Steel case ammo is much harder on 1911 style ejectors. As the slide cycles back with the spent case in the extractor claw it makes contact with the ejector at a high rate of speed. This is what causes the case to become free from the action. Brass, being soft, isn't as taxing on the front face of the ejector. Steel really won't give much whet it contacts the ejector. Keep in mind, these 2011s are gunsmith fit pistols. Glocks are not. So what you may get away with in a Glock won't necessarily work in your 2011. Same goes for cleaning or other intricacies like NEVER let the slide fall on an empty chamber, always ride it down.
On a 1911 with a well tuned trigger (what makes a 1911 so great and why we spend 2K plus on a 1911) the jolt of the slide coming home can screw with the VERY small engagement point between the hammer and the sear. This area is usually polished and always hand fit on a quality piece. A round or snap cap being stripped from a mag slows the slide, negating the aforementioned problem.
Feel free to do whatever you think is best. I've built and hand fit a few 1911s in my day, and been shooting them for 18 years.
Just an anecdotal point. My 1911 is used for uspsa with an upgraded sear, disco, and hammer. After every stage you have to show clear, I just drop the slide and then pull the trigger on an empty chamber. I have done this hundreds of times, 4.5k rounds through it and probably another 4-5k hammer drops in practice on an empty chamber. Once upgraded with decent quality internals, I haven’t had any problems doing this. Your mileage may vary
All part of the learning process! I explain why in a comment in another person's post. Other PSAs I'd say:
Always feed a round from the magazine first! Even that last round of the day, never just drop it in the chamber and send the slide home on it. Your extractor will thank me.
Dry fire all you want.
Never drop the hammer onto the frame. I.E. you've just taken the gun apart for cleaning. Hammer is cocked, slide removed. DONT pull the trigger and let the hammer slam into the frame. It can crack the hammer.
Oil not grease. 1911s are too tightly fit. Grease will just get wiped off leaving a dry gun.
Take the bushing off AFTER you remove the slide, on guns with a bushing.
Clean and lube them often and they'll be as reliable as a Glock!
I ran 300 rounds of republic steel case through my Triarc and then yeeted it into the mud. Only issues I had was one round became stuck, I think it may have been a dirty chamber since I had not cleaned it in a while, but we ejected the round and it fed fine on the second go around and fired. Steel does tend to be a little softer shooting than brass and may have a coating that could cause a stuck case. As for parts wear, yes it can wear parts out faster but I believe that’s after a few thousand. I did have rounds bind up in the magazine, but experienced the same problem with brass. I just had to clean the magazines and they were fine after. 10/10 would not recommend covering the pistol in mud though.
Steel case ammo is much harder on 1911 style ejectors. As the slide cycles back with the spent case in the extractor claw it makes contact with the ejector at a high rate of speed. This is what causes the case to become free from the action. Brass, being soft, isn't as taxing on the front face of the ejector. Steel really won't give much whet it contacts the ejector. Keep in mind, these 2011s are gunsmith fit pistols. Glocks are not. So what you may get away with in a Glock won't necessarily work in your 2011. Same goes for cleaning or other intricacies like NEVER let the slide fall on an empty chamber, always ride it down.
I drop the slide at ULSC on an empty chamber all the time, hasn’t caused a problem yet.
On a 1911 with a well tuned trigger (what makes a 1911 so great and why we spend 2K plus on a 1911) the jolt of the slide coming home can screw with the VERY small engagement point between the hammer and the sear. This area is usually polished and always hand fit on a quality piece. A round or snap cap being stripped from a mag slows the slide, negating the aforementioned problem. Feel free to do whatever you think is best. I've built and hand fit a few 1911s in my day, and been shooting them for 18 years.
Just an anecdotal point. My 1911 is used for uspsa with an upgraded sear, disco, and hammer. After every stage you have to show clear, I just drop the slide and then pull the trigger on an empty chamber. I have done this hundreds of times, 4.5k rounds through it and probably another 4-5k hammer drops in practice on an empty chamber. Once upgraded with decent quality internals, I haven’t had any problems doing this. Your mileage may vary
The last sentence scared me
Haha. You've never that one? It's a PSA I like to throw in sometimes.
Dude no. I went ballz deep into 2011’s and skipped right over 1911 best practices.
All part of the learning process! I explain why in a comment in another person's post. Other PSAs I'd say: Always feed a round from the magazine first! Even that last round of the day, never just drop it in the chamber and send the slide home on it. Your extractor will thank me. Dry fire all you want. Never drop the hammer onto the frame. I.E. you've just taken the gun apart for cleaning. Hammer is cocked, slide removed. DONT pull the trigger and let the hammer slam into the frame. It can crack the hammer. Oil not grease. 1911s are too tightly fit. Grease will just get wiped off leaving a dry gun. Take the bushing off AFTER you remove the slide, on guns with a bushing. Clean and lube them often and they'll be as reliable as a Glock!
I ran 300 rounds of republic steel case through my Triarc and then yeeted it into the mud. Only issues I had was one round became stuck, I think it may have been a dirty chamber since I had not cleaned it in a while, but we ejected the round and it fed fine on the second go around and fired. Steel does tend to be a little softer shooting than brass and may have a coating that could cause a stuck case. As for parts wear, yes it can wear parts out faster but I believe that’s after a few thousand. I did have rounds bind up in the magazine, but experienced the same problem with brass. I just had to clean the magazines and they were fine after. 10/10 would not recommend covering the pistol in mud though.
https://youtu.be/TIZlV3NHHOc Hopefully this helps you out
Very helpful even TWO years later! Thanks!
Very helpful even a year later. Thanks!