Something to check before Ruger SR1911 purchase.

roklok · March 1, 2013, 07:18 AM

A local gunstore has a new Ruger SR1911 Commander in stock. I was pretty excited to see one, but upon examination, it exhibited quite a bit of vertical play in the rear of the barrel. The rear of the barrel would move approximately 1/16 inch up and down with the slide forward.

I posted my observations on a 1911 Forum, and most SR1911 owners reported their SR1911s had no play, a few had minimal play, none reported as much play as the one I examined.

It seems that the barrel lockup on these SR1911s vary greatly from gun to gun. I would advise checking this out before purchasing one.

I posted a video of this poor barrel lockup on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxD-3...ature=youtu.be

As a side note, there was a 5 inch SR1911 in the case as well that exhibited the same amount of play.

+1k ammo · March 1, 2013, 07:41 AM

I guess the Ruger reps in Alaska are favored more than Illinois.

Are there any reps in Illinois and why are they sleeping on the job.

Aside from that, aren't the commander series usually plagued with more problems than a full size 1911? Just from some of the things I have read.

Did you buy it or pass?

polyphemus · March 1, 2013, 07:54 AM

This is extraordinary,the barrel not only drops but it returns back up.
Something's very wrong with that picture.

geetarman · March 1, 2013, 12:56 PM

I went out to the safe and checked my 1911s.

One Sig, two Smith and Wessons, two Dan Wessons and two Rugers.

None have that issue. Something is wrong with that gun and I would not buy it. I have never thought to check that. Thanks for the tip.

roklok · March 1, 2013, 01:28 PM

No, I did not buy it. I like my 1911s to have zero perceptible movement at the rear of the barrel when locked up.

blfuller · March 1, 2013, 03:30 PM

If you notice in the video when you push down on the barrel the slide is also moving back as well. This is how it is supposed to work.

In order to properly determine the barrel up and down movement the slide and frame MUST be fixed so they cannot move. Once you make sure they aren't going to move then push down on the barrel and see what happens. You also need to push straight down perpindicular to the barrel axis and not at an angle that favors the rotation of the barrel link.

What is happening is the barrel is pivoting on the link and pushing back on the slide.

blfuller · March 1, 2013, 03:36 PM

Quote:

This is extraordinary,the barrel not only drops but it returns back up.
Something's very wrong with that picture.

What is happening is the recoil spring is pushing the slide back into lockup with the barrel.

geetarman · March 1, 2013, 04:00 PM

Quote:

If you notice in the video when you push down on the barrel the slide is also moving back as well. This is how it is supposed to work.

I don't think anyone is concerned about that. The issue I believe is the amount of force required to move the barrel down. I don't think simple thumb pressure ought to do it unless the recoil spring is something much lighter than factory.

I can't duplicate that with any of my 1911s and I tried them all.

blfuller · March 1, 2013, 04:08 PM

Maybe the barrel link is not cammed over. Has it been disassembled and cleaned and lubed properly? Maybe there's a burr somewhere that needs to be smoothed out. It looks like he is not pushing straight down but back at an angle. Maybe he should rack the slide and let it slam home a few times under spring pressure and see if it improves.

roklok · March 1, 2013, 05:00 PM

A properly fitted 1911 will not do what this gun was doing, even with the recoil spring removed. Some other semiautos will, such as Glocks, but this is not correct for a 1911.

I was pushing straight down, for the video, I had to use one hand to hold the camera, so I had to pinch it between thumb and index finger. Otherwise, one hand on the grip, one finger or thumb pushing straight down on top of barrel would do the same thing.

scottl · March 1, 2013, 05:57 PM

Quote:

I can't duplicate that with any of my 1911s and I tried them all.

I did.

Finger pushing on barrel,thumb under trigger housing=no movement

Finger pushing on barrel,thumb under trigger housing,pinky finger braced against front sight=kicking slide out of battery and barrel dropping nearly identical to video on my Champ Operator with factory dual recoil spring and Springfield's heavy mainspring.

