first SR1911 problem?

[foolsgold80z]

As a machinist the first thing I notice in your photos that relates to your slide sticking issue is the upper edges of the slide groove on the frame appear to have not been deburred and appear to be sharp or to have a raised burr. The galling could have occurred from some of this burr material coming loose and being trapped between the slide and frame. I would clean up those edges and any sharp edges on the slide with a stone or small fine file. By "edges" I mean the sharp corners. Good luck with your new gun.

 

[Smaug]

Well, I don't know about you guys, but I didn't expect it to be PERFECT for a $600 1911.

 

[xr1200]

If your wondering why the galling of stainless steel or any other metal will usually occur on a moving surface once the oiled surface lubrication breaks down and you start to get hard contact between the 2 metal contact points.

The galling occurs at this contact point , where small pieces of the actual metal tend to break off and get caught in the contact point causing further damage to the metal surface from the hard metal particles that are now acting like valve grinding compound.

If ruger gives you a new gun , I would recommend taking the gun partially apart and running the slide back and forth making sure to keep everything lubricated well and clean the slide ways of any metal chips and debree etc. and relube it again and run the slide back and forth for at least 500 cycles by hand. This should prevent galling of the new gun.

 

[CZF]

I'm no 1911 expeet, but did hand cyclle my stainless CBOB some
years ago about 100 hundred times a day for a week before shooting it.

Having been told that they were very tight from the factory, I was glad to have did that as the gun ran 100% with over 200 mixed rounds.

You can bet that when I eventually buy a SR1911 I'll be doing the same thing before shooting it.

 

[SSN Vet]

I'd definately send it back to Ruger....

Just tell them the simple truth... the slide was wicked tight, so you cleaned it, lubed it and then when you shot it, it galled.

Galling is like smearing the metal at the surface and I believe it will continue to degrade.

If Ruger is any where near as good as all their fans say they are, they'll certainly make this right with no fuss. And they should pay your shipping both ways as well.

Keep us posted..... inquiring minds want to see how they respond for you.

 

[ISO1600]

Ok i sent an online support request giving them links to the pictures/info (this thread) and we'll see what they do.

 

[rellascout]

Why not call them? One of Ruger's #1 selling points is that they have good customer service. I bet one call to them will get you a call tag which you can print out yourself. Box up the pistol and send it back.

 

[Dobe]

That would be my suggestion also.

 

[Skylerbone]

xr1200, you ought not suggest people omit any part of the truth when dealing with manufacturers. In my day that was called lying, still is in my book and not very High Road. As it stands we are unaware of any careless handling by the OP and nothing about his experience seems exaggerated or misrepresented at this point. Let's not encourage bad behavior.

The Ruger is investment cast, I don't know their specific heat treatment or hardness. I do know Ruger has a sizable investment in this pistol's production and solid customer support. If the OP has any lingering doubt about shootability or durability he should not hesitate to call.

 

[ISO1600]

i really am not worried about it much at all at this point. I am hesitant to call, because i imagine they'll say "send it in and we'll look at it". Then my wife will be without her pistol while they figure it out. I've already changed the grip bushings and panels on it, so that is work/trouble potentially wasted. If their customer service is as good as everybody says, i'll just wait until it DOES give me trouble- which i dont think will be until a LONG time from now. This is not a carry or competition piece.

also, i dont see xr1200 telling me to lie or anything, i'm not sure what you (skyler) are talking about.

I'll keep you guys posted on what i hear from Ruger.

 

[highlander 5]

Years ago I had a chance to fire a Coonan 357 mag semi auto and it had the same problems that the OP had galling. the owner cleaned of all the lube on the pistol and it wouldn't function. I am not a machinist or a metalurgist,but having been around all kinds of exotic alloys used in the manufacturing of jet engines there are times that no matter how much you deburr,polish or hone you still have microscopic burrs that cause the gremlins to come out.
I'm old enough to remember when SS was first used to make a revolver S&W mod 60 if I recall and the pistols were a bear to manufacture because they hadn't fully figured out how to machine SS. And the same complaints came out then. I have read some post on 1911 slide to frame fit from KIMBER was so tight the pistol would barely function.
The OP has a right to complain about his pistol but let's remember that this is a first run
for Ruger in the 1911 dept and it may take a bit to smooth out production

 

[xr1200]

I'm not telling anyone to lie intentionally. But you have to watch out what you put in writing or saying to a customer service rep. when calling for waranty replacement work. In a lot of situations, it may be the goal for a customer service agent to deny a customers complaints for some companies.

