1911 barrel buff?

Discuss work on firearms; whether that is making yours from the ground up, milling an 80%, putting together a kit, or fine tuning a trigger job.
Post Reply
User avatar
Boriqua
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 3424
Joined: June 4th, 2018, 7:31 am
Reputation: 16
Location: East Mesa

1911 barrel buff?

#1

Post by Boriqua »

I recently bought a Rock Island 1911 in 10mm. I like the Rocky's but this is the first one I had a problem with. It would jam every round and I was finding a ton of brass shavings in the area inside the ejection port and at the rear of the frame. I knew it wasnt the ejector scraping along the brass because I collect my brass and they had wide scrap marks.

Rock island took it right in and added a secondary bevel at the top of the ramp that was not there when I sent it in. The area marked was a sharp edge.
http://www.boriqualeather.com/stuff/Barrel%20marked.jpg

You can see in the large pic below that when adding the second bevel they left pretty gnarly tool marks.
http://www.boriqualeather.com/stuff/barrel%20large.JPG

Would I hurt anything if I touched it with a buffing wheel and some rouge to just smooth it up some? how about those striations on the ramp?


User avatar
smithers599
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 4362
Joined: June 29th, 2018, 6:58 am
Reputation: 23
Location: East side

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#2

Post by smithers599 »

That is some pretty nasty quality control. They sent that out to a customer, huh? Go figure....

Buffing wheel and rouge won't hurt anything, but will just make the high points shiny. SOP for marks like that is a Cratex tip on a Dremel. https://www.esslinger.com/cratex-style- ... tart%20ads

Probably find it at Home Depot.
User avatar
Boriqua
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 3424
Joined: June 4th, 2018, 7:31 am
Reputation: 16
Location: East Mesa

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#3

Post by Boriqua »

smithers599 wrote: February 28th, 2019, 11:58 am That is some pretty nasty quality control. They sent that out to a customer, huh? Go figure....

Buffing wheel and rouge won't hurt anything, but will just make the high points shiny. SOP for marks like that is a Cratex tip on a Dremel. https://www.esslinger.com/cratex-style- ... tart%20ads

Probably find it at Home Depot.
I wish it were a symptom of just a particular manufacturer but .. I have had guns costing $1300 and ones costing $350 and obviously cost has nothing to do with it because I have found problem children across the board. Its so bad that I actually assume my first range trip will be a bust and am excited when I get one that functions fine the whole time I own it.

I know its assembly line but what other industry can send out $600 + items and they arent finished.

Ok .. enough b****'in .. my last three rocky's were great from day one so I will cut them some slack.

Anyway .. I am a little afraid of using anything to abrasive so was just hoping some rouge on a wheel would at least make the high spots .. Rounded instead of sharp and grabby but if its a waste of time I guess I can just shoot it out? :(

I wonder what grit their fine grit is?
User avatar
AZ Husker
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 626
Joined: May 16th, 2018, 7:49 am
Reputation: 6
Location: Springfield, MO

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#4

Post by AZ Husker »

:shock: Looks like they used a grinding wheel.
User avatar
Boriqua
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 3424
Joined: June 4th, 2018, 7:31 am
Reputation: 16
Location: East Mesa

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#5

Post by Boriqua »

AZ Husker wrote: February 28th, 2019, 12:55 pm :shock: Looks like they used a grinding wheel.
That secondary bevel they just added isnt even ground even!? :roll:
Being a tinker I am desperate to get at it but am trying to resist.
User avatar
pvreb
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 226
Joined: July 9th, 2018, 9:10 am
Reputation: 1
Location: az mountains

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#6

Post by pvreb »

I assume you have tried it since the repair...
User avatar
Boriqua
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 3424
Joined: June 4th, 2018, 7:31 am
Reputation: 16
Location: East Mesa

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#7

Post by Boriqua »

pvreb wrote: February 28th, 2019, 7:44 pm I assume you have tried it since the repair...
I have and it's night and day from what I sent in but not yet "trust it with my life" ready. I went out yesterday with 156 rounds and by the third box I was able to do a mag dump with the factory mag but still having issues with the Wilson combat. Figure I will try again on my next outing and if the factory works full time I will just sell the Wilson and buy another factory.
But ... in the first two boxes I had about 5 rounds where I needed to tap the slide to get them to feed with both mags.
I gave it a good clean today and I went ahead and hit it with the rouge.
Guess I won't know if it did anything until my next outing.
Ranger1
Banned
Banned
Posts: 634
Joined: July 18th, 2018, 5:00 pm
Reputation: 0
Location: Phoenix

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#8

Post by Ranger1 »

Send it back. If you are not happy with it they should make it right.
User avatar
Kingjoey
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 927
Joined: July 3rd, 2019, 8:18 pm
Reputation: 5
Location: Mesa

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#9

Post by Kingjoey »

Bring it down here with some good bourbon and I'll go through and get it fitted and polished for ya. The RI guns are pretty tightly made, but the final fitment and machining leave a lot to be desired.
User avatar
xerts1191
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 12215
Joined: May 28th, 2018, 7:25 pm
Reputation: 5
Location: Arizona

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#10

Post by xerts1191 »

Ye olde Dremmel tool and polish it up, looks as rough as the Philippino wonder pistol I bought for a truck gun.
User avatar
Boriqua
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 3424
Joined: June 4th, 2018, 7:31 am
Reputation: 16
Location: East Mesa

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#11

Post by Boriqua »

They got it close enough and I took just some green rouge on a soft dremel buffing wheel and basically made it shiny. Took it to the range several times after that and fired about 300 rds and it was 100% with the three mags I had on hand. I eventually sold it off because I prefered my 4.5 xdm 10mm to the 1911 for what i wanted it for but not sure it was a great idea. I should have kept both!
The rocky came right back into your hand and was a nice shooter even with underwood warm ammo and I really like commander size 1911's and it was naturally accurate for me. A fast fun 10mm. After the initial issues it ran great but there will be another 10mm 1911 in my future but I wouldn't hesitate getting another rocky
User avatar
YNOTAZ
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 1554
Joined: June 3rd, 2018, 10:01 am
Reputation: 8
Location: NW Valley

Re: 1911 barrel buff?

#12

Post by YNOTAZ »

Kingjoey wrote: September 8th, 2019, 3:18 pm Bring it down here with some good bourbon and I'll go through and get it fitted and polished for ya. The RI guns are pretty tightly made, but the final fitment and machining leave a lot to be desired.
Go for the bourbon fix. you will be happy with the work and the results.
Post Reply