My new 1911 is going back to Ruger

MikeAvery71 · Jun 26, 2016

I purchased this firearm last month and have used it once. Today, while giving it a good look-over after cleaning, I noticed a brown discoloration on the right side of the pistol between the grips and the trigger. It will not rub out. It sure looks like rust. Then, while looking it over a bit more, I noticed excessive pitting on the front of the handle. There are 100+ pit marks and they also look to be rusting. I never would have thought to look for these things when I purchased it. So, I will give them a call on Monday and schedule it to be delivered for an examination by their staff. I'm not mad, I know they stand by their products. I am more shocked that this can still happen today when they are not running at 100% capacity on their line trying to fill backorders.

Pat-inCO · Jun 26, 2016

Some pix would be helpful. :wink:

MikeAvery71 · Jun 26, 2016

It is very difficult to photograph with my cameras. The marks on the handle are like tiny pinpricks, they wash out in the glare when I try to use my camera. Last night I sprayed the entire firearm down with clp and the wiped it off. The "rust" dots on the handle were no longer visible. This morning I only see signs of 2 of the pinprick dots. So that seems to have helped. I was thinking, they're probably not going to do anything for this if just spraying it down helps. It looks nothing like the rust pics that people have posted on the frame under the grips. I took my grips off and it is all clean there.

MikeAvery71 · Jun 26, 2016

I hosed the 1911 down with more clp today and whatever pitting I had is minimized now, so I will just keep an eye on it for now. I had been dry firing it quite a bit in humid weather. Anyway, I changed the title of my post.

usmc6433-6437 · Jun 26, 2016

So, I take it this Ruger 1911 is a blued steel version, and not a stainless model?

MikeAvery71 · Jun 26, 2016

All stainless.

usmc6433-6437 · Jun 26, 2016

MikeAvery71 said:
All stainless.

Hmmm...I would think Ruger would use a good 400 series stainless steel in their manufacture...does not make sense. Stainless can do this, but it takes a lot to get it to degrade. Strange.

HAWKEYE#28 · Jun 26, 2016

Wasn't this caused by some element being introduced into the machining process causing contamination.?..seems I recall seeing this in earlier posts, same subject.........

usmc6433-6437 · Jun 26, 2016

HAWKEYE#28 said:
Wasn't this caused by some element being introduced into the machining process causing contamination.?..seems I recall seeing this in earlier posts, same subject.........

Well, it can, but not usually over the entire frontstrap, like the OP is saying. Either someone is sweating acid, or they introduced the effected surfaces with some sort of chemical. Just my humble opinion.

Mike J · Jun 26, 2016

I had rust under the grips on my SR 1911. The spots looked black. I didn't want to send the gun to Ruger & it was in an inconspicuous spot so I hit it with some sand paper to remove it & went on. Later I put some of the rubber grips from shopruger on it. The rust returned. I sent it in. They blasted the effected areas & even removed another scratch I had put on it & had it back to me in about a week. I haven't had any problem since.

usmc6433-6437 · Jun 26, 2016

Mike J said:
I had rust under the grips on my SR 1911. The spots looked black. I didn't want to send the gun to Ruger & it was in an inconspicuous spot so I hit it with some sand paper to remove it & went on. Later I put some of the rubber grips from shopruger on it. The rust returned. I sent it in. They blasted the effected areas & even removed another scratch I had put on it & had it back to me in about a week. I haven't had any problem since.

Yeah, well that's good that they took care of your pistol. A lot of people think stainless steel is impervious to the elements, but that is not true. It is only more resistant to them...nothing can last forever.

MikeAvery71 · Jun 26, 2016

I've handled my firearm many times in the recent hot air with sweaty hands. So the front strap, where my fingers touch, was subjected to a lot of dry firing practice in my basement. I did clean the gun and did lightly oil the surfaces after use one month ago. I was going to relube after reading about the proper way to lubricate this firearm online. That is when I noticed the spots. Sweaty hands can cause this to happen on a as gun? No idea. But heavily applied oil seems to negate the problem.

Mike J · Jun 27, 2016

usmc6433-6437 said:
Mike J said:

I had rust under the grips on my SR 1911. The spots looked black. I didn't want to send the gun to Ruger & it was in an inconspicuous spot so I hit it with some sand paper to remove it & went on. Later I put some of the rubber grips from shopruger on it. The rust returned. I sent it in. They blasted the effected areas & even removed another scratch I had put on it & had it back to me in about a week. I haven't had any problem since.

Click to expand...

Yeah, well that's good that they took care of your pistol. A lot of people think stainless steel is impervious to the elements, but that is not true. It is only more resistant to them...nothing can last forever.

It does depend on what type of stainless steel it is but generally speaking if stainless is rusting it is because it has ferrous metal imbedded in it. Sometimes this happens in the machining process. If it isn't properly dealt with (it can be removed mechanically or they can use a passivation process) then there is rust. I got chewed out one time for allowing a stainless steel stack we were going to set in a bakery to slide across the handrail of a scissor lift because of this.

MikeAvery71 · Jun 27, 2016

Well, it is going back after all. The rust spots are visible again today. So I will call them tomorrow and arrange for pick-up.

My front strap looks like the rust in these pictures.

http://www.carolinashootersclub.com/threads/check-your-ruger-sr1911-for-rust.145835//[url]

MikeAvery71 · Jun 27, 2016

MikeAvery71 said:
Well, it is going back after all. The rust spots are visible again today. So I will call them tomorrow and arrange for pick-up.

My front strap looks like the rust in these pictures.

http://www.carolinashootersclub.com...exposed when I ship my firearm back to Ruger.

Mike J · Jun 27, 2016

When you call make sure to ask for a shipping label.

MikeAvery71 · Jun 27, 2016

Yes, I will.

MikeAvery71 · Jun 28, 2016

Got the label. Shipping out tomorrow.

montana outfitters · Jul 11, 2016

stainless Remington barrels rust, stainless Thompson contenders rust, old stainless Virginia arms 44's Rust.........have gone to war with Remington on this................

MikeAvery71 · Jul 11, 2016

MikeAvery71
Post subject: Re: Pics of my 1911 rust issuePostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 6:06 pm
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Bearcat

Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2016 2:17 pm
Posts: 36
Got it back today. Looks great. Items repaired: grip frame, extractor, hammer, grip panels, slide. Dang! I'm glad I sent it in! Sounds like the whole firearm was a hot mess!

My new 1911 is going back to Ruger

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