1911, gap b/w slide & frame at dustcover?

[Siggyboy]

Hey 1911 fans,

I've noticed on two of my 1911's that I can see the recoil spring in a gap between the slide and frame when I hold the pistol at a slight angle. Why is that? Has anyone experienced this with one of their pistols? Any negative aspects to this, such as dust etc. getting into the action? Thanks.

 

[Old Fuff]

Probably not. You didn't mention exactly what 1911 pistols you have, but if the barrel is fitted to lock into battery by caming on the slide stop pin this will also lift the slide up to the top of the rails. Then you can see the space between the dust cover and slide. A pistolsmith can eliminate this, but if the pistols are functioning well and are acceptably accurate I wouldn't worry about it.

I don’t know that it matters, but I have an old USGI National Match pistol that was made during the middle 1960’s, it shoots hardball into a 3 inch group at 50 yards, and has exactly the same condition your guns do.

 

[Siggyboy]

Hey Old Fluff, these are two good and accurate 1911's, a newer Colt and a semi-custom. It is quite noticble in the right light, but none of my other 1911's have this gap and it kinda annoys me.

 

[Old Fuff]

You can take the pistols to a QUALIFIED gunsmith who will literally bend the rails on the frame down and then hand-lap the slide to the frame. At this point the gap should have gone away, although you want a minimal clearance between the slide and dust cover. After that its likely the barrel will have to be refitted so that the slide will go into battery. While all of this will, for the most part, get rid of the gap it may also affect the pistol's reliability by tightning it up. I can't tell you much more because without the gun I have no way of telling how bad (or good) the fit is now.

To really learn about how the pistol works, and how to fit one up, go to: www.gunbooks.com or www.brownells.com and buy a copy of a book: The Colt .45 Automatic - a Shop Manual (Vol. 1 & 2) by Jerry Kuhnhausen. Thereafter you will know all.

 

[CCW1911]

May not be exactly what you had in mind but this is a great little download showing how a 1911 works. http://www.stiguns.com/downloads.html

Ross

 

[Siggyboy]

Thanks guys. I know how the 1911 works, already have the Kuhnhausen books, and am not about to have these guns worked on. Like I said, they are very accurate and perfectly fine pistols and one is fit up tight as a bug in a rug. Its just the aesthetics of being able to glimpse the recoil spring when looking at the slide at the dustcover area that bothers me. I just wanted to know how many people are familiar with this, since I've heard that others have 1911's with a gap in this area too.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Any negative aspects to this, such as dust etc. getting into the action? Thanks.

I'll bet you'd NEVER let anything that would cause damage -- like GRAVEL -- get into the action. <grin>

Seems to me that DUST is the least of one's concerns when shooting guns. The crap that is a byproduct of cartridge ignition seems to be a much more realistic concern -- and that gets all over the place, including the inner workings of the gun!!

Unless you're trying to do a Glock stress test, it would seem kind of a "cosmetics" issue...

 

[Siggyboy]

Then why's it called the "dustcover"?

Yeah, its more cosmetic than anything else. I'm just wondering if anyone has noticed this on their 1911's.

 

[Old Fuff]

>> Yeah, its more cosmetic than anything else. I'm just wondering if anyone has noticed this on their 1911's. <<

It is fairly common on production (as opposed to custom) guns that have barrels that are fitted to lock up tightly when the pistol goes into battery. When there is some vertical play between the slide and frame the barrel-locking process can and will push the slide up and cause the gap that you don't like. Older commercial and service pistols seldom show the gap even if the slide fit is loose because the barrel doesn't lift the slide. However such guns are usually less accurate.

The only other thing I can suggest is that now you are aware of the condition, and its cause, check any pistol before you lay your money down.