can someone explain to me what an idiot mark is?

[Nevertoomanyguns]

Yep I got one of those marks on my Pakerized loaded springfield., and the sad part is that I didn't even do it. I showed it to my Cousin's husband, (he is a gun guy too), it was only a week old and he decides without asking me to disassemble it right in front of me and when he put it back together he made the idiot mark. I was pissed it's one thing when you do it yourself but when someone else does it . I bit my tongue and didn't say a word to him. I took it back to my bedroom and cried just joking.

 

[OleCodger]

Whew, I feel a lot better......

When I go to the range, I always try to hide the one on my PT1911 Stainless, particularly from my son that has a no scratch Kimber. Now I know that almost all 1911's have it. Almost like being the member of an elite club..................

 

[Tirod]

Every issue .45 I shot had the mark. It has no affect on the function of the weapon, purely cosmetic. Many of those .45's were 50+ year old rebuilds.

It can be avoided, but it's like a 10 year old pickup with no scratches in the bed. Gotta wonder why someone owns it. Of course, there are those who own expensive dive watches that never touch water . . .

 

[Norinco982lover]

I thought this was one of those "flame" threads so I clicked on it.... /disappointment!

Poor mark...what an idiot!

~Norinco

 

[Geneseo1911]

Well, I bought a used Springfield Mil-Spec for my 21st birthday, I've dis-assembled it dozens of times (probably not hundreds yet); and it still doesn't have an idiot mark. Moral of my story is that it can be avoided quite easily if you try, even by an idiot kid with his first handgun.

 

[uh-oh]

I like to take pictures of my 1911s I bought new because they DON'T have the idiot mark. Idiot scratches are simple signs of low-level carelessness, indicative of higher levels of carelessness with firearms. I don't really care for appearances because a gun is meant to be used, no matter the price. Idiot scratches indicate haste and inattention to detail along with unfamiliarity with the weapon.

A really simple solution is to rubberband the grip safety and remove the thumb safety. Disassemble as normal. Reinstall slide and slide stop. No pressure on plunger= slide stop slides right in. Use a Pachmayer tool, filed-down toothbrush handle, or (my favorite) a popsicle stick to push in the back of the plunger and reinstall the thumb safety. No idiot scratches.

For added dramatic effect. Both of these have been detail stripped a several tens of times between them and several hundred field strips.

 

[1KPerDay]

Idiot scratches are simple signs of low-level carelessness, indicative of higher levels of carelessness with firearms.

Well okay then.

 

[OleCodger]

Hmmmmmmmm, "Indicative of higher level of carelessness......

A new way to check for range safety. I'll betcha the next time I go to the range I'll check my neighbors for Idiot Marks. If there some present, I'll just pack up my bags and go home. Doggone it, I have some on my PT1911SS. Guess I'ma gonna hafta look out for myself also. You just can't trust anyone anymore!!!! I even have a sling shot that has a knife mark on it also. Guess that just goes to prove.........Oh well, after all, it is called "Idiot Marks". I'm almost 71 and never shot myself or been shot by others.......guess I'm just plain dumb lucky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[OleCodger]

Hmmmmmmmm, "Indicative of higher level of carelessness......

Double post

 

[claiborne]

spring plug first and last

The easiest way I know of to avoid carelessly scratching your pistol is to remove tension from the slide by removing the spring plug first then remove the slide stop lever. My Mi-Spec Loaded was the test dummy for this learned lesson.
When assembling your pistol, put your slide on with barrel, spring and spring guide installed; push it back on the frame until you see the barrel link lined up with the hole; partially insert the slide stop so that it engages the barrel link; push slide back on frame until the slide stop groove and hole are lined up; then carefully position slide stop against plunger and firmly press slide stop where it belongs.
Now it is time to push the spring plug in place and rotate your bushing counter clockwise to the proper position.
It was a lesson learned for me although I admit to not being an idiot, just over-zealous and impatient.
My Mil-Spec Loaded is full of handling marks and those caused by carelessness. My Mil-Spec 38 super, Mil-Spec .45, and DW pointman 7 show signs of handling, and shooting but not carelessness.
Good Luck.

