New SW 1911 and not too happy...

[SuicideHz]

Well, I received it Thursday and am not too happy with it. Asked my FFL to show me how to install the slide lock so as to not create the "evil scratch" and with all of his experience and expertise, couldn't help scratching it.

I don't have the problem with the extra burr in front of the ramps like a lot of guys report- mine is machined and beveled nicely.

But, the barrel looks like a gray plastic toy barrel with a herringbone pattern of machine marks in it. Looks really crappy:





The inside of the slide is nothing but bad machining marks- can't clean that area with a patch. It will totally shred on the marks:



I've got the all too common problem of extra metal in the breachface that leaves marks on the brass:


(if you know what you are looking for, you can see it. If not, check out the 1911 forums...)

NASTY gouges on this part of the barrel:



After putting 125 rounds through it, the slide stop wore through the finish in 4 places. You can also see where my FFL put the small scratch in the frame:



The trigger is sloppy as all hell. There is about 0.045" of play in it- up and down. It wiggles the full amount of the gap that you see in the following pictures:





It only took 3 days and 125 rounds for these ****ing marks to appear:



Absolutely beautiful fronstrap serrations:



Uneven as they could possibly be. Goddamn wave...

No FTFs or FTEs in 100 rounds of WWB or 25 rounds of 185gr. Golden Saber.

I'm calling S&W tomorrow at lunch and asking for a return receipt label.

[Milkman]

That is an ugly pistol.

Have you considered a custom?

[rob_s]

Yikes!

"best buy for the price" indeed.

[David Thomas]

Well, at least the grips look nice.

Every stock S&W 1911 I have handled had the "Rat-L-Trap" trigger, except for the performance center guns.
I am not surprised. Calculated risk by S&W: most people would not have noticed any of those flaws or if they did they wouldn't complain to S&W.

[SuicideHz]

I can't help it. That's the way I am. I should have bought a used Kimber TLE/RL like I've seen for $800-850. That way, any small scratches or blemishes could be seen as battle scars. These problems are just ridiculous.

Oh, the grips are nice wood grips but the medallions are crap. Very waxy looking- not sharp and crisp like a freshly minted coin or anything...

[bigbore]

Does it work?

[VA_Dinger]

It certainly does not look like a best 1911 S&W has let go out the door. That being said the only part that truly affects function is the sloppy trigger. That in itself would be a show stopper for me. I would send it back for that reason alone. You cannot take away the 1911's #1 advantage (Trigger) with a fit that sloppy.

FYI- 1911's in this price range are not going to be perfect. Especially after a few hundred rounds. Metal to metal contact tends to remove finish and show wear marks. Even more so on a production gun. I know that does not help to explain away all of your guns issues, but it’s something to remember.

[SuicideHz]

Don't give me that "Does it work" bullshit...

I didn't buy this ******* thing for combat or duty. I bought it to have a somewhat decent 1911.

Look at the ******* wear the slide stop caused on the frame after 125 rounds.

I bet if there was a single scratch on one of your RRAs, it would be back to Geneseo in a heartbeat.

Edited by Va_Dinger to remove a few inappropriate phrases.

Hint - Let's play nice.

[SuicideHz]

How about the machine marks all over the barrel and those bite marks on the ears that hold the link in place?

How about the extra material on the breechface that leaves it's mark on brass?

Maybe I should just stick with Glocks or buy an H&K if I want a .45...

[VA_Dinger]

How about the machine marks all over the barrel and those bite marks on the ears that hold the link in place?

How about the extra material on the breechface that leaves it's mark on brass?

No one is saying your gun is "Fine". It certainly has a few "Issues", while I'm not sure how many of them would actually affect function or reliability (Other than the trigger wobble).

FYI - This is a production gun. It did not receive much if any hand fitting or tuning.

Maybe I should just stick with Glocks or buy an H&K if I want a .45...

That's probably true if every one of these imperfections bothers you this much. Some of them are very typical of production 1911's in this price range. That being said yours should certainly should go back. It's worse than most.


Just don't expect "Perfection" in this price range.