Tanfoglio Witness and Swiss Arms 1911 Jamming Problem Fix

[Freeonthree]

Since these are replica's of the real 1911's, I think KWC should have designed the clip to only hold 7 or 8 bb's, or at least put a big warning in the instructions about the danger of damaging the clips feeder tube by loading more than 8.
My Tanfoglio Witness's origional clips feeder tube failed before it had 100 shots on it, but my new Swiss Arms version has never seen more than 8 at a time, and life is good. Dennis

[zippy]

If you stretch the spring after shortening you can keep the mag empty hold open feature. If the spring is stretched back to its original length, it's travel will remain the same, but its pressure for any given % compression will be reduced. But as it is full length , the follower should still lock the slide.

[Freeonthree]

Been there, tried that.
Stretching the spring damages it. I stretched one to where the auto lockback just started working again, and within a few days, it compressed, and the auto lockback stopped working again.
I run 2 kinds of clips, modded and stock. I can run up to 18 bb's in the modded clips (2" shorter spring), with no auto lockback, or up to 7 or 8 bb's in the stock clips, gun fully functioning flawlessly, and im pretty sure that it will stay that way as long as I never load more than 8 in the stock clips.
Springs are shaped and then tempered, so stretching them is a bad idea in my opinion.
The length of the spring is not what activates the auto lockback, it's the pressure, and if whatever spring you have in there has enough pressure to operate the auto lockback, then compressed back to the 18bb mark still creates more pressure than the plastic feeder tube's retaining lips can handle. It's a shame the box and instructions tell us to load 18 bb's when this is supposed to be a replica. Real 1911's hold 7 rounds.

[Freeonthree]

Here's a little update from where im sitting:
I've been shooting the heck out of both my Tanfoglio Witness and my Swiss Arms 1911's and have not had any problems with them at all.
I've been using my stock unmodified clips, loading 8 bb's, and so far both pistols have been operating flawlessly.
I can still run 18 bb's in my modded clips, but I think it's more fun shooting these pistols like real 1911's, and I love the auto lockback.
From where im sitting, these KWC made 1911's are totally flawless. Dennis

[Gadjet]

Very interesting thread, thanks for posting the info, I occasionally have problems with my Swiss Arms 1911 and this sounds like it's worth a try.

I have also noticed that when I load 18 BBs that the spring compressor that you pull down to load can sometimes get caught under the slot even though it was clear of the slot when loading the mag. so I never load a full 18, I might try loading 10 and see how that goes, I'm not to bothered about matching the shot count of the real thing, I'd rather load the mag less often

I've also had the CO2 spontaneously empty itself for some reason (only a couple of times), any ideas what that is?

[Freeonthree]

Very interesting thread, thanks for posting the info, I occasionally have problems with my Swiss Arms 1911 and this sounds like it's worth a try.

I have also noticed that when I load 18 BBs that the spring compressor that you pull down to load can sometimes get caught under the slot even though it was clear of the slot when loading the mag. so I never load a full 18, I might try loading 10 and see how that goes, I'm not to bothered about matching the shot count of the real thing, I'd rather load the mag less often

I've also had the CO2 spontaneously empty itself for some reason (only a couple of times), any ideas what that is?

First of all, always put a drop of Pelgunoil or equivilent on the tip of each Co2 cratridge before installing. That will keep the air valve clean and sealing properly.
2nd, sometime when the clip double feeds and jams the gun, the air valve gets held open partially, leaking out all the Co2.
3d, make sure the piercing valve in the clip is tight. It may be left handed threads, so be careful.
I read something somewhere about tightening a Co2 could loosen the piercing valve in one or more of the pistols out there, and I notice the cartridges do tend to turn when I tighten them, and I guess that could rotate the valve if it wasn't tight enough.
I have a screwdriver I ground a large notch in for these valves, but have not found one loose yet, so I can't say wether they are left or right hand threaded yet. Hope that helps some. Dennis

[Gadjet]

Thanks for the feedback, I do put a drop of oil on every other cartridge and I will have a look at the piercing valve but I think it's probably the second reason as it happens quite rarely.

Cheers