Should I be concerned about this?

[ARRRR-15]

This is my Springfield 1911 GI slide. I noticed this the other day. There seems to be a slight bend in the slide on the side of the ejection port. I only have about 200 rounds through it and I was wondering if I should be worried about this. Should I contact Springfield maybe send some photos in?

[mike452]

This is interesting! You should get Springfield to replace it. Send them the whole gun.

Is it a bend of the slide or just a dip on one side? Does the other side bump out? Are the rails on the side and frame straight?

I don't see any danger, but this will cause premature wear on the gun if it's not just a dip.

[TMC]

If the gun cycles smoothly then its fine. Thats a thin area of the slide and sometimes it can get a little wave during heat treating

[ARRRR-15]

This is interesting! You should get Springfield to replace it. Send them the whole gun.

Is it a bend of the slide or just a dip on one side? Does the other side bump out? Are the rails on the side and frame straight?

I don't see any danger, but this will cause premature wear on the gun if it's not just a dip.

It is just a dip on one side and the other side is fine. The rails are straight. Do you reallt think I should send the whole gun? I need to find out if the even still carry the OD green model first.

[wooger]

I have a similiar "defect" on my govt issue of ithaca manufacture and I have shot many rounds over the years with no apparent problems or accelerated wear.

[randy]

It's not really a defect it's as TMC said from heat treating a finished cut slide.

Some manufactures ruff cut the slide then heat treat it then finish cut the slide. These are higher end 1911's more $$$ from smaller shops.

Shoot it enjoy it.

[ARRRR-15]

Cool, thanks for the replys. I guess I'll keep blastin away with it.

[one417]

I say send it in. You have a defect in a product that you paid good money for. I'm sure one of the reasons you chose a Springfield is for their warranty and customer service (both of which are outstanding). I had a brand new TRP Operator that was showing significant wear (after 300 rnds) on the right side of the slide (forward of the dust cover). I shoot all my guns and expect wear as time goes by, but the cause of the premature wear was because of an improper slide/frame fit. It still shot and functioned very well with the flaw. However, it was still a flaw. I sent it in to S.A. and received it two weeks later with a refitted slide/frame and a refinished slide. They even reimbursed me for my shipping costs. That is great customer service.

[mike100]

Never ever send away a reliable 1911.

[one417]

Never ever send away a reliable 1911.

I wouldn't call 200 rounds down the pipe as "reliable" just yet....But my standards may be different .

[ARRRR-15]

Well I guess its a mix of replys. I'll contact springfield and see what they have to say abou the whole deal. It is my only handgun and I sleep with it every night and have it within arms reach at all times when I'm home. So it is my primary HD weapon. I either have a semi shotty with a 28" barrel( http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...ad.php?t=50104 )though.

Or I could bring out the marlin 22 with 3 25 round mags. I think 75 rounds of .22 would stop any intruder. I wouldn't want to use my OLL, I'd hate to send rounds through 5 other houses down the street. If I do send it in I guess the shotty will do for an HD gun.

[dwtt]

I don't have anything to say about whether or not the slide should be replaced under warranty, but personally, I would have never noticed such a small deformation. Do you think there are a lot of other Springfield handguns with the same thing and work fine but their owners never noticed?

[NeoWeird]

Ok, let me just say this right off the top: This will not inhibit function in anyway. As pointed out you are most likely experiencing a slight warp in the exterior of the metal. If there is no warp on the interior then Springfield most likely went through and did a finishing pass (most likely the case as heat treating alsmost always warps the metal) to get the inside into spec (probably the outside as well, but that being a low spot couldn't be corrected). Here is a diagram I quickly drew up:



Your slide is the top slide. The middle is an exagerated top slide to show how even though the top would kill someone when it was shot, the inside would function flawlessly. The bottom to show the area you should worry about - the inside. If the inside has imperfections then it will cause lots of damage and grief.

Take off your slide and compare the inside and make sure the warp is not on the inside as well. If it is not, check for areas that are worn or rubbing heavily. If what you see is normal rubbing, no raised edges, etc. then you have a functioning firearm that is perfectly fine to shoot (at least in this regard). The only 'problem' is that external warp that is simply a problem for aesthetic reasons.

If it doesn't bother you, don't mess with it. Like someone said, why would you want to trade in a working firearm when you don't know what you will get back in return? Most likely springfield would take in your slide, make sure it was still in spec, refinish it, and put it back out for sale because it is fine to shoot. It sounds like you are looking for the solution to something that isn't a problem, and like those blocks they put in Colts, safeties, hammer drop safeties, etc. when you try to solve something that isn't a problem you are only asking for a bigger problem.

Now if on the other hand you know it functions perfectly, but feel that since you paid money for it you demand perfection, then by all means send it in. Just keep in mind that there is the probability of getting something worse in turn, and then having to fight with SA over and over to get what you deem as an OK firearm.

It's your call, personally I would just forget about it, shoot it, and enjoy it.

[LCAZES]

If you want I will take it off your hands. Of course, there will be a SLIGHT discount to me off the purchase price for the severely bent slide

[ARRRR-15]

Ok, let me just say this right off the top: This will not inhibit function in anyway. As pointed out you are most likely experiencing a slight warp in the exterior of the metal. If there is no warp on the interior then Springfield most likely went through and did a finishing pass (most likely the case as heat treating alsmost always warps the metal) to get the inside into spec (probably the outside as well, but that being a low spot couldn't be corrected). Here is a diagram I quickly drew up:

Your slide is the top slide. The middle is an exagerated top slide to show how even though the top would kill someone when it was shot, the inside would function flawlessly. The bottom to show the area you should worry about - the inside. If the inside has imperfections then it will cause lots of damage and grief.

Take off your slide and compare the inside and make sure the warp is not on the inside as well. If it is not, check for areas that are worn or rubbing heavily. If what you see is normal rubbing, no raised edges, etc. then you have a functioning firearm that is perfectly fine to shoot (at least in this regard). The only 'problem' is that external warp that is simply a problem for aesthetic reasons.

If it doesn't bother you, don't mess with it. Like someone said, why would you want to trade in a working firearm when you don't know what you will get back in return? Most likely springfield would take in your slide, make sure it was still in spec, refinish it, and put it back out for sale because it is fine to shoot. It sounds like you are looking for the solution to something that isn't a problem, and like those blocks they put in Colts, safeties, hammer drop safeties, etc. when you try to solve something that isn't a problem you are only asking for a bigger problem.

Now if on the other hand you know it functions perfectly, but feel that since you paid money for it you demand perfection, then by all means send it in. Just keep in mind that there is the probability of getting something worse in turn, and then having to fight with SA over and over to get what you deem as an OK firearm.

It's your call, personally I would just forget about it, shoot it, and enjoy it.

Thanks for the reply Neo. Ok, I took some more photos. I also measured the slide rail from the bottom and came up with this. Front of the slide measures .648 and the back measures .633. A slight decrease is width. I'm not sure how straight the rails need to be or if those measurements are factory specs.

You can see a small buldge on the inside, but not sure if it's hitting. There is some ware on the inside of the buldge about a 1/4" from center. Looks like it could be from the shells flying out.


Here's some ware on the inside right side of the slide. Not sure if it's normal.


Right side of the barrel


Left side of the barrel