Troubleshooting The Colt Defender

When addressing common issues with any handgun there are numerous trade secrets known to experienced gunsmiths. Often there are spots common to each handgun type and this is the rationale behind certain packages and upgrades offered as a matter of course at custom shops. The combination of upgrades often results in an improvement beyond the sum of the work. The work results in smoother operation. We often examine a particular handgun for common defects and shortcomings.

While this is OK as far as it goes, we should never stop when we find the first problem nor be blind to a problem not common to the breed. If the pistols exhibits more than one of the common problems then the owner may well be advised to simply purchase another handgun before proceeding with custom work as it may be less expensive than the proposed repairs. However, sometimes the owner decides to go the distance for reasons of his own.

Recently I encountered a Colt Defender with more than one problem area common to 1911 handguns. Evaluation and Glitches The owner had fired the Colt Defender .45 approximately two hundred rounds. He was aware the pistol had shortcomings and elected to repair the pistol rather than invoke the warranty or pursue another handgun for several reasons. He was a loyal Colt man and there was every chance the next pistol would also have problems.

The owner liked the size and fit of his handgun and he had already purchased quality leather for it, so I was given carte blanche to put the pistol in operating order. With a list of complaints I examined and test fired the handgun for myself. There is always a possibility the owner had limp wristed the handgun or used poor ammunition. My initial inspection confirmed Colt is using seven round magazines rather than the previous six round Officer’s Model magazine.

It is asking much of a magazine to feed from full spring compression when it is holding one more round than originally designed while remaining reliable when feeding the last round from almost no compression. I mentally checked off the magazines as a possible reason for the short cycles I experienced with Winchester USA ball ammunition as, occasionally, the last round from the magazine failed to feed.

I substituted Metalform magazines with the red follower, a modern magazine with premium springs especially designed to feed well in the Officer’s Model format. I loaded only three rounds in the pair of magazines at first and experienced no failures with the last round after firing some 42 rounds of Winchester 230 grain hardball. This was as simple fix. Another fix would have been to substitute W. C. Wolff premium magazine springs for the originals from Colt.

Feed Reliability The pistol should have been reliable with every bullet shape but it was not, according to the owner. Rather than run up another ammunition bill I elected to look at and improve the ramp first and then do a feed test. When checking the feed ramp it is important that there be a 1/32-inch gap between the barrel portion and frame portion of the feed ramp. If not, the piece will not feed correctly.

There seemed to be a good fit and finish with the Colt feed ramp but the barrel set practically on top of the

C. Wolff unit. Function improved with the addition of this recoil spring. feed ramp. I am loath to polish an aluminum frame for several reasons and was moved to recommend the owner simply feed the pistol nothing but 230 grain roundnose bullets, but he would not hear of it. I am sorry if I seem timid concerning aluminum frame pistols but they are simply not as robust as steel. I undertook the job with small files and began with 400 grit sandpaper, proceeding to 600 grit and avoiding working the ramp on the frame.

I attacked the real problem, the barrel throat. The throat is now more shallow and the contours more even than before. The transition area or ledge on the feed ramp is now quite smooth. Remember, over aggressive polishing will extend the feed ramp into the chamber, which must be avoided. Fortunately the frame portion of the ramp was relatively smooth.

Had it been rough I might have repeated my own warnings and advised the owner to feed his Defender 230 grain hardball or the round nose Cor-Bon Pow’RBall, an exceptional loading well suited to handguns that do not feed hollow point bullets. In the end, the handgun was tested with fourteen rounds each of Winchester 185 grain Silvertip, Winchester 230 grain SXT, Hornady 185 grain XTP, and my personal handloads using the Nosler 185 grain JHP. All went flawlessly. The pistol is now feed reliable.

Extractor Tuning I was beginning to believe that perhaps this pistol was one of those turned out late on Friday when everyone was hurrying to head home, rather than the legendary top grade gun made on Wednesday. The extractor needed a proper fit and tune. When inspecting an extractor the extractor groove must also be examined closely. The extractor groove must present a bevel to guide the cartridge case into the extractor. This groove captures the cartridge case rim as the case travels from the magazine.

There should be no loose motion in the extractor groove and the case head must fit snugly. Over time a gradual round ing of the extractor groove may occur but very often the extractor groove is not delivered as sharp as we would like. The extractor groove must be beveled at the bottom in order to cam the cartridge case rim into it, resulting in a gradual tension on the extractor. Sometimes we have to put the bevel on the extractor if it does not exist from the factory.

