Para P-13 Stoppages

[Rob10ring]

I have a Para P-13 that I got back in the 90's and never really got too excited about, due to the fact that it wasn't very reliable. Recently, I got bit by the 1911 bug and started shooting it again. It shoots great, but it will not feed reliably with ball ammo. I don't want to spend a lot on this one, so should I sell it and get a new one, shoot it more or is there another solution? Is there practice ammo that is conical in 45, like there is for 40? Any advice would be great.

[m25operator]

Does your barrel have the integral feed ramp?

How many rounds through it at this point?

What type of ball ammo do you have?

Where does the cartridge stop?

[Michael Bane]

ditto m25...give us the details and we'll get it fixed!

Michael B

[Rob10ring]

It does have the integrated feed ramp. Recently, I've used Magtech and Winchester white box. I've tried four different magazines and what happens is that the bullets rides the ramp into the barrel, but right before going into battery, comes up about an eighth of an inch short. It's like the nose of the bullet is slowing feeding, maybe the ramp is too steep. I swapped the recoil spring for a new Wolff spring, that was probably reaching. I have had a little more success with Hydrashocks. I'm going to shoot some more ball through it this coming week.

Thanks guys

[TAB]

Is the extractor fulling catching the rim?

[Sponsor]

[jnevis]

You might want to get the ramp polished.  I've seen my 1911 FTF with a little offset between barrel and ramp (non-integra) and a friends P-16 (40) get hung up, both fixed witha really good polish job on the ramp.  Place to start anyway.

[Rob10ring]

I believe that the extractor is catching the rim, but I'll make sure when I take it back to the range. The offset was kind of where I was heading. Does that do anything that is irreversible?

I have other guns, but if this was my only hearth & home gun, I'd be buying a new one tomorrow. My Glocks have been even better than my HKs.

Thanks all

[m25operator]

The first thing I would do is unload it, take the slide off, remove the barrel, put the slide back on and slowly work the slide on a full magazine, watch the case head slide under the extractor, it should go to the midway point of the case head easily but with some tension, what you are describing could be the case head binding on the way up, and different manufacturers have  slightly different case head thicknesses, a thinner head would slide under the extractor easier. Also take some empty cases and work them by hand under the extractor and just feel how easy it is.

2nd, drop some loaded ammo in the barrel on the bench and see how easy they fall in, and to what depth, maybe the barrel has a tight chamber or not enough lead cut in the beginning of the rifling.

What you are describing to me sounds like the case has entered 90%. Should be quite solvable.

Extractor fit is an experience game, done a lot by feel, Although I do use an extractor tension gauge from Weigand. If your not comfortable, don't do it.  If it seems it's the barrel, send it back to Para.

Good luck and keep us informed.

[Rob10ring]

M25, I'll try all of that. That is one happy guy on your avatar. What is that from? I laugh every time I see it.

[Rob10ring]

OK, I did all of the things recommended and here are the observations that I have made so far:
The case head and extractor seemed work exactly as suggested. Ammo drops into the removed barrel easily. With the barrel removed, I tried guiding a round up the ramp and into the barrel in a similar path, as if the gun were assembled. The mouth, or front edge of the case, seems to hang up on the inside of the top of the barrel, just a little inside. I cycled a magazine through the gun and took photos of how they are stopping. I marked the approximate location of where I manually experienced the hang up (maybe a little more into the barrel).

This is a point and shoot camera, so the quality is a little limited.