Loose slide

[horse 91-A1]

I have a M1991-A1 Colt Combat/Target series 80 in matte stainless and I've noticed group sizes opening up this year. Last evening I noticed side play (about 1/64") between the slide and receiver near the hammer. I checked my homemade Essex frame, WWII Remington slide for comparison and it's tight as can be with no lateral play, plus the machining is in A-1 condition.

The forward right inside rail on the Colt by the spring well looks like it's peening down and I can't tell anything from the slide.

I've never put +P loads thru it and all my handloads have been within written data; plus a large number of Win white box ammo. Total rounds fired ballpark is about 3,000. The longest it's gone w/o cleaning/oiling is about 600 rounds of Win white box on a busy weekend.

I can take a hi-res macro film picture, but I don't use digital; yet. :)

Any ideas on the cause and is this a go back to the factory fix? Thanks!

Adios,
Bob :confused:

[stans]

1/64th of an inch is not all that much play (0.015") and slide to frame fit does not account for very much in terms of accuracy in the 1911 design. Declining accuracy could be a build up of fouling in the barrel, wear on the bushing, and since it's a factory stock pistol and likely to be locking up on the barrel link, wear on the link and link pin. Also, change the recoil spring every 2000 rounds.

[SAWBONES]

Declining accuracy probably isn't from loose slide-to-frame fit, which is traditionally felt to contribute only about 5% at most to the total "accuracy-precision components" equation in a 1911.