In order to proceed, use a file and begin the bevel at the bottom of the edge approximately mid point into the extractor groove. The inside edge toward the muzzle should form a straight point into the extractor groove. The very lower edge of the claw itself simply needs to be sharp. There is some misunderstanding of extractor tension, as several handguns will show different tensions — or no tension — if measured by various tools. Checking extractor tension is simple enough.

I check tension by stripping the slide from the frame and the barrel from the slide. Next, I slip a cartridge case into the extractor from beneath the slide. If the slide is wriggled and the case does

Be certain to order the correct part! not fall out, extractor tension is good. Jack Weigand’s Extractor Tensioning Tool remains the premier product for setting extractor tension. While tension varies, and some extractors with little measurable tension work just fine, checking the extractor tension in the previous manner is one way to go. I removed the Colt extractor and carefully recut the bevel and sharpened a dull extractor hook as per my previous notes.

This extractor was not worn, it was delivered from the factory in this condition. Colt remains a high quality product, but occasionally the hand fitting required to produce a good quality 1911 handgun results in this type of pistol slipping by. Recoil Spring and Slide Stop The original recoil spring and guide seemed to function but the spring simply did not look or feel right. I have no easy means of checking spring loading but I know what a proper spring should feel like. I ordered a W. C. Wolff 24 pound spring.

The slide was slightly more difficult to rack after adding the new W. C. Wolff recoil spring and function was good. There were no short cycles of any type during the firing test. More so than with the Commander or Government Model, the Officer’s Model and Defender type 1911 handguns are subject to the slide stop locking the slide open before the pistol is empty. A common cause is the shooter allowing the weak hand thumb to contact the slide stop.

This is particularly true when using +P loads that demonstrate greater recoil. There are also mechanical causes. I have experienced similar problems when firing .41 Action Express ammunition in converted Browning High Power pistols. Sometimes an uncommon job such as the .41 AE conversion gives insight into the more common work. There are several steps in addressing the premature slide stop lock. The tab on the slide stop that contacts the magazine follower is sometimes contacted by the nose of the bullet.

Standard overall cartridge length for the .45 ACP is 1.250 inches but handloads and even some factory loads with a fatter, longer or heavier You may cut your own or order a Wilson Combat slide stop with the a ready made custom bevel. This pistol also had a few problems, but one problem was solved by the factory. This pistol features a ramped barrel. than standard bullet will contact the top of the slide stop. Very carefully bobbing the slide stop at this point of contact will cure this problem.

True to form the Colt occasionally locked open during a firing string according to the owner. I personally tested the piece for slide stop lock and found that the slide stop did lock in the middle or a magazine of +P loads at least twice in twenty one rounds of the Hornady 230 gr. +P. I bobbed the slide stop slightly, retried, and this problem was cured. This is cut and dry work, carefully addressing the point that meets the magazine follower. Polish this point shortening it but slightly.

Work a little, check, and you will get it right. I also performed a recommended procedure by creating a dimple on the slide stop exactly where the plunger tube contacts the slide stop. With the slide stop properly modified you have

Colt has done better with Government Model pistols on average. But not too much polish as we do not wish to interfere with Colt’s controlled feed design. solved a common and nagging problem with the small frame 1911 handgun. The plunger tube will retain the slide lock under normal conditions. Slide Work This Defender had more tool marks on the slide and breech face than I like but not out of the norm for production pistols circa 2008 or so.

The tool marks were not so deep they might cause excessive headspace if completely polished out, but there was potential for snagging a cartridge case rim during feeding if the tool marks were not polished out properly. After all, the pistol cycles in the blink of an eye and any snag has the possibility of causing a stoppage. These marks required only a few strokes with a flat file and finish with 400 grit sandpaper. While performing this task I made certain the firing pin hole was free of burrs.

The firing pin channel was well done with a slight bevel from the factory. Remember, you do not wish to remove enough metal from the breech face to affect headspace, but with few exceptions, 1911 breech faces may be smoothed for better function. Conclusions After working with a number of Colt Defender pistols, I find the type to be a well made and reliable handgun. Like all 1911 pistols from every We fixed this in short order with a proper bevel.

The wide mouth hollowpoints popular today slide over this ramp easily. reputable make there are occasional shortcomings. Most of these shortcomings do not result in malfunctions but do result in handling and shooting that is not as smooth as it could be. This Defender combined several common faults. After a few hours of work and extensive double checking as required of a personal defense pistol, my customer’s Colt Defender is reliable enough to be on the front line. AG