Oh NO! not the infamous idiot scratch.
- Thread starter brutus51
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CajunBass
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When I bought my first Jeep, the old man who owned the dealership came out as I was getting ready to leave. He pointed down the road and told me where to go to get to a place where I could take it off-road. "Go ahead and scratch it first thing, and you won't have to worry about it again."
He was right. It worked.
He was right. It worked.
Obturation
Member
1911 I assume.Yup I got one, try as I might to always be careful my hand slipped.
It happens .
I felt bad, several years ago my idiot buddy broke the little doodad that pushes the firing pin interlock plunger thingy on his Remington 1911 by forcing the slide on while that little finger was up. I told him no problem, get the part and I'll replace it.
This is a funny looking 1911 with a green zombie paint job as was popular years ago, I got distracted putting it back together and put a big old idiot scratch into its paint job, not into the metal but just through the paint. I could see he was pretty upset so I gave him 100 rounds of 45, that made him feel better but I reminded him that if he wasn't an idiot first I wouldn't have had to come along and be an idiot second.
It happens.
JFrank
Member
I use a guitar pick as slide protection when inserting the slide stop.
mokin
Member
I learned that lesson as a young lance corporal after buying a nice watch. Ever since then I've been relieved when it happens.
AZAndy
Member
I've done that! Takes some practice to avoid. One of the many things I admire about my Dan Wesson is that the slide-stop lever has a notch in it so that it can be inserted straight in. Once I experienced the ease of that, I wondered why it's not just standard practice for every 1911 maker. It can't be that big a deal to cut it that way.
Hesa Hard1
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Yet another reason to trade it in on a Glock. 
shoobe01
Member
If something "wrong" is easy to do, the only idiot is the designer.
Yup I got one, try as I might to always be careful my hand slipped.
From American Handgunner: https://americanhandgunner.com/discover/banish-and-prevent-those-scratches/
It is only "easy to do" if you haven't learned the proper technique of how it should be done.
I've put an idiot mark on my first 1911, but haven't done another since I was taught the correct technique. Unfortunately many users never take the time to learn to perform it correctly.
A optimally shaped slide stop makes it less likely, but that is one of the cost cutting measures that manufactures have taken to keep the price at levels demanded by buyers
CoalCrackerAl
Member
I have some too with the scratch. My new Browning. The slide stop pushes straight in. I like that.
JCooperfan1911
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I personally wouldn’t be seen with an heirloom 1911 with an idiot scratch.
It’s a pretty easy thing to not do.
For a low budget beater type gun, it’s not necessarily a deal killer.
It’s a pretty easy thing to not do.
For a low budget beater type gun, it’s not necessarily a deal killer.
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tark
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Howland937
Member
The only 2 I have that are scratched in any way are scratched in many ways. One is a 1911 carried daily and the other is a P238 that's pocket carried regularly. The P238 takes down basically the same way. Of the the scratches they have, none are from the slide stop or anything else during disassembly/reassembly.
I can see how it can happen, but I guess I've been so wary of it for so long I make a conscious effort to avoid having it happen instead of assuming it won't as long as I halfway pay attention.
I can see how it can happen, but I guess I've been so wary of it for so long I make a conscious effort to avoid having it happen instead of assuming it won't as long as I halfway pay attention.
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