Idiot Marks on 1911's

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Lately, I've been looking on GB for a nice 5 inch Colt 1911. Every single one that I can find, that I like, has an awful idiot mark on it. I have found a very nice Combat Elite that is in 95%-98% until I see a picture of it turned it over and there it is! Why can't people assemble a 1911 without dragging the slide release up the side of the frame?
 
Someone once told me it is partially because of the way people were taught to reassemble them in the service.... of course who knows if this is true or not.

I try not to allow it to happen to my own, but if its is there on a used gun, but I want the gun? I try to worry about it... its just something endemic to 1911's
 
I spent several weeks refinishing a 1911. Then I took the gun to Hyatt's in Charlotte to fit a new sear because I don't have the jigs for that job. When I picked up the gun, one of Hyatt's gunsmiths had thoughtfully added an idiot mark since I had obviously failed to put one on the gun.
 
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Joshua Desolo said:
Someone once told me it is partially because of the way people were taught to reassemble them in the service.... of course who knows if this is true or not.
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I can vouch for that. Every armory I ever spent time in had a full complement of "IM" 1911s.
 
Here is a way to insert the slide lever so that it does not get loose to make an idiot mark.

No idiot marks.jpg
 
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OldNascar said:
Before you know it folks will be crying about the marks on the magazines because some idiot slams the magazine home without first depressing the magazine release. It’s a tool, use it as one.
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You best stay off of any 1911 forums. Talk like that will get you banned.
 
OldNascar said:
Before you know it folks will be crying about the marks on the magazines because some idiot slams the magazine home without first depressing the magazine release. It’s a tool, use it as one.
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Me. said:
I fail to see how the “idiot mark” is a problem of any sort. I also fail to see why people who have avoided scratching their combat pistol feel such superiority.

You folks would shlt yourselves if you saw my aluminum rims after I’ve spent a year parallel parking in the city.
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Obviously no pride of ownership here. You boys are only allowed to own Glocks.
 
Me. said:
I fail to see how the “idiot mark” is a problem of any sort. I also fail to see why people who have avoided scratching their combat pistol feel such superiority.

You folks would shlt yourselves if you saw my aluminum rims after I’ve spent a year parallel parking in the city.
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Never heard of this Parallel park , is it close to Central park?
 
gc70 said:
I spent several weeks refinishing a 1911. Then I took the gun to Hyatt's in Charlotte to fit a new sear because I don't have the jigs for that job. When I picked up the gun, one of Hyatt's gunsmiths had thoughtfully added an idiot mark since I had obviously failed to put one on the gun.
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I hope you went BatSh!t Crazy in the middle of the sales floor.
 
?? remind me not to lend this guy any tools.
OldNascar said:
Before you know it folks will be crying about the marks on the magazines because some idiot slams the magazine home without first depressing the magazine release. It’s a tool, use it as one.
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OldNascar said:
As they say about cars ‘if you can’t drive em rub em’.
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My 1911’s get shoved in and out of holsters running drills and in matches. They have honest muzzle wear which you’ll find is accepted by most folks more readily than idiot scratches.

...and they ain’t got no idiot scratches on them.
 
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fieldgrade said:
My 1911’s get shoved in and out of holsters running drills and in matches. They have honest muzzle wear which you’ll find is accepted by most folks more readily than idiot scratches.

...and they ain’t got no idiot scratches on them.
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Are your magazines treated with the same respect?
 
Maybe mentioned earlier, but your pricier 1911s have a groove cut in the slide stop that facilitates reassembling more easily, averting the dreaded idiot scratch.
 
OldNascar said:
Are your magazines treated with the same respect?
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Of course not. They get slammed into place with gusto and dropped in the mud on reloads in matches. Mine look surprisingly good to have thousands of rounds through them and if I ever decide I’m unhappy with anything about them they are easily repaired or replaced for the price of a box of ammo.
 
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fieldgrade said:
What planet are you from?
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One where folks go about their day without concern to frivolous markings on their firearms. Truthfully I like the notion that the ‘idiot mark’ devalues the pistol. Usually can get a few bucks knocked off the sale price. For some reason the marked guns function just as good as those having the disfigurements.
 
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OldNascar said:
One where folks go about their day without concern to frivolous markings on their firearms. Truthfully I like the notion that the ‘idiot mark’ devalues the pistol. Usually can get a few bucks knock off the sale price. For some reason the marked guns function just as good as those having the absent disfigurements.
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1911’s cost anywhere from the price of a Glock to the price of a car. I prefer mine without scratches beyond what is honestly earned.
 
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I don't mind honest wear on a gun's finish, I sure do have a few with wear. A gun that is used will show wear, no way around it. But, the idiot mark can be prevented.
 
