Problem With My 1911

[springfield24]

Hey guys,

I just picked up a Remington 1911-R1 yesterday morning. I didn't get to hit the range with it yet due to time restrictions. So, I brought it home, grabbed a beer, and broke it down for it's initial cleaning. Even though I've busted down a 1911 before, I followed the Remington manual to the letter. When I put the gun back together I found a huge problem. When I went to rack the slide, the slide stop lever hung up at the takedown notch. I found that with minimal pressure...and I mean MINIMAL pressure on the slide stop lever, it will push through as if I'm disassembling the gun. I got on the phone with Remingtons tech support and they said they'd ship me out a new slide stop lever. But, being as this is my only carry gun, I had to figure out something. I finally decided that there must not be enough pressure on the swing link to hold the slide stop lever in place. After trying a few different theories, I finally decided to rough up the finish of the slide stop where it passes through the frame and swing link. So, out to the garage we went, and after a few minutes of filing, I stuck the slide stop lever back into the gun. It's still relatively easy to push out, but not nearly as easy as it was at first. Prior to roughing up the finish, the lever would practically fall out under it's own weight.

So, has anybody ever had this problem before? I want so badly to like this gun, but after this I must say I'm not too happy with my decision to buy a 1911 over a Glock.

[Steve_NEPhila]

Two major things that I must point out:

You are betting your life on a pistol that you have no idea how it shoots (or if it does) or where it impacts!?! I could go on and on chastising you, yet I think you get the point. Test your equipment, learn the limitations, the nuances. Train with it so that you can work it under most conditions. (ever try a magazine change lying on your back?) I would also like to add that since this pistol is not even broken in yet you could have a serious problem on your hands when it comes to stoppages.

The Remington 1911 R1 is not much of a carry pistol in my opinion. The Remington is an inexpensive base level 1911. Yes, it can be carried. However, you better be damn good with it. The low price comes from few refinements that many swear by. You bought a bottom level pistol.

Methinks you would benefit greatly from training. Save up your lunch money for training, and make it happen. Which means you are going to need a strong side quality holster, about five extra magazines and lots of ammo. I understand that this is not what you want to hear, it is what you need to hear.

Roughing up the finish was not a great idea. If you need to return the pistol to the factory (you do not know how well it works yet...) they will spot this and may charge you for the repair. Your best bet, get back on the phone with customer service and try to get this ironed out...

[rwb1500]

Two major things that I must point out:

You are betting your life on a pistol that you have no idea how it shoots (or if it does) or where it impacts!?! I could go on and on chastising you, yet I think you get the point. Test your equipment, learn the limitations, the nuances. Train with it so that you can work it under most conditions. (ever try a magazine change lying on your back?) I would also like to add that since this pistol is not even broken in yet you could have a serious problem on your hands when it comes to stoppages.

The Remington 1911 R1 is not much of a carry pistol in my opinion. The Remington is an inexpensive base level 1911. Yes, it can be carried. However, you better be damn good with it. The low price comes from few refinements that many swear by. You bought a bottom level pistol.

Methinks you would benefit greatly from training. Save up your lunch money for training, and make it happen. Which means you are going to need a strong side quality holster, about five extra magazines and lots of ammo. I understand that this is not what you want to hear, it is what you need to hear.

Roughing up the finish was not a great idea. If you need to return the pistol to the factory (you do not know how well it works yet...) they will spot this and may charge you for the repair. Your best bet, get back on the phone with customer service and try to get this ironed out...

Steve's right. Get the gun looked at by someone who can empirically tell you what the problem is and fix it. Then get some training and trigger time. Then start to think about carrying the gun.

[springfield24]

Wow guys, thanks for answering all of the questions I never asked.

First off, I don't know if you caught the part about me not having time to take it to the range yet or not...but let me re-state that just to be sure. I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE RANGE!

Second, I'm not worried about the finish of the original part because a replacement should be on it's way. Did you read the part where I said I contacted customer support and they're sending me a replacement?

Third, I'm a competent shooter with a good deal of range time and training. I'm not totally unfamiliar with the 1911 platform. True, I don't know what the POI is going to be with this particular firearm. BUT, This is my only carry gun right now so I don't have a whole lot of options.

Long story short, thanks for assuming this is my first rodeo and going out of your way to not answer my original question.

[orionz06]

Wow guys, thanks for answering all of the questions I never asked.

First off, I don't know if you caught the part about me not having time to take it to the range yet or not...but let me re-state that just to be sure. I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE RANGE!

Second, I'm not worried about the finish of the original part because a replacement should be on it's way. Did you read the part where I said I contacted customer support and they're sending me a replacement?

