Ruger SR1911 owners, any parts failures?

[Z400ACDC]

I was wondering if you have found any weak parts that should be upgraded. Also, what plinking ammo does yours run well on?

[Siggy-06]

Just a fyi, the safety plunger tube is machined as part of the frame. If for some odd reason the gun is ever drop or damaged and the tube gets pinched, the gun won't function. You'd have to mill the entire tube off and stake a new tube on. There was a reason why they were designed to be staked/replacable.

[Z400ACDC]

I will try not to drop it! I have been successful at that for 40 years.

[Siggy-06]

Me too, just a thought though. Ruger's warranty would cover it I'm sure if anything did happen.

[DM357]

Make sure you use some blue Loctite on the grip screws, otherwise you may be literally shooting them off the gun every 50 or so rounds.

[pete2]

I've had a CMD for 3 years or so, prolly 2000 rounds thru it, no failures to date. I did put a small thumb safety on it, they big one hurt my thumb but it didn't fail.

[PatientWolf]

I don't have one (yet), but based on what I've read (yes, I know, the internet), I think at least the front sight would be worth replacing/having a spare. For replacing, I'd prefer a set of after-market night sights or fiber optic.

[DM357]

I will add one thing, she doesn't like WWB ammo. At least my example didn't. Federal Eagle made her happy for FMJs. She also hated HST, but gobbled up Hornady anything I threw at her.

[Z400ACDC]

It seems like everything I have runs Federal well.

[DM357]

Same, with exception of Federal Champion. Only my Glocks run that stuff without failure, but I haven't yet run into anything a Glock won't eat.

[L-2]

I've got (only) 4200 rounds through my Ruger SR1911CMD (the 4.25" .45 model).
My front sight broke off around 1800 rounds and, as Ruger explained to me, this was a commonly occurring problem up until Ruger began using a newer front sight in 2014. My Ruger 1911 was made in 2013 with its older front sight.

I'll use anything for "plinking ammo". I'll often use a steel-cased ammo such as Wolf or Tula.

Spare Parts? I've found any of the harder grips made from something like wood or G10 will have its grip screws loosen while shooting my 1911s. I'll typically use o-rings under the screw heads if I haven't changed the grips to rubber grips.

I replace recoil springs at ~2000 rounds. Depending on how much you shoot, you might want to keep spares on hand. I typically buy Wolff-brand recoil springs and these also come with a new firing pin spring, which I'll replace at the same time.

As I have other 1911s, I do keep various spare parts but haven't used any more on my Ruger, so far.

[rodfac]

No parts failures, SR1911 & Cmd models. 2500 rounds through them. WWB works well in both with groups running ~2.5" at 25 yds...Great guns fully the equal of my Series 70 Colts. Rod

[Rangerrich99]

Mine has been almost completely trouble-free, aside form a couple mag issues that have sorted themselves out.

The one issue that popped up has been that occasionally I've unconsciously pushed the slide stop pin about a quarter of an inch back through the frame, causing the gun to not go all the way back into battery. This has happened 4-5 times since I got the gun, due to the fact that sometimes my finger rides on the pin as I draw, which I guess has sometimes been enough to push the pin out slightly. I'm planning on replacing the stock pin with one from Wilson Combat, which will probably take care of it.

Other than that, the gun has been flawless.

[Colorado Redneck]

Blazer Brass 115 gr, Winchester Whitebox 115 gr, Pmc Bronze 115 gr have been flawless in my SR 1911 9mm.

[Tad_T]

I have two SR1911’s. One is a Model 6700 full-size. It has been my Wild Bunch main match pistol for the last two years. I have fired right at 5000 rounds of 230 gr LRN w/4.8 gr of Bullseye through it. It is totally stock and has had no parts failures or any failures that were attributable to the pistol.

My other SR1911 is a Model 6709 full-size TALO Night Watchman. I bought this pistol recently to be my carry gun because of how well that my match pistol has ran. I have about 500 rounds through it. It has had no failures of any kind.

[Fishbed77]

I believe there was an issue with front sights breaking off due to low quality steel on earlier guns.

[bassJAM1]

I bought mine in 2014, I probably only have 1000 rounds through it. But I haven't had a single problem so far, no jams and nothing has broken. I shoot mostly Winchester White Box and Blazer Brass, and a couple hundred rounds of Magtech. I've also put about 50 rounds of Critical Defense through it.

[Bayou]

I purchased a full sized SR1911 in June of 2016. I now have over 5K rounds down the tube, almost exclusively handloads.

The pistol has had no part failures.

I also change the recoil spring once every 2K rounds or so. These springs are cheap - $2 apiece off of shopruger.com. I bought a dozen to keep on hand.

I've replaced the factory front sight with the Novak FO front sight also advertised on shopruger.com. The original did not fail, as I simply wanted a better sight picture that the FO provides me.

As mentioned above, the grip screws were loosening after each range trip. I would simply tighten them back up - no o-rings or loctite ever used. At about the 1K round mark, the screws simply stopped loosening on their own and have remained tight ever since.

As an aside, I had the SR1911 at the range on last Saturday morning. After shooting a bunch of paper on the pistol range, I brought the pistol to the 100 yard rifle range and shot on a steel plate. And to my surprise, I had several "dings" on the steel plate. At 100 yards, the FO front sight covers the entire plate. No doubt more luck than skill to have hit it a few times, but it sure was fun!

Bayou

[Z400ACDC]

Thanks for the reviews and ammo your successfully running.

[rodfac]

Make sure you use some blue Loctite on the grip screws, otherwise you may be literally shooting them off the gun every 50 or so rounds.

Neither of mine had any problems of this sort. Rod

[Rangerrich99]

Originally Posted by rodfac

Neither of mine had any problems of this sort. Rod

Neither have I.

[kenny53]

The front sight of mine broke off. Ruger fixed it. When I first got the gun it would only feed FMJ, again Ruger fixed it. I like the gun and it works it's way into my carry rotation.

[dahermit]

Just a fyi, the safety plunger tube is machined as part of the frame. If for some odd reason the gun is ever drop or damaged and the tube gets pinched, the gun won't function. You'd have to mill the entire tube off and stake a new tube on. There was a reason why they were designed to be staked/replacable.

I have seen several posts over the years over on the 1911 site where safety plunger tube has come loose and has to be sent to a gunsmith to be re-staked. I have never heard of a Ruger falling just exactly right to get the tube to be crushed. Maybe if I try a few more times to thrown mine down just right I may be able to crush it and prove you right.
I suspect that back when John Browning was designing the 1911 and he had investment casting back then, he would have likely cast the safety plunger tube integral ala Ruger, but he had to work within the processes available then.
FYI, the safety plunger tube is not machined as part of the frame, it is cast as part of the frame.

[hodaka]

I've had the Commander size for about 4 years. Nothing has broken and it seems to run about everything although I shoot mostly my 200 gr. SWC coated lead reloads. Very accurate. Probably about 2000 rounds and I can't remember a hick-up.

[JWT]

I have three different versions of the SR1911 and have not had any problems with any of them.