1911 guys, does the idiot mark bother you?

[Zach S]

On a pretty pistol, it bothers me. I dont own any pretty pistols, theyre all bead-blasted stainless, if a scratch one of them my reaction is along the lines of "Oh well, its still a tackdriver" That said, I'm still careful not to put the idiot mark on them, the only two of mine that have it came with it. So if its YOUR gun, does it bother you?

 

[Matthew_Q]

It bothers me a little bit...

I have taken apart my 4 month old Milspec Parkerized a few times, but a couple disassemblies ago, the freakin slide stop just didn't want to go in! It skipped the plunger and bam! Idiot mark. I was pissed for a while, then said F-it. It still shoots, and I'm gonna have some wear marks anyway. Luckily it's only in the park. If I wear it all out, I can just repark it and voila, it's gone!

 

[Boats]

No idiot marks here. I guess I have torn down the 1911 so many times that I am immune to any such problems anymore.

It may also help that I have no FLGRs making the operation any tougher.

 

[Lictalon]

There's a NAME for that mark?

Now I DON'T feel stupid...I thought it were just me.

 

[doctorhumbert]

You can get 'idiot mark' on BHP also.:banghead:

You just have to use two hands when putting it back in slowly. If you wanna be really careful, use masking tapes.

 

[HSMITH]

Yeah it bothers me, there is no reason for it IMO. It will only ever happen if you are in a hurry or try to force it in. I have NEVER had one that was even remotely difficult to push the slide stop in when everything was lined up correctly, and I have done THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of 1911 tear down and assemblies (was a military armorer).

 

[MoNsTeR]

There sure is a reason for it, it's called an accident
If you disassemble and reassemble the gun a hundred times, it's gonna happen once or twice, and that's all it takes to leave the mark, so I just live with it. This is, however, another reason not to settle for bluing or parkerizing as a finish

 

[BenW]

I'll prepare myself for flames. I have one on the first 1911 I ever bought, and on one other out of nine. But if I had the mark on every single one of my 1911s I couldn't care less. My guns are tools / sporting equipment. I have scratches on hammers, drills, watches, Palm Pilots, fishing poles, flashlights, etc. This happens from use. As was pointed out above, people have accidents (okay, on my first gun it was learning how to assemble / disassemble). I have always gone out of my way to care for and maintain all the stuff I own, but accidents happen. I have to say that I would consider myself an idiot for being upset about a scratch on a gun (okay, $20K Purdys are an exception ).

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

No it don't bother me. All my guns are supposed to be scratched up aren't they?

 

[Chupacabra]

First time I disassembled/reassembled my 1911 I scratch the frame trying to get that frickin slide stop back in. Doesn't bother me though. It's not like it's going to be entered in a beauty contest or anything.

 

[Tamara]

Depends on the gun.

On my shiny blue Colt? Yes, it would. On my matte-finish Kimber? Not really. On my Baer? Yup. On my Pro? Nope.

I guess that leaves me in the "a little bit" category...

 

[HSMITH]

I repeat, there is NO reason for it. If it can happen you are holding the piece incorrectly. I attached a photo to illustrate my point. The upper thumb completely blocks the potential for an idiot mark. The lower thumb pushes the slidestop in and up at the same time. When properly aligned it will go together without any struggle whatsoever.

 

[Tamara]

HSMITH,

The upper thumb completely blocks the potential for an idiot mark.

I'd always heard the term "idiot mark" used to refer to the little crescent-shaped mark on the frame below the slide stop where someone had pivoted it up and into place, so I can't see how a thumb above it will stop it.

 

[New_comer]

For a showcase gun, it should... Several hundred, or even thousands of dollars worth of depreciation would dampen anyone's day.


Otherwise, it's supposed to be only a tool, and tools are supposed to have nicks and scratches on them.


Besides, wear and tear gives the weapon 'character'

 

[Zeke Menuar]

I bought my LW Commander used. The mark was already there. This gun isn't a show piece, it is a shooter. The mark does doesn't bother me as it doesn't seem to affect accuracy.

ZM

 

[Shmackey]

HSMITH, I think you're talking about something different from what everyone else is talking about. Tamara's got it.

It may also help that I have no FLGRs making the operation any tougher.

Boats, what does a FLGR have to do with it?


Oh--as for me, yeah, it bothers me on nice guns.

 

[Zach S]

The poll is a little closer than i thought it would be, I guess because of the "a little bit" option...

And, for those debating, I'm refering the the mark between the trigger and slide stop notch on the frame, I forgot about the one that is sometimes seen on the slide, as I rarely see it and its a little easier to polish out (from what I've been told anyway). Most used 1911s I look at have had the idiot mark on the frame though, take for example my Colt.

One more thing, I never noticed any more difficulty putting my Kimber (FLGR) back together compared to my Colt (GIGR)

 

[Mike Irwin]

OK, I have three Browning-inspired handguns, a Radom Vis 35, a High Power, and a Springfield Armory 1911-A1 Milspec.

I've NO clue what you're talking about when you say idiot mark.

 

[Roadrash]

Yes!! I have one, and damnit I'm proud of it.

I did that the very first day I got this beauty. :banghead:

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

There is a third idiot mark that can be had as well. It's the mark you get when your eye is too close to the scope on a hard recoiling rifle. And yes I've had one!

 

[HSMITH]

Idiot marks can be above on the slide OR below on the frame, although the big one on the slide could be called a jackarse mark, it is truly sinful. If you place your upper thumb as I have you will never get one on the slide. If you place the slide stop as I have and push with the lower thumb up and in at the same time you will never get one on the frame. This really isn't this difficult.........

 

[B27]

I just use a tiny flat blade screwdriver to depress the plunger tube pin and voila'. No scratch, no frustration.

 

[goon]

I am almost glad that my new M-28 is at the factory getting re-timed right now. It keeps me from screwing it up.
Every gun I have ever owned has idiot marks on it.
Big suprise. I'm an idiot.
My most notable idiot mark would have to be the little peice of skin I left stuck to the SAR-1 I used to have. I accidentally burned myself on the barrel while trying to escape from a thunderstorm one day.

 

[boing]

Only my first 1911 has the idiot scratch, on the frame. I've never seen anyone stupid enough to do it to the slide.

I've seen some guns that don't have the proper fitting of the slide stop and plunger to allow the stop to pop into place. In those cases, the guns have Factory Idiot Marks.

I voted "yes", but only because of the Factory Idiots.

 

[Erich]

So far, so good . . .