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A "dirty" new Ruger SR1911CMD

6K views 21 replies 21 participants last post by  jjhmachine 
#1 ·
I bought a "new" Ruger 1911 Commander this morning. After getting home from work that evening, I was showing my son the new pistol. He said; "You didn't clean it after the range?" I said; "What do you mean, it's brand new, I haven't had a chance to shoot it!" "Well it's pretty dirty..." was his reply.

I took the pistol apart, and it really had what looked like a couple of 50 round boxes worth of powder and brass residue on the slide, barrel, and bore. I mean I really had to swab the hell out of the bore to clean it.

It was then I thought to myself, I shouldn't be doing this, it's new. Does the factory shoot that many "test" rounds through a pistol? No way, they would never get product out the door I said to myself.

So, here's a question for anyone that cares to chime in. What do you think?

Did the retailer "test" this gun? They swear that any box labeled NEW, is NEVER shot by employees or demoed.

Or, did the factory tester run a whole bunch of "scarce & expensive" ammo through this weapon, bless it, then wrap it up and box it without cleaning it at all.

I have never purchased a NEW weapon that was this "dirty".

Any thoughts? Thanks for reading and pondering...
 
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#3 ·
My new Vaquero was pretty nasty. I know they test fire them at different stages after assembly. Mine still had compound in parts of the ejector housing & the pawl housing.
 
#4 ·
Every "new" Ruger I have bought has been dirty, including the New GSR I just got. As long as it's unblemished and works, I don't care how many rounds they put through it. To me it's just tested well...
 
#6 ·
A lot of smaller gun stores, upon receiving new guns into stock, wipe them down. If they notice that the new guns are particularly dirty, they clean them. Bigger gun stores that sell dozens of guns a day simply are not staffed to examine every gun coming in, let alone clean them. In any event, it's just for show.

When I have had to send guns back for warranty work or repair -- I am happy when they include a note saying they shot 50 rounds through it just to make sure she was functioning. The dirtiness is a nice confirmation.

Enjoy your new gun!
 
#8 ·
I worked for cash at a small gun store my freshman year in college and that was my job. I believe I got 5 dollars per gun and I went in for several hours monday tuesday and thursdays. I would clean up the guns that were sold so all you had to do before you shot it was load it.
 
#9 ·
I was reading a write up about a Ruger factory tour, where the author noted that at least 5 rounds were fired through each new gun. In the case of a 1911, some things need tuned. (The extractor comes to mind). I see it as completely plausible that the factory techs could have fired a fair number of rounds through your commander to ensure it was set up properly before sending out.
 
#11 ·
My LGS (who also happens to be in the news lately for raffling an AR-15 to support a local Little League team) also cleans all their new guns. The only one they didn't clean was one I bought out of state and had transferred to them.
 
#12 ·
Welcome from Australia mate.
Glad to have you on board, nice folk here and lots of good info.
Congratulations on your new Commander.
I've had some Rugers that were dirty and some "you could have eaten your dinner off" they were so clean.
That's why most of us will clean before we shoot, it can be a bit of a "lucky dip".
 
#13 ·
Thanks to everyone for the replies.

Well, you have enlightened me. I guess all my past purchases were done a bit differently, in that, they were at different retail establishments, and more importantly, before December 2012.

The store where I purchased the Commander has been VERY busy since Christmas, 2011. And quite frankly, it was my first purchase from them. I think
they barely have enough time to unwrap the inventory before it is out the door and in someone's gun safe.

Since I was presented with a situation that I had not encountered before, I assumed (my bad) the worst, that the pistol had been covertly demoed somehow, and therefore, "not new".

I realize all weapons must be test fired, and frankly I have no idea just how extensively that test firing might be. I'm sure it varies by manufacturer and weapon.

Well, anyway, I went through the field strip of the pistol last night, cleaned it, gun-greased the slides, and dry lubed the barrel OD. It looks mighty nice now, and racks as smooth as the inside of a school marm's thigh.

As an aside, during my cleaning process, while I was semi-fuming, I called the store about the pistol, and after waiting about 15 minutes on hold, (as I said, they are VERY busy), the counter person said if for any reason I was not pleased, bring the pistol back. I am doing no such thing. The Commander is residing next to the Full Size SR 1911 in the hard case.

Tomorrow, I am going to the range to get it VERY dirty myself.

Again, thanks for all the information from everyone. Ya learn new shit every day, and when that stops, pack it in.
 
#15 ·
I THOUGHT MY .380 LCP-LM Laser max was used too.
Actually had to send it back to davidson's in january due to faulty ejector. Waiting for a new gun.
 
#17 ·
I know my LGS don't clean the weapons they sell, and I have bought quite a few from them over the years. They have ranged from heavy grease packed in the firing pin bore (SR40) to very clean and dry (SR1911) . But most of the time the gun looks like it just came from 100 rounds at the range.
Good luck
 
#20 ·
If they didn't show up dirty ,we would be complaining that they never test fire their guns. LOL . I have never bought a clean Ruger. I have sent two in for work. They were spotless when they left and filthy when they came back. That factory has to be the dirtiest place in the world.LOL Ruger cares enough to let you know that they tested your gun.
 
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