Hilton Yam
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Reged: 12/22/04
Posts: 1643
Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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In light of the 1911 being the subject of much discussion in regards to different types of malfunctions, I thought it would be useful to post some photographs of the most common types of malfunctions and their typical causes. Remember that we are discussing malfunctions or stoppages, and the more specific one can be, the more intelligent the analysis that can follow. Merely indicating that "the gun had a jam" offers no information at all.
Type II, Vertical stovepipe. Typically due to insufficient extractor tension. Can also be caused occasionally by a burred case mouth on the next round in the magazine, but look first to the extractor.
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Hilton Yam
Administrator
Reged: 12/22/04
Posts: 1643
Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Type II, Horizontal Stovepipe. Same cause as above, but much harder to clear. These are the reason that I do not teach or recommend the "sweep and clear" method, as a trip to see the medic is surely to follow any repetition of the technique.
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Hilton Yam
Administrator
Reged: 12/22/04
Posts: 1643
Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Type II, Feedway Stoppage. A host of causes may be responsible, to include a rough breech face, burred firing pin hole, excessive extractor tension, inappropriate extractor geometry, and of course issues with the geometry and surface finish of the feed ramp and barrel.
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Hilton Yam
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Reged: 12/22/04
Posts: 1643
Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Type II, High Angle, view #1: This is also known as the "bolt over base" malfunction, and is the result of a mismatch between the rate of slide travel and magazine feed rate. In other words, the slide is moving faster than the magazine will present rounds up for feeding, and the result is that the front of the breech face has moved forward past the rear of the cartridge before picking it up. As in this photo, you will see the breech face pick up the cartridge in the middle of the case or at the extractor groove. Generally look to replacing the magazine first, as the spring rate may be of issue. Next look to the slide stroke of the gun and see that it is at its maximum. Take out the recoil buffer if one is present. These are very common malfunctions in 1911s shorter than the 5" format, and are why we do not recommend them for duty use.
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Hilton Yam
Administrator
Reged: 12/22/04
Posts: 1643
Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Type II, High Angle, view #2: Note the angle at which the round is presented, causing it to nose up into the chamber.
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Hilton Yam
Administrator
Reged: 12/22/04
Posts: 1643
Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Type III, Double Feed or Failure to Extract: This is technically a failure to extract, but is also commonly referred to as a double feed due to the feeding of a second round where one is already in place. This is indicative of the most profound of extractor failures, either the absence of the hook or loss of tension. Many casual shooters will dismiss this as "just a jam" in their string of 50 flawless rounds, but this is a showstopper. Once the extractor is capable of yielding this malfunction, it'll do it again. Throw the extractor away and get a new one unless you like failure.
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Hilton Yam
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Reged: 12/22/04
Posts: 1643
Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Type III: Failure to extract in conjunction with magazine failure. I don't have a shorter name for this malfunction, but it is frighteningly common. The partially extracted case is dragged through the empty magazine's feed lips, wedging the case firmly in place and damaging the magazine. Clearance requires tools or at least a lengthy application of brute force and profanity. For this malfunction to occur, two factors must be at play together: insufficient extractor tension, and magazine feed lips that are too wide. A very detailed analysis of the magazine component of the problem is available on this thread: http://www.10-8forums.com/ubbthreads/sho...=true#Post34681 .
The following two lovely color photos are courtesy of Mike Novack.
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Hilton Yam
Administrator
Reged: 12/22/04
Posts: 1643
Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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.
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Dan Goodwin
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Reged: 01/21/05
Posts: 731
Loc: Tennessee
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Hilton,
Thank you for this excellent resource. Do you plan to put this on your website in an easily printed format? I'm sure it would be downloaded by instructors, armorers and other gunfolk for placement in their range books.
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"Without a stick, there's only the carrot."
Ann Coulter
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Hilton Yam
Administrator
Reged: 12/22/04
Posts: 1643
Loc: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
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Dan:
10-4, I realized that neither this thread nor the magazine discussion had made it to the site. The mag thread is pretty well shaken out, but I'll let this one hang for some discussion and then I'll put them up on the site.
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Owen Miller
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Reged: 09/25/06
Posts: 36
Loc: Boise, ID
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Thanks for the photos Hilton. Type II Horizontal is perfectly showing what is happening on my Kimber right now. I need to get some more rounds downrange with particular attention to particular magazines to see if it is the gun or specific magazines that are causing it.
OM
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Quiet Things for Quiet Professionals
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Ted Tchang
Member
Reged: 06/11/05
Posts: 197
Loc: So Cal & Colorado
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Great post Hilton!
I had a 1911 that had a Type II Feedway stoppage variation that I have also heard called a 3 point jam. This is when feed ramp geometry issues or incorrectly fitted lower lugs and links cause the cartridge to get wedged partially into the chamber with the case jammed against the breachface & barrel throat, and the nose of the bullet wedged up against the top of the chamber. As I understand it, as the breachface pushes the cartridge into the chamber, something like too steep a barrel throat deflects the nose of the bullet up into the top of the chamber. Other common causes besides feedramp geometry could also include an incorrectly cut lower lug that rides the link up into lockup instead of the lower lug, or a link that is too long. The round then starts to lift the barrel off the frame bed prematurely. Before you know it, the round is jammed between the three points of contact at the breachface, barrel feedramp, and top of chamber. To check if you have a three point jam, pressing the muzzle against a solid surface like the edge of the shooting bench will push the barrel back down onto the frame bed and allow the round to chamber.
In my gun, it had just come back from a custom build, and the barrel throat was too steep. It required a trip back to the smith to fix. Here are some pictures.
Edited by Ted Tchang (08/13/07 07:15 AM)
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Ted Tchang
Member
Reged: 06/11/05
Posts: 197
Loc: So Cal & Colorado
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Another picture
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Ted
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Michael Novack
Member
Reged: 02/06/05
Posts: 653
Loc: Arizona
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Oh, the painful memories of that Type III malfunction. When you look down and see that mess you can just feel your wallet getting lighter.  Glad my pic can be of help. This is a tremendously helpful reference, Hilton. Thank-you for putting it together.
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Michael Novack
Wilderness Tactical Products, LLC
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Matt Haught
Member
Reged: 04/24/05
Posts: 1109
Loc: Arizona
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I've seen a number of causes for the Type II feedway stoppage, including a too-tight extractor (one of my personal guns), a burred firing pin hole, and amateur gun-plumbing on the feed ramp. One good method of narrowing down the cause is to look at the case head of the jammed round. A burred firing pin hole will leave a gouge or scratch in the brass at the top of the rim.
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"Wrestle well, and wield lance, spear, sword and dagger manfully, whose use in others' hands is wasted."
-Johannes Liechtenauer, 14th Century German swordmaster.
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