Dummy Scratches

[pute62]

Notice on a lot of the used 45's the mark where people have scratched the frame trying to put the slide release in. How bout you, ever done this? I'll be honest, I did it on the first one I ever owned.

 

[gunman41mag]

Notice on a lot of the used 45's the mark where people have scratched the frame trying to put the slide release in. How bout you, ever done this? I'll be honest, I did it on the first one I ever owned.

I had some work done on my COLT OFFICERS 45, by a gunsmith & it came back with dummy scratches

 

[Audie Murphy]

I've done it to my 5906 S&W

 

[ghitch75]

"idiot mark"....is the correct term for it......it's done from not knowin' the correct way to field strip one.....9 times out of 10 they try to pull the slide stop without removin' the recoil spring plug first...

 

[Doug]

Notice on a lot of the used 45's the mark where people have scratched the frame trying to put the slide release in. How bout you, ever done this? I'll be honest, I did it on the first one I ever owned.

Many, if not all, of the military 1911's have this mark. I was told that military personnel were taught to press the slide stop firmly into the frame as they rotated it up into position.

Doug

 

[Hornett]

I am proud to say that I haven't done it on any of my 1911's
However I have only bought two 1911's new and the ones i got used came pre scratched.
I have read stories about buys who have had 1911 for decades and still managed to idiot scratch one.
So, I am not out of the woods yet.

I am going to try scotch brite pads and oil on my most recent acquisition.
I will post up a thread about it when I get a chance to do it.

 

[sepe]

Mines scratched but it came that way. Not sure if it was from being used in the Argentinian military or the person that owned before me but it isn't something I worry about.

 

[Colt556]

I've owned dozens of 1911s over the years and I'd say about half of them were Idiot Marked. Proudly I can say I've only done it once and that was with a very difficult slide stop to replace. BTW, I take my 1911s apart without removing the recoil spring first and have never had an issue doing it that way. A WWII vet taught me to do it that way and he never had issues either.

 

[chipdog4]

Here's a trick
File a notch here

Then press in like so.

 

[JetGirl]

No idiot scratches on mine...I had a good mentor.
There for awhile, one of the 1911 manufacturers had a stock photo on their website that sported a scratch. I'll see if I can find it. It was one of those things that make ya go "hmm".

 

[JetGirl]

Ah, yes... it was Colt.
Of course the page goes here now:
Untitled Document

But here's a screen shot for posterity.

Photo layout quality control much?

 

[bassplayrguy]

Bought mine with one. Adds a little character I guess.

 

[RH822-A]

"idiot mark"....is the correct term for it......it's done from not knowin' the correct way to field strip one.....9 times out of 10 they try to pull the slide stop without removin' the recoil spring plug first...

Every 1911 I've ever owned has an idiot mark, but I never did it stripping the gun. I always did it during reassembly... I just must be a bigger idiot than most.

 

[WhitleyStu]

There is also another way to prevent the "idiot mark". When reassembling and installing the thumb safety do not compress the spring/plunger behind the safety and push the safety back against the frame yet. Just push the thumb safety back against the spring/plunger. Install the slide then insert the slide stop. This was there is no pressure on the slide stop by the plunger/spring. Then go behind the thumb safety and compress the plunger/spring and push the safety back against the frame. No chance of the dreaded scratch...

 

[mshogren]

Guess, I have just been lucky...no idiot scratches on my 1911s.

Mark

 

[zibby43]

For the brief period of time I owned a 1911 (and yes, to this day I regret getting rid of it), I put a little piece of Scotch tape on the frame where the dreaded mark could occur. Seemed to work but I only field stripped the gun once.

 

[CandRFan]

Every 1911 I've ever owned has an idiot mark, but I never did it stripping the gun. I always did it during reassembly... I just must be a bigger idiot than most.

WE must be bigger idiots than most. I idiot marked my first pistol, my Colt 1991A1, when I was trying to get it put back together.

If someone here one day posts a magical method that helps to fix the idiot mark on a stainless 1911 I'll probably give it a try. But if not, oh well. It's my Colt and it's not going anywhere.

 

[us_agent]

I don't think I ever did that when I had either of mine. If I recall, I used to have some oil on my finger tip that I would place on the slide stop and as I would line up the barrel link with the pin, I would hold the slide stop in place while pressing down firmly and it would go in without scratching anything.

 

[RobbLG]

You'd have to be an IDIOT to do that!!!

 

[JetGirl]

No purple required!