[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Well, I burned a personal day at work and took my new 1991A1 out to play, just as you guys told me to. Bear in mind that this is only the second pistol I've ever owned, my first .45, and my first 1911. It seemed like forever until I could clear my schedule and go, but I finally did it.

And MAN, what a good time I had!

The good, no, the GREAT news is:

1. The trigger pull is nice and smooooooth! My new toy came NIB with a Videcki aluminum trigger, and it feels GREAT! One nice, easy, smooth squeeze and POW!!! I got so relaxed with this pistol that I could see sparks (powder, I guess,) flying with each shot whereas I never saw that in the past (too nervous, I suppose).

2. I shot some absolutely killer, 2-inch groups at 8 yards. Nice and tight near the center of the bullseye. I've NEVER shot so accurately in my life, and this with fixed iron sights. Unbelievable! The only time I got to 3 or 3 & 1/2 inch groups was when I got tired or I let my fire discipline slack off some.

3. No problem with recoil at all. NOT AT ALL. I was scared there'd be a lot of "umph" in the recoil I'd experience with a heavy, .45 ACP pistol, but I was WRONG. What a pleasant surprise! This was far better than the Glock 30 and 36's I rented up in Bakersfield in the past.

4. No jams, no failures to feed, no misfires. However, all I shot was 100 rounds of 230- grain FMJ, half of it Remington UMC and the other half Winchester. If I had known that I'd shoot it all up so quick I'd have brought the Fiocchi, too. Oh well, next time. I need to try out some HP's as well.

Now, the bad news (and it's all on me, too):

1. One time I got caught up in the moment and didn't realize I hadn't inserted a magazine and, thinking that I had, I released the slide stop and let the slide slam forward on an empty chamber. Then, stlll unaware of my bungle, I dry-fired my new pistola. HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO DUMB!?

2. I arrived home so late that I forgot to clean my pistol and instead just let it sit in its carrying case (a Galati attache case with a holster inside, actually,) overnight. DUMB! I cleaned my Colt pretty good the following evening with B-C Gun Scrubber and Break-Free CLP, and then wiped it off as well as I could with more CLP. I'm never usually such a lazy dope about firearm care, but this time I was. Am I losing my mind? I wonder...

So, my questions are:

How badly did I damage my gun (extractor, etc.,) when I dimwittedly released the slide and let it slam forward on an empty chamber? I feel so bad about that one, you just don't know.

How bad was it for my pistol's finish for my finger prints to sit on it for 27 hours? I know it sounds stupid to ask this, but has the oil from my skin started eating into the pistol's finish already?

*Final note:

I noticed 6 or 7 little scoring marks on the slide immediately behind the ejection port (toward the hammer), I'm assuming from spent brass flying out. Is this normal?

As always, thanks for your time and perspectives on this matter.

Doc



------------------
I wonder why we waste our lives here,
when we could run away to paradise.

But I am caught in some invisible vice
and I can't get away.

To live and die in L.A.

 

[M1991A1]

Man doc, you are so screwed! Might as well just get rid of her!

I'm just kidding dude. Don't worry about those bad things you just did. That pistol will take that and a whole lot more before you can hurt her. I used to drop slides on empty guns all the time till I learned better. Don't worry. As far as the finish and fingerprints......don't worry either. Same for cleaning it. I've let pistols go alot longer than that before cleaning them. Its just harder the longer you wait. And depending on the type of finish,then you have to worry about the rust issue. Relax, you didn't do anything wrong. I happen to clean mine the evening after shooting now because I don't have anything else to do. But if it takes me till the next day.....no worries!

------------------
"They all fall to hardball!"

 

[dsk]

In no way did you hurt it by slamming the slide. As for dry firing, I dry fire mine all the time. The marks on the slide are most likely from the brass, which is normal.

 

[TEX'N]

You haven't hurt anything. I don't like to let a slide slam forward unless I'm loading a round, though, nor do I let the slide go forward with a loose round in the chamber (prefer to load from the mag)though I did it for years before--as the post above said--I learned better. This may or may not really cause a problem, since I can't tell if the round always enters the extractor groove as the slide goes forward. It may be pushing the round ahead of it, to snap the extractor over it as it fully chambers. Any high speed photographers out there?

