How am I bending ejectors on Colt 9mm 1911s?

gaijin · Jan 15, 2019

Compare your Colt ejector to the Wilson Super/9mm below.
Cut back the OEM Colt ejector- easier and quicker than waiting on Colt to do something.

fieldgrade · Jan 15, 2019

gaijin said:
Compare your Colt ejector to the Wilson Super/9mm below.
Cut back the OEM Colt ejector- easier and quicker than waiting on Colt to do something.

I am pretty sure they will repair this one under warranty (I know of two other Colt 9mm's they did likewise). If I start really screwing with it I wonder if they would still fix it on their dime (assuming my fix doesn't get 'er done).

gaijin · Jan 15, 2019

fieldgrade said:
I am pretty sure they will repair this one under warranty (I know of two other Colt 9mm's they did likewise). If I start really screwing with it I wonder if they would still fix it on their dime (assuming my fix doesn't get 'er done).

They likely would not (honor warranty).
However, ejector work, or replacement- isn't difficult. The unsettling reality is; your abilities at repair may be equal to, or better, than the guy at Colt.

fieldgrade · Jan 15, 2019

Just spoke to Colt. They are issuing an RMA, but the otherwise helpful guy on the phone was of the opinion that the repair would not be under warranty. Something about it being over a year old. Manufactured in 2016. At that point we discussed the fact they've already repaired a 9mm with a bum ejector I owned as a "known issue" and he said he would share that info. I'll include a detailed letter in the box.

Not encouraging.

Guess I'll get it fixed regardless of who has to pay for it and probably sell it. I have the worst luck with 1911's in 9mm.

azpoolguy · Jan 15, 2019

fieldgrade said:
I have the worst luck with 1911's in 9mm.

That's because God gave JMB the wisdom to build the 1911 in .45ACP.

Sorry to hear about your woes. It amazes me the number of gun companies that don't stand behind there products or manufacture guns that were never intended to make it past the first magazine of ammo.

fieldgrade · Jan 15, 2019

azpoolguy said:
That's because God gave JMB the wisdom to build the 1911 in .45ACP.

I absolutely agree with this. It's funny, depending on which forum you visit, there will be some who say every 1911 in 9mm they have runs great. Then another forum thread will have a long discussion about how they are all quirky as hell. My experience has not been good. Granted, they were $800-$1800 1911's, and not semi-customs or customs, but I don't have trouble with the platform in .45 acp.

If I wasn't starting to deal with a sore shooting wrist I'd stay with .45, although after shooting 9mm both Friday and in Saturday's match, I don't know if my wrist gives a flip. It gets a lot of activity setting up for matches so it may not be recoil impulse that actually causes the issue.

Ibuprofen is my friend.

Fred_G · Jan 15, 2019

38 Superb is your friend...

I have shot several 9mm 1911's, no issues. Sure sucks you are having so many issues with them.. I hope Colt steps up and fixes the gun for you under warranty. Just curious, I wonder if their warranty starts from date of production, or date of purchase by gun owner? I don't think it would be rare at all for a production gun to be a year or older before being purchased.

fieldgrade · Jan 15, 2019

Fred_G said:
38 Superb is your friend...

I have shot several 9mm 1911's, no issues. Sure sucks you are having so many issues with them.. I hope Colt steps up and fixes the gun for you under warranty. Just curious, I wonder if their warranty starts from date of production, or date of purchase by gun owner? I don't think it would be rare at all for a production gun to be a year or older before being purchased.

I bought a Wilson a week ago "new" from a Wilson dealer that turned out to have been made in 2014.
Everything about it appeared current, and no night sights to burn out, so I was okay with it.

Fred_G · Jan 15, 2019

And Wilson will fix that gun under warranty if it needs it. Of course, a bit of a difference in price. As long as it was in new shape, I would have no problem buying a new gun that had sat in a box for a few years.

fieldgrade · Jan 15, 2019

Fred_G said:
And Wilson will fix that gun under warranty if it needs it. Of course, a bit of a difference in price. As long as it was in new shape, I would have no problem buying a new gun that had sat in a box for a few years.

I field stripped it when I got it, figuring a little lubrication might be in order after sitting on a shelf for four years. It looked brand new inside and out.

Bender · Jan 16, 2019

Fred_G said:
And Wilson will fix that gun under warranty if it needs it. Of course, a bit of a difference in price. As long as it was in new shape, I would have no problem buying a new gun that had sat in a box for a few years.

