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SR1911 slide frame fit

7K views 11 replies 11 participants last post by  CdnInAz 
#1 ·
Just a question to all you SR1911 owners. My slide to frame fit has a bit of play which I personally don't mind since it makes the gun much more reliable compared to other brands which require break in. You hear some still have jambing issiues from being so tight, especially after getting dirty from a bunch of rounds. How do the rest of yours fit and what thoughts do you have on the issue? If I'm not mistaken the original 1911's were designed with a bit of play for that very reason, reliability in the field. I think sometimes we go overboard in some cases about if everything doesnt fit super tight then its not a "custom" gun and is considered by some to be a piece of junk. I'd take reliability over "custom fit" any day.
 
#2 ·
Here is a snip of a post I made in reply to this very question


"Yep. Thats why Army 1911's were so loose they sounded like a box of washers if you tried running with one drawn. The ones I had in my arms room felt like the slide was going to drop off at any moment, which they can't. But I had more than a couple 2ndLTs want a tighter one, until I explained the facts of life to them. Even then some questioned my reasoning until they qualified with zero feed issues. It didn't make them any better shot, but the piece worked like it was supposed to. "

(Sorry, I'm just not sure how to link to it.)
 
#4 ·
Same story here. The 1911's in the arms room all rattled like a bucket of bolts. In those days if you went to the arms room and asked to be issued a 1911 the armorer might look at you funny. You asked for a 38 or a 45. For a bottle of either Jack or Wild Turkey I had an armorer "tighten up" a 45 for me. He clamped the slide in a big vice and found a tighter fitting bushing in his parts drawer. He refused to do any trigger work as he said it would be too dangerous for a field pistol. He also issued me a length of "dummy" cord and a leather holster. I had to trade some things to a pilot to get a shoulder holster.
 
#3 ·
Slide to frame fit is really a non issue, unless it's too tight. The 1911 is designed to lock the barrel up to the slide. The sights are mounted on the slide. At the time of firing, the frame is just holding the slide/barrel assembly.
 
#6 ·
All 1911's have a little play.
That said, mine is relatively tight.
 
#7 ·
This is the exact reason why I was going to refuse my SR1911 when it arrived at my FFL. I took it to the range for the first time today, sent 75 (or so) rounds down range with absolutely no problems, zero, none, zilch!! I couldn't be happier!
 
#10 ·
I understand everything being said here about the necessity of having some play for reliability. But if that gun clanks and carries on like my ole P-85 Mkii, I would have a problem with listening to that noise.
 
#12 ·
even with a little bit of play for reliability, can't clank with rounds pushing up on bottom of slide - the mag spring makes it snug
 
#11 ·
If a tight slide/frame fit was all there was to 1911 accuracy, everyone and anyone could make an accurate 1911. I'm not a gunsmith or engineer, but even I know the secret of making a 1911 accurate is not a good slide/frame fit. It's just one of those easy to inspect things we probably make too big a fuss over. Our SR1911 shoots just under 2" off a rest at 25 yards with the right ammo and has never had a hiccup in close to a thousand rounds, now. What more can you ask of a 1911?
 
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