Dented cases on 10 mm cases normal for 1911?

[Rmiked]

I noticed small dents on side of ejected 10mm cases on my Dan Wesson Specialist. The pistol functions fine. There are also some collision marks on the forward face of the slide adjacent to the ejection port. Is this normal for a 1911? Again the pistol ejects very well. Pictures below.

[willie]

I noticed small dents on side of ejected 10mm cases on my Dan Wesson Specialist. The pistol functions fine. There are also some collision marks on the forward face of the slide adjacent to the ejection port. Is this normal for a 1911? Again the pistol ejects very well. Pictures below.

I have had 1911 45's dent brass especially the case mouths. In my instances tweaking the ejector resolved the issue. My gunsmith tweaked. I remember this to have been fairly common. He slightly modified the face of the end of the ejector from flat to a slight angle. You don't want to hear this, but unless you are reloading these cases, it is a non issue. And if you are reloading the cases, it most likely is a non issue. If put before a gunsmith, you risk having a ham handed person screw up your nice pistol. I urge you to call the maker. These are outstanding 1911's. I would trade blue's pension for one and blame it on his nemesis.:cool:

[Rmiked]

Not denting case mouths. I have not bought dues for 10mm yet with primer shortage. The marks on the slide rim, perpindicular to barrel, must be spent cases colliding. I can’t see how the rim of case or mouth of case could hit that surface. And the side of case couldn’t make a mark? Must be the case spinning so fast the rim is hitting on way out? I emailed Dan Wesson with same pics. See what they say. I am hesitant to do anything about it. Pistol runs fine

[Archer1440]

That minor ding is almost certainly impact with this corner of the ejection port. Not unusual at all.

[Rmiked]

So the dings on the stainless steel are caused by the case mouth hitting the flat face (perpendicular to barrel) as the case is spinning during ejection? My cases go 10-15 feet. IMO it has very good ejection.

[farscott]

It is common to find "brass kisses" on the portion of the 1911 slide just to the rear of the ejection port. It is more common with the smaller diameter cartridges as the extractor and ejector are bit more inboard. The ejector can be tuned to throw the cases a bit less to the rear but I would not mess with a functioning pistol. If the finish of the slide shows brass marks, get some copper solvent, apply it to the area with the brass marks, wait a few minutes, and then wipe the brass marks away with a clean rag. This is safe for most finishes with the exception of electroplated nickel as that finish uses a copper primer coat which would be attacked by the copper solvent.

[Bergeron]

I wouldn’t really sweat it, OP.

71895

My 10mm experience is limited to a series of lightly touched Colts, but I always get brass marks behind the ejection port.

[Trooper224]

Perfectly normal with 1911s, not just 10mm.

[Rmiked]

Perfectly normal with 1911s, not just 10mm.

I appreciate knowing that. One thing I’m curious about is the circular scratches on the stainless steel slide face in ejection port; the face that is perpendicular to the barrel. I don’t really care about the appearance, I just can’t imagine a brass case hitting a stainless steel part, and scratching it? It is not brass marks. You can feel it with a toothpick. It is actual scratches. If you look at the picture you can see it. So you have seen that on other 1911s? It must be the case rim as it spins out of pistol. My spent case rims are NOT bent or fish-mouthed.

[Trooper224]

I appreciate knowing that. One thing I’m curious about is the circular scratches on the stainless steel slide face in ejection port; the face that is perpendicular to the barrel. I don’t really care about the appearance, I just can’t imagine a brass case hitting a stainless steel part, and scratching it? It is not brass marks. You can feel it with a toothpick. It is actual scratches. If you look at the picture you can see it. So you have seen that on other 1911s? It must be the case rim as it spins out of pistol. My spent case rims are NOT bent or fish-mouthed.

Those look like chatter marks from the machining process. Funtionally, nothing to worry about.

[Archer1440]

Exactly correct, just machining marks.

[JAH 3rd]

So the dings on the stainless steel are caused by the case mouth hitting the flat face (perpendicular to barrel) as the case is spinning during ejection? My cases go 10-15 feet. IMO it has very good ejection.

I have a DW A2. It really slings those .45 cases like your 10 mil does.

[Rmiked]

I have a DW A2. It really slings those .45 cases like your 10 mil does.

