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 03-02-2011, 01:11 AM | #1 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Morton, WA Posts: 128 |  What Breaks? (Other Than Your Heart)
I don't know how to ask this question without incurring the wrath of those who believe Mr Browning's design is impossible to break, or getting responses like, "My second cousin's son's wife heard..." . Unlike myself who has only had my 1911s less than a year, are there those of you who have extensive use and experienced a parts breakage in your 1911 while YOU were shooting it? If so...
-What broke;
-What was the manufacturers brand and how old;
- What is your best guess as to WHY (MIM, lack of lube, poor fitting, excessive rounds, a rat was sleeping in the barrel).
As a FNG to the 1911, I am drawn to all the super-superior kyptonite diamond encrested aftermarket parts, partly just because I like to play with my toys, and partly because I am dumb enough to be taken in by advertising.
So, dropping my guard and my pants  to trust what you guys who worked with JMB, advising him what to do, what have you to say in your experiences and your recommendations as to what to replace with my vast fortune working at McDonalds?
Last edited by parinoid54; 03-02-2011 at 01:30 AM.Reason: Because I am so crappy at this! | 
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| 03-02-2011, 01:15 AM | #2 | Supporting Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bandera, Texas Posts: 10,339 |
Quote:
Originally Posted by parinoid54
So, dropping my guard and my pants to trust what you guys who worked with JMB, advising him what to do, have to say what you have experienced and your recommendations as to what to replace with my vast fortune working at McDonalds |
I myself am way too young to have worked with JMB, but there are a few older members who might have.  | |
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| 03-02-2011, 01:26 AM | #3 | Dead Wolves = Good Wolves Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Rochester WI, Rochester WI Posts: 8,314 Liked 4 Times on 4 Posts
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if all 1911's were made to ww2 government 1911A1 specs breakages would be very few and far between.
i was running an arms room during the change from m1911 to m9 and repair logs for th3 ww2 era 1911s we had that served in the pacific theater in actual combat in korea during actual combat in vietnam during actual combat had very very few parts breakages. our records went back to 1950 none were kept before that.
inside a year of adopting the m9 the repair logs on the m9 exceeded the last 25 years of the m1911.
properly made and maintained 1911s will last a lifetime.
unfortunately in todays mim/investment cast and cheap steel this isnt the case as reflected by the record of the m9. most modern made 1911s suffer the same amount of breakage as any other gun in most off the shelf models.
if im not mistaken colt has the fewest amount of cast or mim parts and none in critical areas of the gun. they are the closest production guns to the military 1911A1 ww2 standard.
my springfield 1911A1 has suffered in the course of the last decade 1 firing pin block breakage and one broken safety. ive got close to 75,000 rounds through it on a guess based on my shooting habits. i replace firing pin springs and recoil springs on a regular basis. im confident in this pistols quality so much so it is being converted into a dedicated 460 rowland. i would like to add neither breakage caused the weapon to stop functioning. __________________
"Gun control: The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her panty hose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound." — L. Neil Smith
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A Liberal lives life fearing the evil a man might do. A Conservative lives life celebrating the good a man does. -JonM
Last edited by JonM; 03-02-2011 at 02:34 AM. | |
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| 03-02-2011, 01:35 AM | #4 | Call Me Doug Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: It's because I actually HAVE those skills! Posts: 21,258 |
Personally? I have never had a failure of parts in my 1911's. Granted. I don't buy low end products. If I know a part of a weapon I purchase is known to be a problem, I have it replaced before it is a problem.
If a magazine fails to feed or causes problems, it gets binned for ones that I know are reliable.
I recently acquired a Taurus PT-1911 as a project gun. I know that the ambi safety has been a cause for problems in the past, so I bought a new single side thumb safety and it's being replaced currently. Why risk it?
A lot of issues with 1911's that you read about are due to the owners' and their maintenance, or lack thereof.
I would take a lot of what you read about "failures" with this type of weapon with a heavy salt lick as it's been around, doing dirt, for over 100 years.
Just sayin'. 
