feed in my own RIA. (I -think- they do, but I've only fired one box of them through it).

I'd stay away from +P loads in that gun, on general principle. I know my own RIA will shoot them, but I don't use them very often because I don't want the barrel and slide to get any looser (mine rattles somewhat).