1911 denting brass

[Proximal]

So, I've noticed that my 1911 is denting the brass about half way up the casing. I assume it from the ejector spinning the case into the side of the ejection port. Are there any easy fixes for this? I'm a pretty capable person and like to work on my guns. I've not done a ton of research on this yet, so any info you guys have would be much appreciated.

Secondary question, can I still reload the dented brass? I'm thinking about getting into reloading in the very near future and have been saving my spent brass for about 2 years. Are these casings GTG?

 

[geezer]

Thinking excessive slide speed(weak recoil spring)... Maybe ejector too long...Extractor holding too tight to brass...Are you runing a buffer on the guide rod?

I what direction is the brass flinging?

 

[RamRoddoc]

I assume this is a modern 1911 with an enlarged ejection port. If the ejector is the short one a longer ejector will likely cure that. You may want to tune the extractor too as if it is not gripping the case well you will get erratic ejection and can get dings. Is this a new problem or did it always ding brass?

Dinged brass is fine to reload as long as the resizing die does what it is suppose to do. Wise to save your brass.

Yeah what Geezer said about slide velocity a stronger spring is an easy swap. What ammo are you shooting?

 

[jimhrnr]

I had the same problem with a SA GI/Mil Spec. Changed to a stiffer recoil spring (18 1/2 then 20lb) and the dents disappeared. As far as the reloading, if the dents are not extremely deep you should be fine. I've loaded a bunch with dents. After you fire them the dent is gone. You should probably get someone who loads to look at your brass, experience is the only way to judge something like that.

 

[Proximal]

Thinking excessive slide speed(weak recoil spring)... Maybe ejector too long...Extractor holding too tight to brass...Are you runing a buffer on the guide rod?

I what direction is the brass flinging?

I'm not running a guide rod buffer and the brass is ejecting to 3 or 4 o'clock.

I assume this is a modern 1911 with an enlarged ejection port. If the ejector is the short one a longer ejector will likely cure that. You may want to tune the extractor too as if it is not gripping the case well you will get erratic ejection and can get dings. Is this a new problem or did it always ding brass?

Dinged brass is fine to reload as long as the resizing die does what it is suppose to do. Wise to save your brass.

Yeah what Geezer said about slide velocity a stronger spring is an easy swap. What ammo are you shooting?

I assume it is modern. It is a RIA 2011 TAC and I've never noticed it before. I'll have to check some of my older brass and see if it was there too. It may have always done it and I just never noticed until now (since I'm debating reloading). Saturday I was running Federal FMJs, but I don't recall the specifics. It was the 100 round value pack from Walmart.

I had the same problem with a SA GI/Mil Spec. Changed to a stiffer recoil spring (18 1/2 then 20lb) and the dents disappeared. As far as the reloading, if the dents are not extremely deep you should be fine. I've loaded a bunch with dents. After you fire them the dent is gone. You should probably get someone who loads to look at your brass, experience is the only way to judge something like that.

I'll have to look into a different spring as my possible first step to solving this issue. I'll post a pic after work of the brass.

 

[1006]

Check the ejector and extractor for chips or breakages. Then....

I would change the recoil spring to a new factory rated 16 pounder and see what happens, if it is a 5 inch government sized gun. I would stay between 14 and 18 pounds for normal ammo. Springs do wear out. Remember the slide comes to a complete stop at the end of its travel and starts moving again from a stop. Fast in the outgoing direction may be slow in the other direction--light spring. Or, vice a versa. A heavy spring will beat your gun up while closing the slide. A light spring will allow slide velocity to beat the gun up during recoil. 16 is the original standard in most cases.

An ammo change may do the trick, as well, but the 1911 has such a wide power range that it can operate as 45 reliably that I do not think the ammo is a real factor, unless it is really week.

The extractor tension can be adjusted after watching some you-tube vids. Bill Wilson, Brownells or Midway make good trustable videos. My guess is that the tension is currently too loose; it did not get tight, unless someone messed with it.

 

[1006]

Sometimes an increase in grip pressure will cure the problem.

Also:

Have someone watch while shooting and see if the empty case is simply falling back against the slide as the slide moves forward after it has been fired. Week ammo will do this. A lighter recoil spring may compensate for week ammo or a week grip.

Or, as RamRoddoc mentioned, a longer ejector will help.

 

[geezer]

Well, learning something new tonight...My thought was ejector being too long and hitting the case too soon in it's rearward travel. But I can see it being too short, and case not hitting it until far end of slide movement, and forward moving slide bumping case on it's way out...I am, however confused on empty shell landing point...3 to 4 o'clock would seem to point to early shell contact with ejector...?????????

 

[1006]

http://youtu.be/LQB_zOvcNSU

http://youtu.be/sb6nsrQkvXk

You can see in this film that a little less grip force to control recoil would possibly result the case hitting the front of the ejection port. It is a fairly small port on a 45 compared to a lesser sized cartridge. Imagine the GI sized port at work.

The dents are just part of the program--no problem.

 

[Proximal]

Ok, just inspected some brass. It looks like it is only happening around 30% of the time. I didn't pull out the old brass just yet, only what I fired over the weekend. I snapped a pic to show of the brass. I can clearly see where the extractor is biting into the brass. It isn't deforming the casing lip, just putting a little notch in the brass.

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