JD __________________ "as for my Sword & Spear we will serve the throne, but NEVER that man who sits upon it" - Achilles - Warrior of Warriors
Quote:
Originally Posted by doctherock
Dillinger didn't have to let me try Cammenga Mags before I bought them; but he is a man of great character & a man who's word to me now is a good as gold. If he recommends it I know its good stuff.
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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ! | |
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| 03-02-2011, 02:39 AM | #5 | Sic Semper Tyrannis Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: , The Mother Lode Posts: 18,437 |
I direct you to my new signature line. It was graciously lent to me by a member of a 1911 forum that I visit. It was in a thread about Kimber and MIM parts.
"A lot of people find facts annoying once they've made up their mind how they feel about something." __________________
Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) - a system of government where those least capable of leadership are elected by those least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to succeed or provide for themselves are rewarded with goods and services paid for by wealth confiscated from a diminishing number of people who actually work and produce.
ΜΟΛ'ΩΝ ΛΑΒ'Ε | |
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| 03-02-2011, 03:22 AM | #6 | Dead Wolves = Good Wolves Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Rochester WI, Rochester WI Posts: 8,314 Liked 4 Times on 4 Posts
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CA357
I direct you to my new signature line. It was graciously lent to me by a member of a 1911 forum that I visit. It was in a thread about Kimber and MIM parts.
"A lot of people find facts annoying once they've made up their mind how they feel about something."
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when mim parts are made with great attention to quality control they are pretty much indistinguishable from milled parts. however there are a great deal of not so good mim parts in lots of different low end gunsto higher guns that give mim and investment casting a bad name.
kimber is one of those companies with a VERY spotty history of crappy mim usage. __________________
"Gun control: The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her panty hose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound." — L. Neil Smith
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A Liberal lives life fearing the evil a man might do. A Conservative lives life celebrating the good a man does. -JonM | |
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| 03-02-2011, 03:59 AM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Morton, WA Posts: 128 |
JonM:
So, in your opinion, WHAT caused these breakages? Was it the number of rounds fired; poor quality of part materials; or what?
I am not expecting anyone to act or speak as a metalourgist (sic), or an X-ray tech, but only your best guess.
I suspect, in the end, it will be low quality material of the parts (read: cost savings for the manufacturer). In my rediculously simple opinion, MIM/investment cast parts may be fine in auto cam lobes (YO! - Canebrake), but do not belong in a tool designed to save your or others lives.
So my original question remains, if you have experienced a parts breakage in your 1911, what part was it, and why do you think it broke?
I suppose I must add, is the difference between the cost of a CNC machined tool steel part THAT much different from a MIM part? I'm not howling at the moon, but I don't understand the logic!
Last edited by parinoid54; 03-02-2011 at 05:26 AM. | |
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| 03-02-2011, 04:56 AM | #8 | Sic Semper Tyrannis Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: , The Mother Lode Posts: 18,437 |
Dammit! Now I have to sell my new Kimber before I even pick it up. 
yeah, right.__________________
Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) - a system of government where those least capable of leadership are elected by those least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to succeed or provide for themselves are rewarded with goods and services paid for by wealth confiscated from a diminishing number of people who actually work and produce.
ΜΟΛ'ΩΝ ΛΑΒ'Ε | |
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| 03-02-2011, 05:05 AM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Morton, WA Posts: 128 |
Quote:
Originally Posted by CA357
Dammit! Now I have to sell my new Kimber before I even pick it up.
yeah, right. |
Oh GREAT! Now it's going to take me an extra 30 seconds tonight to fall asleep for causing you to doubt. However, perhaps you should be doubtful over buying a gun that is more advertised than Obama's "investments" or Bud Light.
Still waiting on your answers! What, did I ask an embaressing question?
I made an extra $2.30 in tips tonight at Micky D's, and I want to spend it on some really great replacement parts. 
Last edited by parinoid54; 03-02-2011 at 05:28 AM. | |
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| 03-02-2011, 05:10 AM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Morton, WA Posts: 128 |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dillinger
Personally? If I know a part of a weapon I purchase is known to be a problem, I have it replaced before it is a problem.JD
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Great, an anwser - but WHAT parts? | |
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