Little damage on a frame

[hueycrew]

I have a RIA 1911. Right at 2500-3000 rounds thru it. (I'm guessing on round count)

I have a gouge in the frame where the recoil spring guide is located. I'm thinking the excess metal on the guide is causing the gouge but how? I don't remember seeing this the last few times I've cleaned the gun.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b97/hueycrew/Rock%20Island/gunpics008.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b97/hueycrew/Rock%20Island/gunpics009.jpg

There is also wear on the barrel where the link attaches. I started to clean it up, removed some burrs. This photo is after a little cleanup. Still visible though not as bad.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b97/hueycrew/Rock%20Island/gunpics006.jpg

Looking for guidance. Should I clean up the guide and blend the gouge in the frame? Should I continue to blend the wear on the barrel?

I have had zero function issues with this gun. Worked perfect out of the box. I don't shoot any +p or hot ammo. Just standard ball ammo. My reloads are pretty mild compared to WWB.

Only internal part that I have changed is the recoil spring. Installed a Wolff 16 lb. spring.

Thanks,

Huey

[John]

I do not know what on earth caused that thing in your frame, definitely the anomaly seen on the guide rod is to be blamed. Do remove that excess metal around the guide rod flange. As for the barrel, I can't see where the problem was, or where you have filed it, but the barrel legs seem rather irregular, at their front part and where they curve down. I would clean them up and watch to see if it will happen again.

[1911Tuner]

The guide flange is either oversized, or the vertical specs in the frame are wrong. What happened is that the barrel's drop was stopped by the flange, and couldn't get disengaged from the slide. Slide jams barrel down into curved portion of the flange, and against the dust cover/spring tunnel.
Best take a close look at the top, front corners of the barrel lugs. My bet is that those are damaged too. This one belongs to RIA.

Ohhhh...IVAAAAAAAAN!

:lh:

[hueycrew]

Thanks John and Tuner,

I looked over the lugs on the slide and barrel. Both are in perfect shape, no peening or damage and edges are in like new shape. I'd post pictures but the batteries in the camera pooped out.

The barrel legs had an indentation (both legs) on the outside radius where if I am thinking right the slide stop rides on that portion. Each leg had one divet. Compared to the barrel on my Colt the RIA barrel looked a little beat up.

I think I'll clean up the spring guide flange to start with. I agree with John that the lump on the bottom of the spring guide did the dirty work. I'll clean up the legs too.

Unless Ivan jumps in ;)

[1911Tuner]

Ya got lucky, Huey. There's still an interference problem between the guide rod flange, barrel, and slide. The lower lug isn't just marked...It's damaged...and so is the frame. That came from the barrel being jammed hard down onto the lug and the flange kicking up a divot in the tunnel. It's likely that a crack is forming in the area. I'd send it in.

[hueycrew]

Ouch!!

A crack? :butthead:

When you say lower lug, is that the same as the "leg" on the bottom of the barrel?

:confused: It works so good though.

Thanks Tuner.

[1911Tuner]

Ouch!!

A crack? :butthead:

When you say lower lug, is that the same as the "leg" on the bottom of the barrel?

:confused: It works so good though.

Thanks Tuner.


A crack is very possible. The sharp corner at the junction of the frame rails and the tunnel is a breeding ground for stress risers...and it took considerable downward contact stress to kick up that divot. Risers turn into cracks if overly stressed by impact or pressure. Witness the many 1911 frames that have a vertical crack at that point. Some that don't have enough clearance between the bottom of the slide rail and the top of the tunnel crack at low mileage. Not as much of an issue in frames machined from forged billets...but much more of a concern with cast frames...which yours is.

The "leg" is the lower barrel lug. The damage to that isn't as critical, but could possibly cause barrel timing problems both in the engagement into the slide and linkdown and drop timing. Not as critical because it can probably be dressed smoothly enough that it doesn't affect function...Probably.

[hueycrew]

:scared:

:eek:

:confused:

Thanks Tuner,

I sent Ivan a PM. I'm sure he be thrilled to hear from me ;) . He is a darn good guy and from my experiences with him, is an honest guy too.

I really like this gun. It was my first 1911 and I have never had even one problem. I like it even when it it bites my hand.

[1911Tuner]

I sent Ivan a PM. I'm sure he be thrilled to hear from me . He is a darn good guy and from my experiences with him, is an honest guy too.

He is. The thing that impressed me about Ivan was his "Can do" attitude and
"If I can't fix it, I'll replace it" responses instead of the tired old "We need to evaluate the gun to determine if the problem is due to you gripping it improperly or the ammunition or because a mixed-breed dog only howled at the moon once instead of twice when you were firing it", etc, etc...ad nauseum. Just a simple: "I WILL make it right."

[ArmscorBA]

Hueycrew,
Got your PM. It is ( As Tuner says) a timing issue, Please send it back and I will take care of it!!
Thanks
Ivan

[hueycrew]

All I can say is Ivan is the MAN!

:)

Thanks Ivan!

Joe

[ArmscorBA]

Thanks!
Ivan