Are snap caps supposed to eject after firing then racking the slide? If they don't, what is the problem? I built a 1911 and I have never used snap caps so I am not sure if they are supposed to eject once you slide the rack.
Ok, after sitting down and carefully examining everything, I realized the slide is not going all the way back. It is catching on something and I am not sure where it is catching or what it is catching on.
Maybe a fitment issue with something, but I'm not a gunsmith. There is a site that might be of help to you: 1911pro.com that has a lot of info and questions answered by smiths. Too bad 1911 kits don't just snap together like leggos or ar's
I'm sure you probably have this, but in case you don't http://www.klstottlemyer.com/ewExte...matic_-_A_Shop_Manual_Vol.1_by_Kuhnhausen.pdf
I'm going to let the gunsmith at Cherokee Gun & Pawn take it home and get the front sight cut and do what needs to be done to it. I think the guide rod needs material filed off but I am not sure.
I figured it out. The reverse plug had way too much material on the end and was coming in contact with the guide rod. I filed off a little at a time - it still has about an 1/16th too much on it, as it does not go back far enough for the slide stop to engage, but it cycles the snap caps and they eject. I am going to work on it later. My thumb is worn out from working with the recoil spring so much.
Something else I "discovered". i have a polishing stone in my rotary tool kit that is doing some freaking amazing stuff to the machine marks on the frame. in fact, it is making it out to a mirror like finish. I want to find an even finer polishing stone, but so far, this one is doing very well. Here are some pictures to illustrate: You can see the machine markings: Compared with after about 10-20 minutes of using the polishing stone:
I spent some time around the trigger guard, and you can see the comparison between a dull gray, to a shiny mirror like finish: I only did about half of the outside of the under part of the trigger guard, then I took this photo to illustrate what it is going to look like once finished. I need to take the gun completely apart and polish every piece - its going to take a long time.
pretty cool work on the polishing. as for the snap caps, are you sure their OAL wasn't just a bit out of spec (too long)? changing the gun to fit some (fake) ammo wouldn't be my first approach.
These are the correct size. I checked and double checked. I looked at everything when I racked the slide, and it was just not going back far enough to engage the slide stop or even reach the extractor. Now everything works fine. It does stove pipe on the last round, and I suspect it has to do with the magazine spring not being strong enough to push the last round into the chamber.