break in question

[Jonnin]

My first "tight" 1911, a para ssp, after only 1 box has scratches all over the barrel. I lubed it up and they are not deep (you can only just feel them) but I have never seen this before, is it normal? They are mostly at the exposed part of the barrel when the action is closed, at the ejection port, and again in the 2 slots cut into the barrel that catch in the slide.

Is there something I should do here, or just let it be and sink the recommended 500 thru it without so much thinking about it?

Thanks!

[leroy]

Jonnin:_____________

Have seen the barrel burnished but not scratched on the old colt 1911's. Would take the pistol down and clean the barrel and slide real well; lube the barrel and lugs with a dab of light oil, and start again.

Hope this helps.

leroy

[Guest 6.8 AR]

It would be better on your nerves if the makers would use stainless or chromed barrels

because like Leroy says, they burnish themselves into one. It's not much but cosmetic.

My Springfield's barrel is real shiny and I notice it, but it is no big deal.

[Jonnin]

it is a stainless or chrome (not sure but its shiny metal color) barrel! I guess we need a picture... hang on, the lighting is going to be tricky. Ill edit/add one in a min.

Again, they are not deep, about like what very fine grit sandpaper might do, visible but cannot feel it with my fingers.

Edited April 24, 2011 by Jonnin

[Guest 6.8 AR]

There may be a burr scratching against the barrel that, if you can find it, you may

need to clean off, or have a gunsmith take it down.

[Jonnin]

Ok. Thanks very much guys, I will try to find it or get it looked at then!

[LngRngShtr]

the barrel is dropping and the last lug on the slide is slightly catching as it unlocks and travels to the rear,enough to mark but not enough to slow....I have seen a few Bullseye guns look like this, it is purely cosmetic..

you could just polish the barrel where it is exposed as clearancing the slide is alot more work and may affect lockup.. I would guess a slight polish a time or two will provide barrel clearance and it will stop happening...

BTW most compensated pistols due to the weight of the comp will mark up like this also ( useless trivia )

John

[leroy]

....the barrel is dropping and the last lug on the slide is slightly catching as it unlocks and travels to the rear,enough to mark but not enough to slow....I have seen a few Bullseye guns look like this, it is purely cosmetic..

you could just polish the barrel where it is exposed as clearancing the slide is alot more work and may affect lockup.. I would guess a slight polish a time or two will provide barrel clearance and it will stop happening...

BTW most compensated pistols due to the weight of the comp will mark up like this also ( useless trivia )

John

Makes perfect sense!! Do ya reckon you could just take a hard arkansas stone and just touch the last set of lugs in the slide and knock the square edge off of them?

Thanks for this excellent observation. I figured there was a burr on the slde somewhere (...or a tiny bit of trash...); but i didnt take the time to picture what is really happening as the barrel unlatches from the slide.

Thanks again!

leroy

[Jonnin]

Thanks a ton guys! I carefully polished the slide up in the lugs as feeling up in there it was as sharp as a knife and slightly rough. This was, as stated, difficult to do, ended up using a stick and very fine sandpaper to get in there. I also lightly polished the scratches on the barrel side.

Took it out tonight and shot about 75 rounds thru it, home again and just finished the takedown. The barrel is now burnished and self-polishing, so it is cured.

I do not know what better methods may have worked, but popsicle stick approach worked fine. A few strokes were all it took too, as I under-polished this first time to test it -- you can always polish more but I do not want to loosen the fit anywhere. My whetstones are small, the surgical one is only about 1.5 inches by 3 inches, but they do not fit in there well and it would not be easy. Guess it depends on the stones you have. A ceramic stick sharpener might have been perfect.