 

[C-grunt]

Previous owner did this to my new to me Springfield Milspec. Someone said a bit of Flitz will get rid of it.

 

[1KPerDay]

Double post

Obviously your low-level carelessness in posting is indicative of your higher-level carelessness with firearms.

c-grunt, I have an idiot mark on my stainless Combat commander that the, er... "previous owner" put there also. LOL




j/k man! nice looking piece.

 

[j1979]

Put some oil on a green scotchbrite pad and follow the grain of the steel. Use some polish(I prefer Flitz) and polish to your desired level. Works so good you'll never know it was there!!!

 

[moooose102]

well, i guess that wouldn't make or break the sale for me. partially because i would probably be the next idiot. isn't there a way to increase the clearance, or polish the heck out of the back of the lever so it will not do that?

 

[C-grunt]

1KPerDay... I havent had it long enough to do anything to it. LOL

 

[C-grunt]

Moose...theres a technique to putting the slide stop back in that will avoid it. Dont put the spring and plug in before hand and its a lot easier.

 

[moooose102]

well, i dont have one, yet. so if and when i do get one, i will make certain they show me how to do it so i dont scratch it up!

 

[OleCodger]

Hey 1K......

Just goes to prove the point!! I can understand my foolishness but all the rest of you clowns?????? NO EXCUSE! I didn't realize what a bunch of reckless characters I've been hanging out with. This does it. I AM gonna take up stamp collecting......but not before I check each stamp for scratch marks! You just never know.......

Seriously though, it did sorta make me sick when I scratched mine. I'm one of those nuts that does it first, then checks the owners manual to see what I did wrong........yeah, I know,.....please don't say it!!!...

 

[OleCodger]

j1979

Not that I don't believe you but I'm just afraid that will make matters worse!! Does it not leave a smudge type finish where you've done the surgery??!! Not arguing, just asking. I'd sure like to remove mine although I did a pretty good job when I "scratched" it......that blasted mark "ain't" shallow!!!!

If there are levels of high level idiocy, I must take the prize at a ten! Gosh I'm getting scared.....I certainly hope all this editing that I'm having to do isn't a sign of even worse times ahead................

 

[uh-oh]

Geez, touchy, touchy. I wrote that post half in jest (yes, only half). I might have to start using those little smiley faces.
To me, an idiot scratch is really just a sign of haste. Cosmetic only, but they only hurt those who make them.

 

[1KPerDay]

I didn't realize what a bunch of reckless characters I've been hanging out with. This does it. I AM gonna take up stamp collecting......but not before I check each stamp for scratch marks! You just never know.......

Ha ha!

 

[sohcgt2]

I use a razor blade (single edge box cutter type) to avoid making the idiot marks.

 

[j1979]

OleCodger.
Yea I guess you may want to leave it alone if its more of a groove than a scratch. I put one in my PM9 the first day I had it. Mine was very shallow and it came right out, you would never even know it happened. I would just leave it if I were you, unless it really bothers you. You could send it in to get refinished, no idea how much that would cost. When mine get dinged I just tell myslef if it gets bad enough you can always have them refinished for not alot of money.

 

[Anna's Dad]

I'm likely about to buy a used 1911 that comes with the mark pre-installed. Now I don't have to be so careful!

I'm not sure it's a traditional idiot mark since I haven't actually seent it in person, but the seller said "there is a small scratch near the slide stop".

 

[OleCodger]

Ahhhhh, I think that I'll just make up some kind of truthful story about the time I was sitting around the campfire cleaning my weapon, well, I actually had it broken totally down when the Apache's attacked. From the time the first arrow left the warrior's bow, I had it all back together but in my careless haste, I did put a minute scratch on the weapon. However, I then loaded all three clips (had them broken down also) and had shot four warriors before the aforementioned arrow pierced my knapsack full of vienna sausage. Now this REALLY made me mad and I....................