Why?

[sabotloader]

First I am a novice with the 45... I have a Springfield Mil-Spec 45 ACP.  I do not have my 500 rounds through it more like 300, but I do have a question....  Why are my casings being bent at the mouth.

Here is a collection of cases that I picked up today.   Another thing I will let you know about, I was shooting the Rems and the handloads with a Wilson Combat buffer installed - with it installed i did get a few "stove pipe's" and some the did not eject completely, with both springs.  When I removed the buffer the Rem's shot great, no cycling problems at all but the cases still came out bent.

Hope somebody has some thoughts....

[Broom Rider]

Your cases are hitting the slide while exiting. To help that out you would probably need to get the ejection port opened up.
As for the shok buff, if it doesn't work don't worry about it, just don't use it. 1911's have run fine for many years without them. On a carry gun I'd never use one anyway.
You might be able to help the brass issue with a little extractor work or a different ejector.

[Mikey]

sabotloader - Broom Rider is correct on your bent cases and with her advice about not using the shok buffs. 

Your case mouths are getting bent because they aren't clearing the ejection port before the slide starts going back into battery.  The cure for this is to have the ejection port 'flared'.  You can play with ejectors and extractors but that may not change anything.  If you get the port flared you shouldn't have any more dented brass. 

Your stove pipe jams occurred because your slide did not travel far enough to the rear to pick up the case at the case head and slide it into the chamber.  The buffer is most likely responsible for those jams.  Dump the buffer and you will not have that problem.  HTH.  Mikey.

[rbwillnj]

Not that I disagree with any of the above comments, but a key piece of information in the original post is that there has only been about 300 rounds through it.  It's probably pretty tight still.   Normal break-in is at least 500 rounds and on some guns may be more like a thousand.   I'd wait to till there are a few more rounds through the gun before I did anything drastic.
Oh, and I don't use shok-buffs either, especially on a self defense of action pistol guns.

[Lloyd Smale]

NO SHOCK BUFFERS IN MY GUNS!!!!!!!

[Castaway]

I'm of the opinion if you don't reload, the dinged cases aren't a problem.  1911's are notorious for this and some manufacturers flare the ejection port to reduce the problem.  Even if you reload, the dings generally iron out when you run them through the sizing die anyway.

[richardoldfield]

I am not sure of the cause of the dented cases and I am also not sure I would be concerned unless it effected my reloading of those cases. I am also unsure if a lowered ejection port serves any purpose other than aesthetic purposes. The ejection port on my Ballester-molina is unaltered and the pistol functions fine. Regards, Richard

[S.S.]

Nice looking old .45

[Kmrere42]

HI,

Just curious..  Do you have an extended ejector or the standard length one.  The extended one will get the brass moving out of the action just a little bit earlier in the cycle and might help fix your denting issue. The other thing that might help is to check the extractor tension and shape.  Both of these parts are critical to getting the brass out of the action at the right angle.

Also if you want to use a buffer in a 1911, install an extended ejector. The slide just doesn't travel back far enough.

Buffers really make sense in a target pistol when shooting 300+ rounds a week.




Paul

[doc-and]

Hey guys, I've used shock-buffers since these guns came out of the Gunsmiths back room.  Have never had a problem with ejection or feeding.  And these guns have seen a lot of use over the 20 plus years that I've been shooting them.  Granted the ejection ports have been lowered and ejectors have been tuned, but they always work.  Just my 2 cents



This and another Gold Cup are my carry guns



docand

[Mikey]

doc-and:  "Granted the ejection ports have been lowered and ejectors have been tuned, but they always work."

Well, there ya have it.  Mikey.

[KN]

STOP STEPPING ON THEM!  Just kidding. I agree with Castaway on this one. Most of my cases end up with dents and dings in them and they reload just fine. If the gun functions fine I would leave it alone.   KN

[Josh M.]

I tend to agree that a few more rounds to polish up some of the working surfaces can't hurt...of course, I'd just take the gun apart, polish up any rough spots and break most of the sharp corners...I don't have the patience to deal with a malfunctioning gun.

Now dented brass is a minor malfunction, but the fix is easy...you need to have your extractor and (mostly) your ejector tuned properly...both are crucial to a reliable gun... 

I like my brass to land about 6 feet to my right, and about 3 feet back.

Where is yours landing?

If it's all over the place, that's no good...tune your ejector to pile up your brass consistently, and your gun will run consistently.  Let it throw brass randomly, and it will choke randomly.  - Josh M.