Scratches on 1911's (RANT)

[IndyIN]

My handguns are tool, and I use them too. I've also found that it isn't all that hard to take care of them and not let them get beat to hell. Holster wear is holster wear, but treating a $1000 gun like it's disposable is just stupid.

I guess beating it to and well maintained could go together, but my experience is that they don't. Show me one that looks rough, and it is probably rough all the way around.


As far as the idiot scratch, I'm not a big fan. It's not very hard to prevent it from happening. Unless there was a good reason/story (like some posted in this thread), I'd wonder what other things they screwed up besides this basic task.

 

[sparkyfender]

All my carry guns have scratches. I don't sweat it. They will far outlast me, scratched or not.

 

[Kingpin]

Dont have a 1911 yet but would like to see a picture of this idiot scratch you speak of.
Also I have found best to ask for help before taking any gun apart they all have little secret ways of comming apart and going back together.

 

[LPMan59]

i've done it...mostly because i'm a clumsy idiot.

but then again, my guns get scratched anyways so i just roll with it. that's how i make myself feel better lolz

 

[Skip]

Taurus PT1911

This is the only 1911 I own at present. It is a tack driver and I have won a few rounds of competition with it. It doesn't have the "idiot scratch" but it does have some shiney spots on it. That gives it character and proves I use the thing!

 

[youngda9]

I think the perfect ones are in museums or at the gun store. The rest are tools that get used. Very few people keep them in their safes and only bring them out to rub oil on them.

 

[Jay]

I wouldn't care if a crescent wrench got knicked and I wouldn't care if one of my handguns did either.

I'd venture a guess that the cost of your crescent wrench fell considerably short of what you'd pay for a decent carry gun.

My truck is 12 years old, but there's no rust on it, and you'd never guess it was that old by looking at it.

You'd never guess that every gun in my safe has thousands of rounds through it, just by looking at it.... but these are my guns... I don't really care if someone else mistreats (by my standards... that don't matter to anyone else) their tools, guns, trucks, or whatever. Caring for a tool/firearm, isn't difficult. In my case, it's a pride thing. Not to mention the fact that taking excellent care of something that you may depend on to save your life, only makes sense.

When I die, my survivors will appreciate the way my guns were cared for.... and I'm comfortable with that.

To each his/her own

 

[JetGirl]

would like to see a picture of this idiot scratch you speak of.

 

[KG1]

 

[JetGirl]

I know, right?
I'll own a Colt some day, but I'll sure not treat it like the one in that photo.
If you look at the slide right above the slide stop, it appears that the scratch is continued upwards ...ON THE SLIDE.
Sheesh...what were they doing?

 

[Sirshredalot]

The problem is that antique style blued finish....God made nickle and chrome for a reason ya know?

I would have almost had an "idiot" scratch on my Browning if it were not for the toughness of the nickel finish.

The punch slipped right off the roll pin on the first whack and I felt the tip skid across my brand new finish...My heart skipped a beat and I got light headed....but the finish was just fine.

God bless
-Shred

 

[JetGirl]

I would have almost had an "idiot" scratch on my Browning if it were not for the toughness of the nickel finish.

The punch slipped right off the roll pin on the first whack

Why were you using a punch pin to take out a slide stop??

 

[KG1]

I know, right?
I'll own a Colt some day, but I'll sure not treat it like the one in that photo.
If you look at the slide right above the slide stop, it appears that the scratch is continued upwards ...ON THE SLIDE.
Sheesh...what were they doing?

Yep, I noticed that too. That's not just a scratch on the frame either, it's an "Idiot Gouge" looks like it was done multiple times.

 

[1911 mike]

Now that scratch is like the one that I looked at on the Colt that I wanted to buy, but only deeper. That was what stopped me from buying the firearm! A beautiful firearm, only the scratch was so, so deep, and it stood out like a sore thumb. It was like, WOW, what the hell happened to this? It was so deep that a dime would stand up in the scratch. And the fool wanted a small fortune for it.
And wouldn't budge an inch. So I moved on to the next firearm which was a nice Browning that ended up coming home with me. On the Colt, he said it was from constant breaking it down for cleaning. OK?? I can live with a little, but leave the screw divers alone. But that picture is a good example of an idiot scratch... Thanks JetGirl...........

 

[Sirshredalot]

Why were you using a punch pin to take out a slide stop??

Is that the only type of "idiot" scratch we're talking about?...or does it include other types of scratches?

Ive done careless things before, but never scratch a gun because of it.

OH!...BTW...I didnt see that nickle colt on page 3...Freakin dagnabit!...Gotta have had some pressure on that baby to get a scratch like that!

God bless
-Shred

 

[JetGirl]

It was so deep that a dime would stand up in the scratch.

Wow, that's pretty bad!

On the Colt, he said it was from constant breaking it down for cleaning.

I've seen many Colts in the last year. The oldest, dating back to 1919.
I've seen several with all sorts of holster wear and signs of use...without bearing a mark like that.
You can't convince me that a 1911 over 90 years old can have less of an idiot scratch than one that's a newbie (by comparison)...just from "constant breaking down for cleaning".
That's pure B.S.

 

[JetGirl]

Is that the only type of "idiot" scratch we're talking about?...or does it include other types of scratches?

Ive done careless things before, but never scratch a gun because of it.

OH!...BTW...I didnt see that nickle colt on page 3...Freakin dagnabit!...Gotta have had some pressure on that baby to get a scratch like that!

God bless
-Shred

"Idiot scratch" is a specific name for that particular scratch...because it's completely 100% avoidable. See?

 

[Sirshredalot]

Gotcha...learned somthing today

God bless
-Shred

 

[ftwphilly]

I find this topic elitist and exclusionary in nature. Scratches happen by accident or by the process of learning. It disturbs me even more having browsed these forums for some months. The purposed mindset around here, I thought, is how we need to get our message out and get more people involved with their 2nd amendment rights and fighting stereotypes associated with gun owners. You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.

 

[1911 mike]

Hey JetGirl, that is pretty cool how you came up with that google move.. I like that!! Thanks... Mike