How to tell if my 1911's "been worked on"?

[edSky]

I have a 9mm Springfield 1911 and I want to send it to a well known shop to have it accurized. The only trouble is they won't work on pistols that "have been worked on" by someone else. If they take it apart and it has been they said they'll send it back at my expense.

Now I don't have a gunsmith's eye but I can see. So does anyone know what I should look for so I don't end up spending the better part of a hundred bucks to round-trip the pistol?

I've taken it apart myself and have cleaned and oiled it. So I can get in there and look around. I just don't know what to look for.

 

[jbaker]

just send it to Springfield Custom Shop they do great work.

 

[Sniper X]

Did you buy it from the original owner? Does it look like it has aftermarket market parts on it that don't match in finish to the gun itself? Usually when one sells a 1911 they extol the virtues of the previous work done as a selling point so if you bought it form the person who owned it fisrt and can't get in touch with him to ask, I suggest taking it to the nearest smith and ask if he can tell you for a basic tear down and inspection fee.

 

[rcmodel]

I imagine what they are referring too as "worked on" is things like peened or re-cut frame rails, a squeezed slide, slide reamed for an oversize bushing or cone barrel, frame milled for an aftermarket ramped barrel, etc.

No gunsmith worth fooling with is going to object to different internal parts, trigger jobs, springs and such, because they are going to use their new parts anyway.

As long as the frame & slide are not tampered with, the basic gun is not what I would consider "worked on" for a base to build a custom 1911 on.

But for a definite answer, call them up and ask them what the heck they are talking about exactly.

rc

 

[Liberty1776]

Find another shop - half the work of a good smith is fixing what some idjit messed up before...

 

[rcmodel]

I don't agree.

The top 1911 custom builders are not in business to fix some idjits mess.
Like I said in post #4, they should not object to any custom work that did not modify the frame or slide extensively.

They surely "could" fix peened frame rails, or a squeezed slide.

But you would NOT want to pay for it, I betcha.

rc