Master reloaders, HELP!

crapshoot

crapshoot

Well-known member
Ok, I'm not new to reloading, been doing it for over 20 yrs. That doesn't mean I don't have a lot i can still learn.
I am new to loading 10mm and for the life of me I can't figure this out.
Gun is a RIA 2011 IN 10MM. It has feeding issues that can be mag or feed ramp on the barrel. Could even be my bullet contour. But that's a problem for another time.
What is really bothering me is it's failure to fire unpredictably. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. To my recollection it does this with both factory ammo and reloads but I need to test that again.
I took the slide apart and noticed the firing pin was bent and rubbing on one side. I replaced the firing pin and firing pin block.
Here are pics of the fired brass/primers. The single brass is didn't detonate. What am I doing wrong or is it the gun?
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Pics after the FP replacement? 10mm supposed to HS on the rim but most are just held in place by extractor. Haven't had a 1911 style for 50 yrs but linkage could be worn. Definitly a gun problem. Use a truncated cone bullet.
 
Yes, pics are after fp replacement.

Ok, gun issue. What should I be looking at to fix it and why In the second pic the fp indentation is pushed back out almost flat and chrome on the primer is missing.
I have never seen this?
 
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I notice all of the FP strikes are off center. Also the large circular mark around the FP indentation is very large. Is this imprint on primer made by the FP hole? If so perhaps needs bushing to hold FP centered?? The firing pin struck the unfired primer far enough off center that it could have missed the point of the anvil in the primer.
 
Could be barrel bushing is worn, barrel locking lugs not seating correct or the link worn. Take it to a gun smith that knows 1911s. Maybe just a worn out gun.
 
hm1996 said:
I notice all of the FP strikes are off center. Also the large circular mark around the FP indentation is very large. Is this imprint on primer made by the FP hole? If so perhaps needs bushing to hold FP centered?? The firing pin struck the unfired primer far enough off center that it could have missed the point of the anvil in the primer.
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That's highly possible and in that case, the gun would probably need to go back to RIA or pay out of pocket for repairs.
 
popper43 said:
Could be barrel bushing is worn, barrel locking lugs not seating correct or the link worn. Take it to a gun smith that knows 1911s.
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I missed the fact that this is a 1911. If the barrel is not locking up, and as popper43 suggests, that would surely account for FP strikes being off center. If it's firing out of battery, or without the barrel fully locking up, I would think the barrel lugs would show some signs?? If that's the case RIA should make it good. Don't know what made the larger imprint on primers, though.
 
Does the barrel toggle up into recesses in the slide like a 1911? If so the linkage (pin, toggle link) could be damaged, bent, etc. causing barrel not to lock up fully. This would explain off center FP strike. Have you disassembled and examined locking lugs and recesses in slide?
 
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As far as I can tell everything is locking up right and tight. Next time out I'll run some factory ammo through it again. But I know that has nothing to do with off center primer strikes.
 
It has a barrel bushing, just not removeable. If you bought it brand new - back to the factory for a fix - should never have a bent FP from the factory.
 
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popper43 said:
It has a barrel bushing, just not removeable. If you bought it brand new - back to the factory for a fix - should never have a bent FP from the factory.
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crapshoot said:
As far as I can tell everything is locking up right and tight. Next time out I'll run some factory ammo through it again. But I know that has nothing to do with off center primer strikes.
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I can't find any breakdowns of the 2011, but from picture of the gun, I suspect it is a hybrid 1911. If it locks up the same as the 1911, a partial lockup would result in off center firing pin strikes. Only other cause would be an oversized hole in "bolt" face allowing sloppy FP fit. I'm betting on the lockup at this point. I'd send pics to RIA of your fired cases and see what they suggest.
I'm not a gunsmith, but I can see a 1911 possibility of bending a FP if fired out of battery or partially locked up and barrel beginning to drop down before FP has retracted.
 
Thanks guys. Already have a warranty claim started and waiting to hear back from them. Of course, repairs by unauthorized person voids warranty. Reloads voids warranty. And of course any modifications voids warranty and gun will be returned to stock at owners expense before any repairs are made... also at the owners expense.
 
Make sure your loads are not long, cartridge has to be more than 0.095 long to prevent firing out of battery(slide not fully forward) resulting in poor/misaligned firing pin. Possible damage to pistol can result.
 
crapshoot said:
Ok, I'm not new to reloading, been doing it for over 20 yrs. That doesn't mean I don't have a lot i can still learn.
I am new to loading 10mm and for the life of me I can't figure this out.
Gun is a RIA 2011 IN 10MM. It has feeding issues that can be mag or feed ramp on the barrel. Could even be my bullet contour. But that's a problem for another time.
What is really bothering me is it's failure to fire unpredictably. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. To my recollection it does this with both factory ammo and reloads but I need to test that again.
I took the slide apart and noticed the firing pin was bent and rubbing on one side. I replaced the firing pin and firing pin block.
Here are pics of the fired brass/primers. The single brass is didn't detonate. What am I doing wrong or is it the gun?
View attachment 11483View attachment 11484View attachment 11485View attachment 11486
Click to expand...

Yippers, I'm on board with the gun issue, can't speak to the fix though
 
W231 is an odd choice for loading the 10mm. I think you said the gun does this with factory ammo as well as your hand loads, right?
 
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