Well worn S&W?

[Travelingchild]

A while back Nov.2010 I asked about the durability for a alloy framed gun approaching 10,000 rds. I'm pretty sure I hit the 11,000 round mark, this being based on my reloading purchases. Only issue is when I tried to take the grips off the bushings came off with. Pic's are after last range session.

[Timbonez]

Nice. Have you had any major issues with reliability?

[Sgt_Gold]

I see quite a bit of wear on the frame rails. Have you seen any changes in accuracy? Are the dimensions still in spec in regards as to frame to slide fit any play, or does this matter? I know 12k isn't a lot of rounds compared to some steel frames, but I'm interested in how the alloy frames are wearing.

[Travelingchild]

Nope no issues with reliability, replaced the recoil spring 2 thousand ish rounds ago, dreaded external extractor chucks the brass over to my right in a nice little pile inferring that I'm standing still.
With regard to frame rail wear, I'm not a pistol smith so I couldn't tell if was within S&W specs. Accuracy? Most likely me not the gun.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Good work! Nice to see somebody putting a gun to work!

[Travelingchild]

Couple more close ups before cleaning.






Going to have a pistol smith replace & restake the grip bushings. Other than that just leave it alone, did replace the front sight with a fiber optic and replaced the CT grips with the ones in the photo. Mainly because they're a pain to clean & the dot becomes a fuzzy red ball after a mag or two.

[Rosco Benson]

My friend Rick Miller has been shooting this same model of S&W "commander" for a while now. I think his round count is about the same and his pistol looks about the same in terms of finish wear.

No frame cracks are apparent. Evidently the scandium does the trick.

I was interested to notice that Travelingchild had replaced the S&W mag release with an aftermerket one. The sole parts breakage that Rick's pistol has suffered is that the magazine release split right in half...right down the casting line.

Did the OP's break too or did he just want a bigger-buttoned unit?

Rosco

[Travelingchild]

... to notice that ... replaced the S&W mag release with an aftermerket one. .. suffered is that the magazine release split right in half...right down the casting line.
Did the OP's break too or did he just want a bigger-buttoned unit?
Rosco

Yup, broke right down the middle, my local smith only had that one in stock ( think I had a match coming up) so he installed it, S&W sent me a new one just never got around to replacing it.
In retrospect I didn't like the "look" of the oversize but got over that quick. I pretty much gotten over what my few firearms "look like" an just prefer to shoot the snot out of them either at a match or training class.

[Irish10]

One of (actually my 1st S&W 1911) Smiths has passed the 16k mark and honestly never had a single failure on the range. Wear patterns are similar to yours but it's still rock solid and I plan to run it till it drops. S&W really does build a solid 1911!