Idiot Scratch of ALL Time- 1911

According the way the grip screw looks, it kind of match's

Looks like someone kicked it spinning down an asphalt street.

I just got a loaded springlfield that had a really bad idiot scratch. Other than that its beautiful

hooooly moly, that is QUITE the idiot scratch, never seen one quite like that before...

looks like you polished the gun up real nice though! Glad that gun is going to a better home... by that I mean ANYONE besides the former owner!!!

If you wouldn't mind sharing, What did method did you go with , as far as polishing it up ? looks as though it's a vast improvement !

I had a pre WWII Government that had TWO strong idiot marks on the slide...one where it was in battery with slide forward, and the other when the slide was retracted for assembly/disassembly. Oh, and of couse, the usual one on the frame. Had to be a drunk sitting there, fighting with the slide stop during cleaning or re-assembly. The gun is long gone...wish I had a picture to share.............

Idiot scratch, you say? I had better not tell you about mine then.

I'm confused. Doesn't the slide stop on a 1911 just push straight in and out?
Both of mine have.

it adds character

That makes me feel a lot better about mine

At least my idiot scratch is only on the frame. (That being said on the record, I might have to take the precaution of putting tape on the slide before my next re-assembly.)

Now to make sure that you polish the back of the back side of of the slide release. The backside of mine had a pretty sharp point. I dulled it so it wasn't sharp. Even with little or no pressure it would leave a mark.

Saw pictures of one once that the smith had dubbed "Around the World and Back". You guessed it, a full circle of pain.

I have seen more than a few used guns at various local dealers (and gunshows too) that look similar in appearance. They have scratches, dents, and dings all over them.. smh

Mine gets used , daily. If I was worried about scratches I never would have taken it out of the box .
Idiot scratch ? No , not lately , as in not since I had to FS in a hurry , in the dark due to an out of battery discharge . (Yup , little exciting ) .

~kop

I have seen more than a few used guns at various local dealers (and gunshows too) that look similar in appearance. They have scratches, dents, and dings all over them.. smh

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Such a shame when people actually use their guns! The horror!

I've posted this before but as the thread is specific to the idiot mark it bears repeating. The simplest way to deal with reinstallation of the slide stop is with the "log man" modification. You'll need a small triangular file and about 5 minutes. If the slide stop is new, you might grab a fine point Sharpie or other means of marking.

On a used stop, the detent will have polished a horizontal line in the stop that can be used as a reference. For a new slide stop, simply line it up and mark where the plunger makes contact. The pictures should be self-explanatory but remember while test fitting that the stop must clear the frame both top and bottom to slip in.







I've yet to leave that particular mark on any 1911 to date but log man's mod. makes it so simple a caveman could do it. Note pic. 3 the slide stop is not lined up properly with the slide as it slid forward while I snapped the pic.