Third, I'm a competent shooter with a good deal of range time and training. I'm not totally unfamiliar with the 1911 platform. True, I don't know what the POI is going to be with this particular firearm. BUT, This is my only carry gun right now so I don't have a whole lot of options.

Long story short, thanks for assuming this is my first rodeo and going out of your way to not answer my original question.

Not having time to make it to the range doesnt hold up in court when you send a 230gr bullet into a bus full of starving orphans. That may be a bit extreme, but you shouldnt carry the gun if you dont know where it is impacting.

Why is it your only carry gun? You probably could have had two other guns that wouldnt have issues over the R1911...

[JohnnyBmore]

Yeah I would never carry a gun I haven't shot, I would go with a good blade instead .

Now with that being said don't get upset at the 1911 platform because your relatively new base line model 1911 had a Quality control issue . Just saying there must have been a reason why you chose a 1911 over a glock & believe me just because you had a QC issue with your new fire arm it shouldn't effect that reasoning.

Also Quick question .. Why did you choose the Remington ? Choosing a bottom line pistol from a company that is on its first year producing 1911's doesn't sound like a wise choice for a carry gun ... The SA Gi's or the Rock islands would have been a way better choice in my mind for essentially the same cost ...

[GreenBlood10]

Yea usually I would wait a couple of years before purchasing a new model firearm from a company. It gives them time to iron out a few of the problems. But I don't know much....I'm a Glock guy.

I would wait for the replacement part from Remington before doing anything else. If it is still having problems, return it and have someone take a detailed look at it. As Steve said, you don't want to have to send it back and then they realize that you tried to fix it on your own and void the warranty.

GB

[Noah_Zark]

"When I went to rack the slide, the slide stop lever hung up at the takedown notch."

What does that mean, "hung up?" That the slide stopped moving when the slide stop lever was in line with the takedown notch? Please explain.

" . . . I found that with minimal pressure...and I mean MINIMAL pressure on the slide stop lever, it will push through as if I'm disassembling the gun . . . So, has anybody ever had this problem before?

I've owned some 1911s where the slide stop lever is quite readily removed. Contrary to what you believe, it is NOT the force of the link on the slide stop that keeps the slide stop in place; it is a tiny flange on the inside of the slide stop arm working against the inside of the left slide rail. The takedown notch provides clearance for that retaining flange to clear the slide and be removed. Link fit can add additional force to the takedown lever pin making it DIFFICULT to remove the takedown lever, but that's not what retains the slide stop, nor is it intended to.

. . . I want so badly to like this gun, but after this I must say I'm not too happy with my decision to buy a 1911 over a Glock.

With all respect, please slow down and have some patience. If the slide stopped moving as you tried to rack it following your reassembly, I'd bet that you have the weapon reassembled incorrectly, particularly if the slide could be racked OK BEFORE disassembly. I'm thinking that you may not have the slide stop pin passing through the lower link hole, because the link is pivoted to the front. If a 1911 slide stop does not pass through the link, it will seem to readily drop from the slide if lined up with the slide stop. Maybe I'm wrong, but as another member here states in his sig line, "What did you do to make it stop working?"

Again, I'm trying to help, and I'm not being snarky here. I've worked on many hundreds if not thousands of 1911s as a Marine armorer in the 70s and early 80s.

Please DO NOT SHOOT that gun until this is resolved.

Noah

[cdi]

After your snappy response, I'm hesitant to offer you this info. I'll do my best to answer your question...

The "take down notch" you mention is called the slide dismount radius cut-
Common causes of the slide binding in this cut include:
Insufficient slide/slide stop clearance
off dimension slide stop
sharp slide stop corner
off dimension magazine follower
improperly hardened slide

The slide stop should not be roughed up with a file- ever. It is a critical part that carries a considerable load when the pistol operates. Filing stress risers into it will cause it to fail.

Your best bet is to replace the slide stop with the factory replacement and either send your gun to the factory to have it inspected or bring it to someone who can properly inspect it for you.

My opinion only- and it is worth what you paid for it-

[surbat6]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I always thought that the slide stop plunger above the left grip was what kept the slide stop from arbitrarily popping up to lock the slide back or slip out of the slide dismount cut as the action cycled. It also provides a little resistance to the slide stop's movement to the left.
I agree with Cdi's admonition to avoid filing the slide stop. Changing the dimensions or roughing the surface of that piece is not a good thing.
I understand that circumstances may limit Springfield24 to a single gun available for self-defense, but considering it your carry gun without enough range time to check function and aim seems a bit foolhardy. Suppose you did need the R1 in a social interaction and the slide stop fell out. Need I say more?
JohnnyBmore, your recommendation of a blade sounds suspiciously like bringing a knife to a gunfight.