Author Topic: Return to battery  (Read 589 times)

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Offline 222

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Return to battery
« on: September 09, 2012, 04:17:01 AM »
I bought a used RIA .45 and once or twice each mag full it fells to return to battery without bumping back of slide. I have 4 different mags, oiled it and changed recoil spring. Happens any time no pattern I can see, I use ball ammo or 200gr swc the same, reloads or factory. Any ideas why? Thanks 222

Offline Mikey

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Re: Return to battery
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2012, 01:18:23 AM »
222:  just for the hay of it I would drop in another barrel.  The RIA pistols are mil-spec and a $35-45 military barrel from any of the larger or major supply houses should cure the problem (check the graybeard links page).  I would get one and drop it in and see what happens.
If your failures to chamber happen with any of your magazines, and with both factory and reloaded ammo it sounds like you may have a really tight chamber.  Just for the hay of it (a second time), grab someone else's spare magazine and give that a try - if it works without failure then it's the mags.

If you replaced the recoil spring, what tension weight spring did you replace it with (16 lb, 18 lb, etc.)?  If you have used a lighter weight spring you may need a heavier spring.

Also, and this should really be your first test, remove the barrel from your pistol and holding it chamber up, try dropping each loaded factory round directly into the (clean) chamber to see if they seat fully; do the same with handloads.  If any factory loads fail to fully seat, replace the barrel.  If your handloads fail to seat, modify your reloading practices to better crimp the case for full depth seating. 

The RIA pistols are solid mils-spec performers; if you need a new barrel go mil-spec, it is less expensive and should get you on the road to better reliability.  HTH.

Offline Richard P

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Re: Return to battery
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2012, 04:08:41 AM »
I have found that my RIA GI needs minimum dimension handloads. I bought a headspace gauge to act as the barrel chamber. If the round doesnt drop fully into the gauge I set it aside for use in something a little less critical.

Offline Savage

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Re: Return to battery
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2012, 09:22:53 AM »
Remove the slide. Take out the bushing, barrel, guide rod and spring. Put the slide back on the frame. Slowly move the slide back and forth on the rails feeling for drag. Often these pistols will have some rail warp due to dull tooling or casting defects, and will require lapping. Strip the pistol and apply fine lapping compound to the rails. Run the slide on the rails until it runs smoothly. Clean the rails and lubricate lightly. The slide to rail fit is good to go when the slide will slowly slide off the rails when pointed downward due to gravity. This is assuming your ammo is in spec of course.  Another option would be to shoot the crap out of it with full power ball ammo until it wears in.
Savage
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Offline Mikey

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Re: Return to battery
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2012, 02:33:24 PM »
Savage:  "This is assuming your ammo is in spec of course.  Another option would be to shoot the crap out of it with full power ball ammo until it wears in".  Yep, that too.  I knew there was something I liked about you.  Thanks.

Offline 222

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Re: Return to battery
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2012, 03:54:18 PM »
Savage, I tried the slide and there is a tight spot. I will try to smooth it out some with fine grit them shoot it, if problem still raises its ugly head will try different barrel. Thanks

Offline Mikey

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Re: Return to battery
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2012, 12:17:07 AM »
222:  Thanks to Savage for reminding me about tight spots - sometimes you may find the top of the ejector (the part that is pinned to the frame) is just a bit high and needs to be taken down a hair.  Look to see if your ejector has a smooth or worn spot on its top and if so, smooth that down until it doesn't cause any more drag.  Often I have found the 'tight spot' not on the rails of the frame/slide match up but on the ejector.  HTH.

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Return to battery
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2012, 12:44:15 AM »
two things to fool with are crimp and seating dept. It sometimes helps fussy (tight chambered) guns to use a lee factory crimp die. But if its doing it with factory ball i doubt these cures are going to help much
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