I was curious as a friends 45 ACP tends to "stove pipe" a round periodically... What causes this ???

Ken....

Holding the gun loosly will do just that. The gun is recoil operated and requires a certain amount of resistance in order for the slide to cycle completely and with sufficient force so as to kick the empty out of the way before the slide returns to battery. If you relax your grip, even just a little, the slide will have nothing to react against and the case won't be thrown clear. The term is called "riding the recoil". You can make the gun less sensative to this type of malfunction by properly lubricating it and maintaining a firm grip.

If the shooter, for whatever reason (age, handicap, strength, etc.), can't maintain a firm grip consistently you might want to try a lighter recoil spring.

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
If the shooter, for whatever reason (age, handicap, strength, etc.), can't maintain a firm grip consistently you might want to try a lighter recoil spring.

Or better yet, switch to a revolver.

Thanks for the replies guys, I'll pass that on to him... The only time it did it to me was when the last cartridge was being loaded...

Ken....

if the lip onthe magazine has been damaged or bent from being droped. may be something to look at.

Can also be the angle at which the face of the ejector is ground. Should have a 1/2 milimeter or wider face on the right side front corner that tends to cause the spents to be bounced out of the ejection port.

The ejector angle can cause the problem but like anything mechanical, if it were that, it would occur regularly.

90% of the time its the magazine

I had a weak mag spring combined with a bur on the follower cause this on a 1991a1 with the final or next to final rounds in the magazine at times. Couple quick swipes with a file and a new spring fixed the problem.

Weak mag springs on bedside beds are common I think since they tend to stay loaded at all times.

Josh

Thanks for the input guys... It's a brand new gun as well so I doubt a weak spring but it's been known to happen....

He's going to take it to his smith and see what's up...

Ken....