Unusual 1911 failure

[The Wiry Irishman]

Last weekend when I came home from the range to clean my Les Baer, I popped the slide off and ended up holding the barrel link in my hand. The barrel link pin had broken. If you're holding the barrel with the muzzle pointing away from you, the break occurred right between the link and barrel on the right side. I lost the small half of the pin, but the larger half was just long enough to just touch the inside of the right pin hole on the barrel when inserted from the left side. Here are a few pics:

The gun was a month old and had less than 3000 rounds through it when the break occurred. I called Les Baer on Tuesday, talked to Les, who said he'd never heard of that happening in all his experience with 1911s and sent me two new pins, which I received today.

The pin was quite loose before it broke, I could easily push it out with finger pressure, whereas with my Kimber and the new pin I just put in the Baer, the link pin is super tight, almost press fit. At first I thought the pin may have worked its way out one side under recoil, but it doesn't seem like there's any room in the Baer frame for it to move from side to side.

Since Les Baer said he'd never seen this happen, I figured it was probably pretty unusual and that there might be a few of you out there interested in seeing.

 

[mesinge2]

I've seen loose pins before, even had some fall out during disassembly, but I have never heard of one breaking.

Interesting...

 

[belus]

Can you post a less-blurry pic of the fracture surface? We may be able to tell if it was a catastrophic failure or something it worked up to.

 

[jocko]

Mine did

my links on my para would jsut fall out, never broke though..

 

[Magnumite]

Look on the back of the lower barrel lugs and see if they show evidence of impacting the frame on a long term basis. They should be, at the top. If not, then you pistol needs attention and you could end up ruining a good pistol.

You might also want to look at the upper lugs on the barrel and the lugs in the slide. If they are rounded, it would be from this. I'd contact Les again about this if the above conditions are observed.

 

[The Wiry Irishman]

Can you post a less-blurry pic of the fracture surface? We may be able to tell if it was a catastrophic failure or something it worked up to.

I don't know if I'll be able to with my crappy point-and-shoot digital and something so small. Both my good SLRs are film.

Look on the back of the lower barrel lugs and see if they show evidence of impacting the frame on a long term basis. They should be, at the top. If not, then you pistol needs attention and you could end up ruining a good pistol.

You might also want to look at the upper lugs on the barrel and the lugs in the slide. If they are rounded, it would be from this. I'd contact Les again about this if the above conditions are observed.

Barrel lugs have definitely been hitting the frame. The locking lugs on the slide and barrel are still sharp enough to cut a man. If this were not the case, what would be wrong and how would it result in a link pin failure?

 

[wally]

Stuff breaks.

The link on my RIA broke at about 3,000 rounds, got ~12,000 more through it since I put in a $5 Wilson replacement.

Inspect the frame, lugs, and slide stop for abnormal wear, and if there isn't any, replace it an move on.

But for the money you paid, I'd send it back on principle

As I always say, "If you've never broken a gun, you just ain't shooting enough!"

--wally.

 

[doubs43]

Link pins shouldn't just "fall out". Stake them properly and they won't.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Right, but with that said, I have had to stake or restake pins on 3 different 1911s (and from 2 different manufacturers).

 

[Magnumite]

If the lugs were rounded, it would indicate barrel timing was off, and adjustments made to correct it would be in order. A broke link or pin would cause the same, and caused by incorrect timing. Vicious cycle here.

Many times, links and pins break because the lugs do not hit the vertical impact surface of the frame. This because the link was not designed to carry weight of the barrel backwards during linkdown. It was designed to pull the barrel down out of lock up with the slide during cycling. The frame then stops the barrel from moving backwards any further.

You could replace the pin, mark the back of the barrel lugs of the cleaned barrel and frame. Then install the barrel assembly, bushing, slide and slide stop on the frame. Hold the pistol muzzle down with the slide back out of lock up about .25 to .5". This allows the barrel to hang free in the slide and frame. Then tap the muzzle of the barrel with a rubber or leather mallet a few times. You are tapping the barrel lugs back against the vertical impact surface of the frame this way. Disassemble the pistol and look on the back of the lower locking lugs of the barrel to see if marker has been removed from them when making contact with the frame. If not, call Baer.

I actually find it incredible it would be out of Les's shop, but the broken pin is a teller in that respect.