I recently bought a Baer Recon that was a 2011 model year, it was unfired. I purchased it from a known seller

Jeffrey Kouri · Jan 16, 2019

Probably a silly question, but you're no loading rounds by dropping them in the chamber are you?

Jeff

fieldgrade · Jan 16, 2019

Jeffrey Kouri said:
Probably a silly question, but you're no loading rounds by dropping them in the chamber are you?

Jeff

No, and it's a fair question. That's hard on the extractor.

Allanrg · Jan 17, 2019

Sad situation with colt overall. Recent purchase from custom shop gun has a series 80 extractor in a series 70 .45 ACP firearm. With the money screws on them maybe they're using .45 extractors in 9mm guns.

fieldgrade · Jan 17, 2019

So, I already worked a deal to trade this gun to the guy I bought it from who had bought a new Wilson from me a week ago. He gets his Colt back after it's fixed, and I get a Wilson back. I'll just be two large lighter.

gaijin · Jan 18, 2019

Allanrg said:
Sad situation with colt overall. Recent purchase from custom shop gun has a series 80 extractor in a series 70 .45 ACP firearm. With the money screws on them maybe they're using .45 extractors in 9mm guns.

Don't see how that's possible; the "donut" on the .45 extractor would prevent getting the extractor claw close enough to the 9 mm case head to function.

.45

9mm

colrhino1 · Jan 21, 2019

fieldgrade said:
Okay, the first time I blamed it on the "taller" Wilson ETM mags that actually touch the long dangly ejector on a Colt 9mm. It was a Colt Competition, which is exactly what I did with it the short time I had it, which included slamming mags in on the clock. Colt replaced the ejector under warranty with a slightly relieved ejector for 38 Super.

I sold that gun. I bought a Colt Combat Unit in 9mm yesterday that already has about 500 rounds through it. Ejector was straight as an arrow when I bought it yesterday.

Took it to the range and wasn't even doing my timed reload/mag changes (with gusto) like I usually do in my drills because it was so muddy I didn't want to drop the mags. Gun ran beautifully the first box of ammo.

I was running Dawson mags (Metalforms) that run great in my Fusion and a Dan Wesson I recently sold. These mags are a wee bit shorter than Wilson ETMs and don't contact the Colt ejector. After about 100 rounds the Colt started ejecting like it was popping popcorn all over the place. I unloaded and peeked at the ejector. Slightly bent.

I'm running quality brass case factory FMJ, 124 grain ammo.

WTH??
Any help appreciated.
I'll be calling Colt next week.

I have the same pistol (Colt Combat Unit 9mm) and I had the same problem. I sent it back to the mothership, and many moons passed before I saw that gun again.... however, when it did return to me, it had a MUCH shorter ejector on it, which I have had no more issues with.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

fieldgrade · Jan 21, 2019

colrhino1 said:
I have the same pistol (Colt Combat Unit 9mm) and I had the same problem. I sent it back to the mothership, and many moons passed before I saw that gun again.... however, when it did return to me, it had a MUCH shorter ejector on it, which I have had no more issues with.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks. Not to be nosy, but was it over a year old, and if so did they still repair under warranty? If not, curious what the charge was. You can PM me if you prefer. Thanks in advance.

fieldgrade · Jan 24, 2019

FedEx tried to deliver on Monday but Colt was closed for MLK day, or maybe just because it was Monday. They weren't taking calls the previous Monday either. Tracking indicates it was delivered this Tuesday.
-quietly drums fingers on desk

highlander · Jan 24, 2019

I have had a lot of problems with 9mm 1911s braking the ejector. The problem has always been with 10 round plastic bottom magazines. The problem happens when the plastic base pad bends. When I complained to the first manufacturer of magazines that this had happened with he told me I was nuts, I sent him a picture showing the plastic base pad bent. He promptly sent me new extra thick base base pads. These magazines broke the ejectors in two Springfields and one Kimber 9mm. I bought a DW 9mm 1911. The ejector is a different shape than the other two guns and stopped the magazine on a tapered area locking it there. Anyway I got rid of those and purchased a different brand of 10 round 9mm 1911 magazines. Now I shoot most every week, Steel, USPSA, IDPA. In the last match I shot, in the last stage I had the same thing happen. This time when I called the manufacture, he told it can happen and how they fix it and sent me some new parts, but, I had to pay for new springs. Started assembling today when I received them. Expect them to solve the problem. Don't know if I should share the manufactures names on the form, but would not mind going into that with you if every thin works out.