But OP said on another forum he wasn't touching the slide or sight.

polyphemus · March 1, 2013, 07:13 PM

We have either:
Contorsionism
Trick videography
Or a firearm that is so out of specs it should never have left the factory.
Once the barrel is locked to the slide there is no vertical play under normal conditions.Undue force can be applied to any mechanical device and anecdotal
results may be obtained if this is the case here then no useful conclusions can
be derived from the experiment.Garbage in garbage out.

March 1, 2013, 07:18 AM	#1
roklok Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2008 Location: Fort Yukon, Alaska Posts: 735	Something to check before Ruger SR1911 purchase. A local gunstore has a new Ruger SR1911 Commander in stock. I was pretty excited to see one, but upon examination, it exhibited quite a bit of vertical play in the rear of the barrel. The rear of the barrel would move approximately 1/16 inch up and down with the slide forward. I posted my observations on a 1911 Forum, and most SR1911 owners reported their SR1911s had no play, a few had minimal play, none reported as much play as the one I examined. It seems that the barrel lockup on these SR1911s vary greatly from gun to gun. I would advise checking this out before purchasing one. I posted a video of this poor barrel lockup on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxD-3...ature=youtu.be As a side note, there was a 5 inch SR1911 in the case as well that exhibited the same amount of play.

March 1, 2013, 12:56 PM	#4
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	I went out to the safe and checked my 1911s. One Sig, two Smith and Wessons, two Dan Wessons and two Rugers. None have that issue. Something is wrong with that gun and I would not buy it. I have never thought to check that. Thanks for the tip. __________________ Geetarman Carpe Cerveza

March 1, 2013, 07:41 AM	#2
+1k ammo Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2013 Posts: 235	I guess the Ruger reps in Alaska are favored more than Illinois. Are there any reps in Illinois and why are they sleeping on the job. Aside from that, aren't the commander series usually plagued with more problems than a full size 1911? Just from some of the things I have read. Did you buy it or pass?

March 1, 2013, 07:54 AM	#3
polyphemus Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Posts: 1,055	This is extraordinary,the barrel not only drops but it returns back up. Something's very wrong with that picture.

March 1, 2013, 01:28 PM	#5
roklok Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2008 Location: Fort Yukon, Alaska Posts: 735	No, I did not buy it. I like my 1911s to have zero perceptible movement at the rear of the barrel when locked up.

March 1, 2013, 03:30 PM	#6
blfuller Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2013 Location: Washington State Posts: 246	If you notice in the video when you push down on the barrel the slide is also moving back as well. This is how it is supposed to work. In order to properly determine the barrel up and down movement the slide and frame MUST be fixed so they cannot move. Once you make sure they aren't going to move then push down on the barrel and see what happens. You also need to push straight down perpindicular to the barrel axis and not at an angle that favors the rotation of the barrel link. What is happening is the barrel is pivoting on the link and pushing back on the slide.

March 1, 2013, 04:08 PM	#9
blfuller Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2013 Location: Washington State Posts: 246	Maybe the barrel link is not cammed over. Has it been disassembled and cleaned and lubed properly? Maybe there's a burr somewhere that needs to be smoothed out. It looks like he is not pushing straight down but back at an angle. Maybe he should rack the slide and let it slam home a few times under spring pressure and see if it improves.

March 1, 2013, 05:00 PM	#10
roklok Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2008 Location: Fort Yukon, Alaska Posts: 735	A properly fitted 1911 will not do what this gun was doing, even with the recoil spring removed. Some other semiautos will, such as Glocks, but this is not correct for a 1911. I was pushing straight down, for the video, I had to use one hand to hold the camera, so I had to pinch it between thumb and index finger. Otherwise, one hand on the grip, one finger or thumb pushing straight down on top of barrel would do the same thing.

March 1, 2013, 07:13 PM	#12
polyphemus Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Posts: 1,055	We have either: Contorsionism Trick videography Or a firearm that is so out of specs it should never have left the factory. Once the barrel is locked to the slide there is no vertical play under normal conditions.Undue force can be applied to any mechanical device and anecdotal results may be obtained if this is the case here then no useful conclusions can be derived from the experiment.Garbage in garbage out.