Well I have been looking at those marks that look like machining chatter. From what I can tell about the barrel lock-up imposed by the link action and the timing of that with the collision of the barrel hood and breech face, these circular marks are actually the collision of the barrel chamber rear faces on either side of the barrel hood. If you look at the pictures I attached, at the exact moment the link is rotating the barrel lugs up into the slide recesses, the barrel hood and barrel chamber rear faces are all simultaneously colliding with breech face and sliding up into battery lock-up. There are corresponding marks on the breech face and the adjacent slide areas with those marks that look like machining chatter. I provided a picture of the Breech face wear marks and a top and bottom view of the barrel just before lock-up. I’m guessing it is desirable to have all 3 barrel surfaces (hood and 2 adjacent barrel rear faces) impacting the slide at the same time the link has timed the barrel lugs into the frame recesses. So when the slide is moving forward , it’s movement it stopped by the slide force pushing on barrel from the breech face and thru the barrel lugs locking into the slide. All that force is then transferred into the frame thru the slide stop pin.

PS: I sent pictures to Dan Wesson. They said the dented cases are normal as everyone here said. They also said the wear marks around the slide and breech face are normal.

[Chuck Whitlock]

Disregard.

[Greg]

The barrel should not be riding the link back into battery. The lower lugs riding the slide stop pin are what should be pushing the upper lugs back into position.

Most 1911s ride the link, but that isn’t how it’s supposed to be.

[Archer1440]

I think that while this example is .45ACP, this video will tell you all you need to know about exactly why you’re getting that little ding on the case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xueXR054P-E

[Rmiked]

I am not a 1911 guy, new to platform. Yes the lower lugs are intended to stop rearward barrel movement from what I see looking at animation. The proposition I am making is that IF the barrel hood is in contact with the breech face when in battery, that is an impressive bit of machining to have the lugs engaged simultaneously with barrel/beeechface contact. That is what I am seeing in my 1911 (Dan Wesson Specialist 10mm). Looks like the Lower lugs mainly anchor the link pin when in battery. There is no collision going on with lower lugs when moving forward.

[Rmiked]

I think that while this example is .45ACP, this video will tell you all you need to know about exactly why you’re getting that little ding on the case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xueXR054P-E

That is exactly what I am seeing. Thanks

[Archer1440]

I am not a 1911 guy, new to platform. Yes the lower lugs are intended to stop rearward barrel movement from what I see looking at animation. The proposition I am making is that IF the barrel hood is in contact with the breech face when in battery, that is an impressive bit of machining to have the lugs engaged simultaneously with barrel/beeechface contact. That is what I am seeing in my 1911 (Dan Wesson Specialist 10mm). Looks like the Lower lugs don’t do anything important when in battery other than anchoring the link and link pin.

This subject is a long, long rabbit hole, there’s a lot of things going on in that “simple” interaction between the various parts, all of which can be accomplished by at least three different barrel fitting/link timing methods commonly used on production 1911 pattern pistols.

Books have been written on the subject, and to this day there are internet arguments about what is “best practice”… 110+ years after the thing was first designed.

[Rmiked]

I can appreciate what you are saying. Dan Wesson looked at my pics and said it’s normal for them. All I know is that the barrel hood has to touch the breech face. If not in battery, soon after ignition because it’s that contact that pushes the slide back. And it makes sense to me that when the barrel lugs finally fully engage the slide lug recesses, the barrel should be touching breech face. That’s some impressive machining for all that to come together. Now that I have examined my barrel fit and match marks, what I am seeing is exactly what I would expect. Now you could shave a few thousandths off barrel contact surfaces and leave a “gap” (0.002”). That would have all the “arresting forward movement forces” being transmitted solely thru the lugs and back to the slide stop pin into the frame. But as soon as it goes bang the barrel hood will be closing that 0.002” gap. I think what I am seeing on my pistol is it will “wear in” to fit perfectly. The collision marks of the barrel sides (either side of hood) to the frame at ejection port appear to be a few thousandths. I’m guessing different pistol makers have their own way of making this fit. I saw the guy at Alchemy (Rob) discussing this topic. I believe he called it “hard fit”. Not sure of his details. But I’m guessing this is more relevant to match barrels? Again I am new to 1911s but trying to figure out how they work. More than one way to skin this cat is what you are saying.

[sparkyv]

Those look like chatter marks from the machining process. Funtionally, nothing to worry about.Agreed, no way the ejected brass will cause those marks.