 

[Simian]

I believe that I read somewhere that it is recommended not to ease the hammer down, but rather to dry fire it as it can cause excess wearing on the sears. I am not too sure on this so someone correct me if I am wrong. I dry fire all of the time, good excercise!

 

[James]

Unless the extractor is adjusted wrong, the rim will almost always slide behind the extractor on the way out of the magazine. It is hard to recreate slowly because the magazine spring will often pop the round out in front. With the slide moving many times slower, it can mislead you to believe that the round is pushed ahead of the slide during operation.

I have a gun that I slammed the slide shut on a chambered round for YEARS (rather than loading from a mag and topping off). The gun still has that extractor....not a guarantee that yours will never break from doing this but I think it is evidence that once or twice wont hurt.

Have also dropped the slide on an empty chamber MORE THAN ONCE with this same gun. I don't recommend that as a practice but sometimes it happens (gun fails to lock slide when empty, magazine not fully inserted) and it appears the guns are up to it. As a matter of fact, they always had us drop slides on an empty chamber in the academy after clearing the gun at the end of our range sessions.

I think the concern about dropping hammers is only relevant in very finely tuned match sears and hammers. I play aorund with hammers and dry fire all of the time. Can't say that I have damaged one by dry firing, easing the hammer down, dropping it on half cock or the series 80 ledge.

My general opinion is that guns are pretty tough in general and can take the abuse of several mishaps.

 

[Redzone]

Well good for you Dr. Johnny Fever. You took out a gun that would have taken past your life to rise in value. And used it. Doing an empty slide release like 400 or 500 times might start to effect the weapon visually on stops or lugs, but you did the gun and yourself justice. As you are more aware of condition(mag, no mag)and, your reaction to firing acquisition firing. And the marks you saw are probably burnt powder sticking to lubricant. Come to Vegas when you get a chance man. Great to have a shooter with a fresh ex-virgin Colt. Telling the loss of virginity story. Hat off to you sir.

 

[Ken Neal]

YOU DID WHAT TO YOUR NEW COLT??????? What were you thinking, not much it seems. I suspect some cancer has set in that will be terminal in the next 3 to 5 seconds. You should be ashamed yourself, I know I am.

Doc, you have not done a thing that every other gun owner in the world has not already done before you, your'e just catching up with the rest of us. Dont sweat it, all is well, congrats on a new Colt. Boy, I love saying that.

As Terry Peters says, "Keep the brass flying."

------------------
No man is above the law and no man is below it. Nor do we ask any mans permission when we require him to obey it.

 

[doctor j]

Welcome to the 1991A1 club! Sounds like your and your new Colt done good!

 

[TangoRomeo]

Hi Dr. Johnny,

I think just to be on the safe side, you should send your new Colt to me for a thorough inspection and testing. This will, of course, take a minimum of 3-5 years to complete! Just kidding. Have fun with your new gun.-TR

 

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Thanks for reading my message and writing back, men! I feel much better now. I guess I start to get upset with myself as I make mistakes because I'm still on the learning curve and I have no shooter buddies locally to compare notes with or talk to (which is why your time and this site are SO valuable to me).

BTW, Redzone:

School lets out on June 14th so I'll be out of work for a while. I thought I might drive up to Sin City for a day or two (or three). Shall we get together and shoot some, then? Let me know if your schedule will permit.

To all my fellow Colt pals: Your time and input are, as always, very gratefully appreciated -- thank you!

------------------
I wonder why we waste our lives here,
when we could run away to paradise.

But I am caught in some invisible vice
and I can't get away.

To live and die in L.A.

[This message has been edited by Dr. Johnny Fever (edited 05-19-2001).]

 

[Tucker Gunleather]

Dr. Johnny,

You've received plenty of great responses to your questions. Regarding cleaning: Many people field strip and clean their guns every time they shoot it. A great idea.

