Ruger 1911 Commander .45 Problem

[Running Arrow Bill]

I have an almost new (less than 50 rounds fired) in my 1911. I hadn't fired it in around 9 months. Recently, with a round in tube, it fired but wouldn't load any more rounds. I checked magazine, and tried 2 other magazines, to no avail. Magazines seemed ok, as had been used successfully in past.

Any ideas what's going on???

Thanks,
Bill

[AJSully421]

Are the rounds jamming on their way in, or does the slide fully cycle and then no round is in the chamber?

Details will help.

[Running Arrow Bill]

Slide fully cycled after 1st successful round. Would not pick up another round.

[Middle Age Russ]

If manually cycled, will it strip the top round out of the magazine and fully chamber it, returning to battery? If so, I would suspect that the ammo isn't fully cycling things -- moving the slide enough to eject the round from the chamber but not quite far enough to allow the round in the mag to be picked up.

[dlh]

May or may not help but I would break it down--clean it---oil it---and check the extractor, recoil spring, guide rod, etc.--then see if you can shoot and cycle some rounds.

dlh

[MONGOOSE]

I'd send it back to Ruger to be fixed.

[Right2Carry]

Did you break the gun down and clean and lubricate it before firing the 50 rounds?

[Pawpaw]

If yours is the bare stainless model, it sounds like galling due to improper lubrication of the slide rails.

If that's it, it will probably need gunsmith attention, at Ruger or your own guy.

[Excaliber]

Since it reportedly worked well in the past, I would try to eliminate cleaning / lube first before going further. Give it a really good cleaning (including brushing out the slide and frame rails with solvent). Then try working the slide on the frame without the spring installed to see if there are any spots where you feel resistance. If that's OK, then lube it up well (I suggest using a grease on the rails - e.g. Slip 2000 Extreme Weapon Grease) and try it at the range again. If that fixes it, you know what the issue is.

I have a new Ruger lightweight commander with a different problem. It fails to feed or fails to go into battery about 3 times in every 100 rounds. It's got about 300 rounds through it now. It appears that the rounds are not coming up out of the magazine and into the cut of the extractor properly. Failure modes include:

- Last round in magazine is left loose standing vertically in the ejection port with slide locked back
- Double feed
- Failure to go into battery with tip of extractor against back of shell casing - rim not in extractor cut
- Brass marking on tip of extractor

The gun has been carefully cleaned and thoroughly lubricated after each range session.

I've been shooting 1911's for 40 years, but this is a new one on me, and I'll be calling Ruger today. Has anyone else encountered this issue?

[DocV]

What sort of ammunition are you using?

[Running Arrow Bill]

Thanks for replies Guys!

More detail:

1. Previously, each round picked up correctly. This time, 1st round that was in battery fired and then next round wouldn't pick up.
2. Only using quality ammo: Hornady, Remington, etc.
3. Magazine springs strong; round fully at top waiting to be picked up.
4. Manual cycling of slide fails to pick up round (in either of my 3 new RUGER magazines.
5. Once fired, pistol has never failed to extract round and toss it out.
6. Have never had a Stove Pipe incident.
7. Magazine fully in position and locked.
8. Pistol has not been cleaned since it has been "resting" past several months.
9. No "limp wrist" incidents.
10. Neither hollowpoint or ball ammo would cycle in. No case damage observed.

Hope this info helps!

Thanks,
Bill

[MONGOOSE]

If this pistol will every be used for SD, you need to send it to Ruger or a competent Smith and quit trying speculating and trying to be a kitchen table smith.

[Running Arrow Bill]

If this pistol will every be used for SD, you need to send it to Ruger or a competent Smith and quit trying speculating and trying to be a kitchen table smith.

Yes, I'll ultimately send it to Ruger for evaluation and repair/adjustment.

No...I'm not trying to solve a technical/mechanical problem via discussion forum. Just trying to get others opinion if anyone has had same problem! If it appears a very minor problem on my end, then I won't send back to Ruger. FWIW...

I do have another quality one for SD...