Its like when for your car you have to have to serviced by only factory trained reps, do some simple thing yourself or change the oil, tranny fluid, muffler etc. and they will say you voided the waranty.

Look at a lot of the gun companies simply change the sights and it voids the waranty for some companies, its, just simple BS used to deny a legitimate complaint or defect.

So when ever you file a waranty claim make sure you read the written waranty very well , before you call or write to them, so you no exactly how to play their game.

Also if you get stone walled by a customer service rep. demand you talk to a supervisor or manager, often this will work and you can get the problem resolved.

 

[mooner]

Hello,

I posted this in another thread, but thought I should post it here as well for anyone with questions on the galling.

I also just purchased an SR1911 and when I took it apart to clear before shooting I noticed some small scratches on the frame similar to the galling pictures, but not to the same extent. I also notices a thin, 1/4" long metal chip inside the gun. I also had similar burrs on the slide grooves in my gun.

From all of this, I surmised the chip was a burr that had come loose and the scratches were not galling, but scratches from the harder material of the burr getting caught between the softer slide and frame. Stoned to the slide to remove the burrs.

I have since shot around 100 rounds through the gun with no malfunctions and decent - for me - accuracy. No more scratches and the small ones that were present have been worn down from the gun breaking in.

From my perspective it is not galling, but scratches from the slide not being fully de-burred. I did notify Ruger of this and hopefully they will have it all worked out.

Thanks,

Andy

 

[rellascout]

From my perspective it is not galling, but scratches from the slide not being fully de-burred. I did notify Ruger of this and hopefully they will have it all worked out.

Maybe I am missing something but to me it is still galling. It does not matter if it was a burr or something else. It sound like Ruger is not properly deburring and finishing the slide and or rails causing this to appear. I wonder how wide spread it is?

I am also confused as to why people do not see this as an issue? Is this type of wear considered acceptable in most people's opinions?

 

[SSN Vet]

i imagine they'll say "send it in and we'll look at it".

that's exactly what they're going to say....

and they should pay the round trip shipping.

 

[918v]

I am also confused as to why people do not see this as an issue? Is this type of wear considered acceptable in most people's opinions?

Some people don't give a damn about details as long as the slide cycles and the gun feeds and extracts. Most people at the range are there to make noise and to impress their friends. "Ruger, it's gotta be good." Well, it ain't necessarily so.

 

[marb4]

"i really am not worried about it much at all at this point. I am hesitant to call, because i imagine they'll say "send it in and we'll look at it". Then my wife will be without her pistol while they figure it out."


I can totally understand the hesitation in sending your firearm in for service. I recently had an issue with my Ruger GP100 and kept putting off sending it to Ruger because I hated the idea of seeing it go and hoping to maybe see it again one day. I sent it in and had it back in my safe in 7 days (shipping time included). Granted I did have to dish out $70 to FedEx to overnight it to NH. What was funny was that I received a card from Ruger the day AFTER I got my revolver back saying that they had just received my gun and gave a reference number if I had any questions about its repair! Were your pistol mine, I would call Ruger and get it back to them. They may even pay for your shipping. I'd rather have it gone a couple of weeks and have it right than have it at home and not be right.

 

[mooner]

Maybe I am missing something but to me it is still galling. It does not matter if it was a burr or something else.

Yes you are missing something. A scratch is not galling. Galling occurs when two objects having the same metallurgical properties slide against each other. Small imperfections form and since the two materials have the same properties, they both give a little bit. This creates material transfer. the material transfer creates more imperfections or "bumps" and "gouges". In the interest of brevity, this is extremely simplified

The slide is harder than the frame which prevents galling.

Galling is a much more serious problem.

 

[Apocalypse-Now]

if you send it in to ruger, keep in mind they kept many people's SR9's for months until they figured out how to fix the drop fire issue.