Several years ago when I was shooting 300-400 practice rounds a day to keep sharp for competition I would only clean my gun completely, the night before a match. No jams, to FTF's, no problems of any kind. I spend my time at the relaoding press to keep myself in ammo.

Sometimes I would lock the slide back, wipe the breach face, feed ramp and barrel throat, close the action, put a drop of oil where the barrel hood and slide mate, cycle the slide a couple of time and put it to bed until the next day.

In about 8 years, 5 guns, and well over umpteen thousand rounds, I could count my gun malfunctions on one hand. A well set up pistol will do that for you. I never had my guns set up with a super tight chamber, however.

The above includes five inch .45's with bushings, compensated .45's, and compensated .38 Supers. I probably kept the Supers cleaned more often and did have to clean the compensators frequently.

Just a different perspective because I learned how forgiving a good gun can be.

 

[Peak]

Hey Doc, you've pretty much trashed that 1911
by your actions. I have a friend that knows a guy that might pay you a "little" for it.

 

[Redzone]

I agree with tonerguy. The gun does'nt need field strip cleaning until maybe 500 rounds. Or six months, whichever occurs first. Disassembly wears a 1911 more then firing it.

 

[JoeMc]

Redzone, How do you disassemble...with a hammer?

I'm a little confused by that statement of carefully disassembling compared to the violent explosion every time you pull the trigger.

 

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

A follow-up question to the replies posted here.

Say I let my Colt go 500 rounds or so before I clean it. Is there any corrosion danger in just letting it sit like that (with powder fouling, etc.)?

It could be a stupid question. I've only used Federal, Remington UMC, and Fiocchi in it (or am about to), and wouldn't knowingly use corrosive ammo in it (I avoid corrosive ammo like the plague).

Can all that powder just sitting in for weeks or a few months hurt anything?

If not, I'll just leave it be between range visits.

Thanks again, gents!

------------------
I wonder why we waste our lives here,
when we could run away to paradise.

But I am caught in some invisible vice
and I can't get away.

To live and die in L.A.

 

[pxchang0]

Originally posted by Dr. Johnny Fever:
A follow-up question to the replies posted here.

Say I let my Colt go 500 rounds or so before I clean it. Is there any corrosion danger in just letting it sit like that (with powder fouling, etc.)?
[snip]
Can all that powder just sitting in for weeks or a few months hurt anything?

No danger at all unless, as you say, the ammo had corrosive primers. Off the top of my head, I don't believe US ammo makers have used corrosive primers (in .45s) for over 50 years or so. Don't know about foreign manufacturers.

 

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Okay, thank you! Good point about the foregn manufacturers -- anybody here know about Fiocchi?

------------------
I wonder why we waste our lives here,
when we could run away to paradise.

But I am caught in some invisible vice
and I can't get away.

To live and die in L.A.

 

[Redzone]

Well its true what I said. The parts are made to wear in the direction of firing. All metal has grain, and the grain is parallel in the direction of the 1911s action. When its taken apart it is opposite the grain. And wearing its tendency to stay together. Its very simply how the gun was designed, to stay together. Yet come apart, when it got to dirty. If you don't believe this, try taking my 1916 Colt Commercial apart. Not an easy task like the new ones. I did'nt think I'd get it apart for along time. It took 45 minutes I think. But since I shot it when I bought it. I had to return it to a pickled collector gun. Since it is a spendy old boy.

 

[Redzone]

Also I caught another post. Never leave a gun uncleaned after firing. On a 1911 design I always lock slide open and run cleaner fluid swab through barrel, then spray lube breech action-trigger area-wipe till clean. Then lube patch barrel, then patch till clean. Followed by following day or two lube then till clean. Never abuse something you've paid so much for. And i'm talking $300 or more for a 1911 design. I was refering to field strip cleaning. Which a cleaning as described misses inside slide, complete outer barrel, internal frame, etc. Please don't abuse anything you pay big bucks for folks. I would only recommend that on a thief or murderer. Which don't pay the bucks, right?