If it bugs you that much.... complain about it when you buy it so the price goes down. Buy it, use the savings to refinish the receiver, and your happy....

get over it, there is always a solution.
 
premise said:
If you don't mind putting an idiot mark on a 1911, you might be the namesake of the blemish.
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That opinion works both ways. People who get their panties twisted over stupid stuff tend to spend a lot of time in a bad mood for stupid reasons. That's no way to live.
 
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Matt.Cross said:
That opinion works both ways. People who get their panties twisted over stupid stuff tend to spend a lot of time in a bad mood for stupid reasons. That's no way to live.
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I guess I don't have enough Matt Cross money to poo-poo an ugly assed scratch on a 1000 dollar pistol.

There is a reason it's called an "idiot" mark and not an "honest wear" mark.
 
Me. said:
I assume it’s named after folks who fret over such triviality. :rolleyes:
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Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of putting one on a 1911 knows where the name comes from, because they say it to themselves repeatedly once they see what they did.

im-not-always-an-idiot-but-when-i-am-im-the-biggest-idiot-youll-ever-meet


And to the rest of you who don’t grasp, nay, even mock the frustration someone else experiences when they inflict the dreaded idiot mark on their 1911, go clean your guns, or your rooms, or something. I’m sure they need it.
 
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Pack72 said:
Why, because they come from the factory with pre-applied idiot marks?
(Just kidding. )
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After much use and carry, I have to say my Glocks have become hideous.

And I haven’t even stippled them yet! :D
 
IMO This is the motor vehicle equivalent of an IM. An unsightly blemish on an otherwise fine machine. Whether on a vehicle or 1911 both are easily avoided .To me the mark says poor judgment, not paying attention or i don't care.
20200921_085054.jpg
 
Bahamadon said:
IMO This is the motor vehicle equivalent of an IM. An unsightly blemish on an otherwise fine machine. Whether on a vehicle or 1911 both are easily avoided .To me the mark says poor judgment, not paying attention or i don't care.
View attachment 248724
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As an aside, if that is somebody else’s paint on that bumper, some polishing compound will make the vast majority of it go away, and be much less noticeable.
 
Catfish said:
If i keyed the hood of your car it would still get you to work on time. cosmetics are trivial right?
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No different that a person that buys a new car, uses it as everyday transportation but then worries himself sick about a scratch on the car while shopping at Walmart. If you use it as it was designed to be used the scratches are inevitable so why get oneself stressed out about a scratch. All scratches are preventable but to go around casting the idiot card about does nothing but make another class of snobs and my world is already too full of such characters.
 
Me. said:
I just checked on my early 40's 1911. No mark.

This was my first pistol. I've had it since the 80s and I have not treated it kindly. It's been a workhorse and a tool. Many times it's just been thrown in a bag with whatever else is in the bag.

I have never done a single thing to protect the finish or prevent scratches.

View attachment 248722



So....if someone borrowed it and it came back with a slide-release scratch.... I guess I would be bothered.

If it can go through a World War, post war decommission, unknown number of private owners and not have an 'IM', I suppose those marks are probably pretty easily prevented.




How do y'all judge people based on burrs on grip screw slots? :p
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You should be taken out and beaten for the apparent misuse of the grips. Do you not know how to hold the pistol properly, I have a extra pair of white gloves I will be glad to send you.
 
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I get the angst against them, having caused one myself once upon a time. There is a difference between "honest wear" v "unintentional blemish".

A pistol getting wear from shooting, holstering, training with, carrying and so forth is fine. Just as a car gets dings and scratches just from driving around. But none of us intentionally run out and scratch up the areas around the key holes because "its just a car".

Another slight issue is the "If the previous owner didnt know how to properly reassemble this thing, what other stuff did he screw up on the inside that I now need to be on the lookout for?"

Also, to some people they are just tools, so wear in non-essential places doesnt matter. But some people are collectors and would prefer unmarred over marred. If I were buying an expensive vintage comic book, I would prefer one without dogeared pages.
 
OldNascar said:
No different that a person that buys a new car, uses it as everyday transportation but then worries himself sick about a scratch on the car while shopping at Walmart. If you use it as it was designed to be used the scratches are inevitable so why get oneself stressed out about a scratch. All scratches are preventable but to go around casting the idiot card about does nothing but make another class of snobs and my world is already too full of such characters.
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Its actually far different than someone getting wear on a vehicle through use, and getting wear on a vehicle through neglect or improper usage. Just because some wear is inevitable doesn't mean it should be welcomed or desired.

Your definition of "snob" is also pretty lame. A snob says "I don't want a gun with an idiot mark and you shouldn't either. You are a lesser person than me because of this decision." not "I don't want to spend money on a firearm with an obvious sign of misuse, but if you are cool with it fine, the gun will still work".
 
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