Integral plunger tube

[boray]

I was watching a video on the production of the SR1911 on the other Ruger forum and noticed the integral plunger tube on the rough casting. Other than a miniscule cost savings I wonder why Ruger chose to deviate from the iconic, timeless design. I mean of all places to make changes why the plunger tube??? Why make it 99.9% exact?

 

[Snake45]

If you've ever had a tube come loose, jump out, and tie up the safety, you'll know why they make it integral. I have and do. To this day I will not have a pair of grips on a 1911 that do not lock that sucker in place--and if you look at them, you'll see that not all do. I've even "glass bedded" grips to fit that tube for that reason. :wink:

I don't see any downside to making it integral, except two minor ones: If you ever happen to dent it (which is a very rare event), it might be more difficult to repair it than to replace a staked one. And if you ever want to polish that side of the gun dead flat, you'll have to work around it, a VERY minor inconvenience. Is there another disadvantage to it you see that I'm not seeing? :? :? :?

 

[lipofsky]

Being new to owning a 1911, what is the integral plunger tube and it's function?
Thank you in advance

 

[Snake45]

Being new to owning a 1911, what is the integral plunger tube and it's function?
Thank you in advance

It's the tube on the left side of the frame, at the top of the grip panel, that holds the detents (and their springs) for the thumb safety and the slide stop.

 

[boray]

Being new to owning a 1911, what is the integral plunger tube and it's function?
Thank you in advance

The plunger tube houses the spring and plungers that bear on the safety lever and slide stop. This tube is normally a separate part and is staked to the frame. If it is damaged it can be replaced. Ruger has seen fit to make the plunger tube an integral part of the frame. I can't imagine that this would cause trouble but it potentially could and I don't see a good reason for Ruger to have made it integral. Plunger tubes have been known to come off but I've never experienced it. I can't believe that failure rates of plunger tubes was so high Ruger sought to solve this epidemic by changing a tried and tested design with something this bizzare.

 

[dlidster]

I, for one, love it. Iconic or not, the staked-on tube always seemed like an afterthought to me. Or, perhaps it was impossible, inconvenient, or prohibitively expensive to create as an integral part of the frame 100 years ago.

I believe it makes for a very clean frame. And I can't imagine an incident that would damage it in its sheltered location that would not do irreparable damage to other parts of the gun.

My opinion... It's an improvement.

 

[robfrommaine]

If the gun is dropped onto a concrete floor and the plunger tube gets cracked/dented and won't function properly, I imagine Ruger sends the owner a new frame.

 

[revhigh]

Plunger tubes have been known to come off but I've never experienced it.

Me either ... in well over 100K rounds in all my assorted 1911's. Probably only one reason ... cost savings. It would be interesting to hear the reasoning from the horse's mouth.

REV

 

[The Wall]

I read on the 1911 forum that they don't necessarily come off but they do get loose and require re-staking. Looks like this won't happen on the Ruger. I guess we'll have to wait 100 years to see if it's more or less of a problem than the staked tubes. Also from what I read re-staking them or replacing them isn't much fun. Most would have to have it done. If you don't like it don't buy it.

 

[Snake45]

Plunger tubes have been known to come off but I've never experienced it.

Me either ... in well over 100K rounds in all my assorted 1911's.

REV

I have, and in much fewer rounds than that. Really stops the music when it happens. Glad it didn't happen when I was using the gun "for keeps," I'd have prolly been killed on the spot.

Not everyone has had a tire blow out at highway speed. Those of us who have don't want to have the experience again. :?

 

[lipofsky]

Thank For the info, I looked at my gun and saw what it is.
Thank you

 

[boray]

Me either ... in well over 100K rounds in all my assorted 1911's.
REV

Same here Rev, even though I don't currently own a 1911 I have in the past. I owned and shot everything from Auto Ordinance, Springfield, AMT, Remington Rand, Essex and multiple Colts, and I've NEVER had a plunger tube problem. Apparently some folks experience it regularly, to the point that if I had the failure rate they experience I certainly wouldn't trust a faulty design like JMBs 1911 to protect my life, what with the plunger tubes flying off willy nilly. As Snake mentioned, it's easy enough to get grips that keep that wandering plunger tube from falling off the gun again and again. Ruger's design is probably superior like everything else they make but I think they should have stayed true to the original with regards to the plunger tube, but that's just my opinion, and like The Wall so sagely put it "if you don't like it, don't buy it." I honestly don't think the integral tube will cause one moments problems but I believe in this case I'll take The Wall's advice and "don't buy it" not because of any perceived shortcomings of an integral plunger tube but because with regards to the 1911, well, been there, done that 20 years ago, moved on.

 

[Snake45]

Apparently some folks experience it regularly, to the point that if I had the failure rate they experience I certainly wouldn't trust a faulty design like JMBs 1911 to protect my life, what with the plunger tubes flying off willy nilly.

Oh, come on. It's not a high-frequency failure; most shooters will never have it happen. I've had it happen exactly once. But that was enough, thank you very much, especially since it's completely preventable.

I believe in this case I'll take The Wall's advice and "don't buy it" not because of any perceived shortcomings of an integral plunger tube but because with regards to the 1911, well, been there, done that 20 years ago, moved on.

Then I'm kinda wondering why this bothers you so much? :? :? :?

 

[boray]

Then I'm kinda wondering why this bothers you so much? :? :? :?

You're absolutely right. If I have no intention of buying one, why should it matter to me? Could someone please delete this topic?

 

[Snake45]

Ah, no need to delete it. It's been an interesting discussion, and maybe somebody somewhere learned something. :wink:

 

[revhigh]

with regards to the 1911 .... been there, done that 20 years ago, moved on.

I've been there .... done that ... still happliy there !!


REV

 

[ADP3]

+1 Snake 45. Plunger tubes do come loose. I've had two that had to be restaked and 1 that had to be replaced. If you mess with 1911s long enough (39 years for me and counting) you'll come across a plunger tube problem. The SR1911's cast in plunger tube is a great idea. Dovetailed front sights are another great idea. If you shot the older 1911s with the staked front sight long enough you would launch them too.

Best Regards,
ADP3

 

[cas6969]

I suppose if worst came to worst, you could mill a damaged one off and install a traditional style one.

 

[mohavesam]

I regard it as an engineering improvement over the original. Simple enough.

 

[Tellico]

The integral plunger tube is a $26.67 option on a Caspian frame. Don't know what that means in the Ruger scheme of things.
Quote from Caspian site.
"Guaranteed not to come loose! For those who need the peace of mind of knowing that a loose plunger tube will not keep you from taking your gun off safe"