So, I got my first 1911, a Wilson CQB Elite 45, a few months ago. I had a few problems with it here or there returning to battery. I posted a thread on this soon after I got it, but I didn't know exactly what was going on at that time. Now I do.
I found that the shok buff was being shredded every few hundred rounds. I bought more and was changing them relatively frequently at first, basically every time I cleaned it, so the effects were minimal. What finally obviated the problem was that it started to get sluggish returning to battery and then LOCKED UP TIGHT on me at the range one day. I disassembled it and found the shok buff shredded and wedged in tight enought to seize up the slide. It had sorta bulged out beyond the edges of the guide rod. My ammunition after my first outing had all been Federal American Eagle or my handloads, which are relatively weak at 750 FPS. I could see more problems if I were shooting +p or something of the like, but..?
I checked my recoil spring and it was a bit shorter than my replacement, but at that point I had already been through 8 shok buffs. I decided to try a flat wire spring in 17# from wilson. I even bought a 20# in case I still had trouble. Cleaned the gun and installed it. My shok buff made it about 150 rounds, on the 17#, and it was torn up and the slide was failing to return to battery?!?!
I called Wilson. The gun was assembled in January this year. I was told that some guns will shred up the shok buffs and will need to have that area of the slide polished to correct it. I could return it and they would do it at no charge, "but it would also require that they refinish the slide too." It was further explained that the shok buff is NOT necessary and that not using it would not effect my warranty in any way. I am thinking... Why factory install them then?
I haven't shot it yet, but I didn't want to be without my 1911, so I am opting to do without the shok buffs for now. I assume that the turn around on that job takes me out of commission for a few months and I'll need another 1911! I would like it if I could use them. My other thought, not to cheat the system is.... I'll shoot it a few more months and if I get an idiot scratch on it or something in that time, I'll send it back and ask them to make the adjustments, which would kill 2 birds with one stone.
What's everyone's opinions on the Shok Buff? Should I care?
I found that the shok buff was being shredded every few hundred rounds. I bought more and was changing them relatively frequently at first, basically every time I cleaned it, so the effects were minimal. What finally obviated the problem was that it started to get sluggish returning to battery and then LOCKED UP TIGHT on me at the range one day. I disassembled it and found the shok buff shredded and wedged in tight enought to seize up the slide. It had sorta bulged out beyond the edges of the guide rod. My ammunition after my first outing had all been Federal American Eagle or my handloads, which are relatively weak at 750 FPS. I could see more problems if I were shooting +p or something of the like, but..?
I checked my recoil spring and it was a bit shorter than my replacement, but at that point I had already been through 8 shok buffs. I decided to try a flat wire spring in 17# from wilson. I even bought a 20# in case I still had trouble. Cleaned the gun and installed it. My shok buff made it about 150 rounds, on the 17#, and it was torn up and the slide was failing to return to battery?!?!
I called Wilson. The gun was assembled in January this year. I was told that some guns will shred up the shok buffs and will need to have that area of the slide polished to correct it. I could return it and they would do it at no charge, "but it would also require that they refinish the slide too." It was further explained that the shok buff is NOT necessary and that not using it would not effect my warranty in any way. I am thinking... Why factory install them then?
I haven't shot it yet, but I didn't want to be without my 1911, so I am opting to do without the shok buffs for now. I assume that the turn around on that job takes me out of commission for a few months and I'll need another 1911! I would like it if I could use them. My other thought, not to cheat the system is.... I'll shoot it a few more months and if I get an idiot scratch on it or something in that time, I'll send it back and ask them to make the adjustments, which would kill 2 birds with one stone.
What's everyone's opinions on the Shok Buff? Should I care?
