First off, I love that movie!! Second, I've owed my 1911 for over 15 years. I had no idea people were doing this to their 1911s. I've always lined up my barrel link with the frame holes and the slide hole, and inserted the slide stop straight in. Oh well.
The 'Noob Scratch' on a 1911...
- Thread starter NAA
- Start date
big help would be to tell people how you get an idiot scratch. I've been looking at getting a 1911 for some time, and I still have no idea where the idiot scratch is or how it gets there. I'm a newb, so if I get one, most likely It will happen to me without some advice and direction.
- Location
- Richmond, BC
There's a Colt on EE right now, in "excellent contition" except the idiot scratch which is bright as day against the brushed nickel finish.
How much does this scratch devalue the pistol anyway? It's a bit of an eyesore, but it doesn't seriously bother me that much. Then again, I've never put one on any of my 1911s.
This one comes with Trijicon sights, 3 "clips" and a couple hundred rounds of ammo, so is he asking too much with the scratch?
How much does this scratch devalue the pistol anyway? It's a bit of an eyesore, but it doesn't seriously bother me that much. Then again, I've never put one on any of my 1911s.
This one comes with Trijicon sights, 3 "clips" and a couple hundred rounds of ammo, so is he asking too much with the scratch?
- Location
- Lethbridge
Ditto. I'll be getting my first ever 1911 in a week or two, and I'd love to see a good video on how to do the field strip/reassembly properly.
Greenhorse six
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I shoot left-handed , I never see it.
How is something like that any worse then holster wear ?
How is something like that any worse then holster wear ?
Some 1911s are easy to install the slide lock directly into the frame. Others require you to roll it upwards and down into the slot.
Here's a cheap and easy to make jig to reduce your chances of an "idiot" scratch.
Grab a piece of plastic like from bubble packaging etc. Line on straight side along the length of the edge of your grip.
Draw a reference line just under the detent/plunger notch for the slide lock.
Draw a circle around the mag release, as exact in size as possible.
Cut along the reference line for the top of the jig.
Cut the piece of plastic just longer past the mag release reference mark.
Use a hole punch and punch out the hole for the mag release button.
Stick a piece of masking tap on the underside of the jig. This will help prevent it from slipping around and losing it should it fall on the floor etc.
Your jig should look like this.
How to use the jig:
When you're ready to reinstall the slide lock, place the jig on your pistol with the mag release through the reference hole.
Line up the side of the jig with your gun's grip.
Insert the slide lock into position with it sitting on top of the jig.
Carefully slide the slide lock upwards and down into the notch.
Lift the jig up and away from the mag release end and remove it.
Press the slide lock into place. You are done.
Here's a cheap and easy to make jig to reduce your chances of an "idiot" scratch.
Grab a piece of plastic like from bubble packaging etc. Line on straight side along the length of the edge of your grip.
Draw a reference line just under the detent/plunger notch for the slide lock.
Draw a circle around the mag release, as exact in size as possible.
Cut along the reference line for the top of the jig.
Cut the piece of plastic just longer past the mag release reference mark.
Use a hole punch and punch out the hole for the mag release button.
Stick a piece of masking tap on the underside of the jig. This will help prevent it from slipping around and losing it should it fall on the floor etc.
Your jig should look like this.
How to use the jig:
When you're ready to reinstall the slide lock, place the jig on your pistol with the mag release through the reference hole.
Line up the side of the jig with your gun's grip.
Insert the slide lock into position with it sitting on top of the jig.
Carefully slide the slide lock upwards and down into the notch.
Lift the jig up and away from the mag release end and remove it.
Press the slide lock into place. You are done.
I have nine 1911's. Five are scratched. So it goes. - dan
Why buy it when you can make it for nothing like I pointed out above?
I put it on my first pistol. Brand new Springfield GI. I knew the theory of how to assemble a 1911 at the time but not the details like how to avoid the scratch, or how horrible a sin it actually is if you install the msh pin from the wrong side or neglect to index the grip screws. I have a couple of 1911 pattern pistols now, some have it some don't. I am responsible for one of them, but I don't let that make or break a deal when looking for a new (to me) one.
There seems to be several camps on this: you're an idiot if you do it; you don't shoot if you don't have it; you don't deserve a 1911 if you do it; if you own a 1911 long enough you'll do it; etc. I dunno if I belong in any of them, I just like 1911s. I have one that I handle very carefully and have never fired, and I have a couple that are rode hard and put away wet. Most of my pistols have been bought used, and most of those have "the scratch" to some degree. I don't like a 1911 less if it has it. I may think "that's too bad it has a scratch on it" but I don't let that stop me.
There seems to be several camps on this: you're an idiot if you do it; you don't shoot if you don't have it; you don't deserve a 1911 if you do it; if you own a 1911 long enough you'll do it; etc. I dunno if I belong in any of them, I just like 1911s. I have one that I handle very carefully and have never fired, and I have a couple that are rode hard and put away wet. Most of my pistols have been bought used, and most of those have "the scratch" to some degree. I don't like a 1911 less if it has it. I may think "that's too bad it has a scratch on it" but I don't let that stop me.
It may come down to tighter tolerances on some of the pistols. My Sig Scorpion 1911 Carry was easy to re-assemble as well as my SW1911SC. Not all guns are created equal so perhaps I have been wrong in my judgement all along. Perhaps some parts just don't mate as well as they should, and as anyone can attest that shoots a pistol, the 1911 is a little trickier than most other pistols to disassemble and reassemble.
It's like driving a high end sports car with a stick shift. Hand it over to a newbie to learn on and he will grind the gears. But some lower end manual stick shift cars are less problematic. What do I know? Possibly a terrible analogy but I am just saying all things are not created equal.
It's like driving a high end sports car with a stick shift. Hand it over to a newbie to learn on and he will grind the gears. But some lower end manual stick shift cars are less problematic. What do I know? Possibly a terrible analogy but I am just saying all things are not created equal.
I think I did one when I was a teenager but I'm not certain. It might have had one already.
I don't own, or see the point in, a jig. If you care about 1911s, just learn to assemble them.
I don't own, or see the point in, a jig. If you care about 1911s, just learn to assemble them.
Maybe people should put a small piece of tape there till they have their finger dexterity dialed but it doesn't bother me that much.....bad design.
John Browning's 1911 design a "....bad design"? PRICELESS! BRILLIANT! (sarcasim)
- Location
- Richmond, BC
Are they considered tricky to strip and reassemble? My first pistol was a 1911, and since then, I've had 5. I guess to me, they're not all that tricky because it was my baseline.
