A friend of mine at work brought in his early 1990's Springfield Armory 1911 to shoot at the range. I took it apart and gave it the once over. I saw something I've never seen before.
The barrel has two semi-circular cracks along the chamber face. One runs through half of the barrel hood to the "2 o'clock" position while the other runs through the right half of the barrel throat. I was at work and unable to take pictures. Each crack is about 5/8" long and wide enough to catch a fingernail.
It appeared to me that it was a case of a 2-part barrel separating.
I told him not to fire it and offered to re-barrel the pistol for him.
He stated that he never noticed it before. The last time the pistol was fired was in the fall at the end of a police academy class and we allowed the students to "fam-fire" various weapons, so it saw pretty heavy use that day.
What would cause this? I doubt excessive pressure and speculated that it was due to excessive heat from firing so many rounds in a short period.
Is it safe to fire? I'm thinking not.
Would need pics to get a good ideal... the only place i have seen one separate is where the ring is around front of chamber that is the point where they meet up.
That is where it is separating. Picture concentric cracks running along the joint on the chamber face. When I get to work tonight I'll try to post a picture.
I look forward to the pic... kind of sounds like it was loose for awhile.
Springfield has been using 2-piece barrels for a while now. If the two parts are correctly joined, 2-piece barrels are fine. If not... they'll separate.
If your parting lines are just thin lines, it's pretty normal... as long as they don't grow. I've seen a few 2-piece Springfield barrels develop the thin lines, and continue on without further separation. I've also see two that completely separated, and heard tell of a few more... so we know that they CAN separate... but not many actullay do.
If the barrel does separate, it's not highly likely to kaboom due to the way it's constructed and pressed together, and if it separates in mid cycle, the gun will probably jam up and let you know what it's done. Of course... probably doesn't mean guaranteed and unlikely doesn't mean impossible. Freaky things can and do happen... so keep an eye on it.
Thanks. I think I'll use it as an excuse to buy the tools to fit a barrel. I haven't done that yet.
If a photo is possible I would like to see the barrel and the areas of concern. Then an email to Springfield with the image may be in order. This may result in a "free" barrel replacement courtesy of Springfield Armory and their lifetime warranty. They will at least replace it if damaged with a like kind part and quite possibly install an upgraded barrel. Other out of spec issues may also be addressed if noted during repairs. This warranty is one of the reasons I opted for Springfield when I decided to purchase. The drawback is the time waiting for the shipping two ways and the shop time. No Charge is better than cash out of pocket to me.
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If a photo is possible I would like to see the barrel and the areas of
concern.
Here ya go.
http://forum.m1911.org/showpost.php?p=198098&postcount=1
Thanks for the picture, Tuner.
That's right where the cracks are, but I could see them while looking into the chamber.
I wish I could post a picture, but my friend locked the pistol in his safe and left for Argentina with the Reserves, so I'll have to wait until he returns.
I guess he could send it back to Springfield, but if I tell him that he might not give me the money to fit a barrel for him.
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That's right where the cracks are
It's not really a crack. It's a joint... like the lines in a hardwood floor. Just seeing it doesn't indicate that complete separation is a given... but it doesn't mean that it's not, either.
What worries me, too, about it is that the one joint runs across the barrel throat.
The barrel is not throated for wadcutters, and I know that the throat should be considered a clearance rather than a ramp, but am I right to worry that it could cause feeding problems? The joint is certainly big enough to feel with my fingernail, so I'm concerned that it could catch the case mouth of a round while feeding.
From a manufacturing standpoint it is a great idea.
The round portion of the barrel starting with 3/4 inch stock instead of 1 3/4 inch stock is a tremendous savings.
The barrel foot on SS barrels is far more prone to shearing than in carbon steel so the ability to go across the grain as they machine the foot piece is great. BUT the barrel is Carbon steel.
I suspect since the strength of carbon steel is higher that it is a good thing that it is a blue barrel. if ss the chamber would be far more likely to rupture.
I have seen 3 seperate ever, considering the number sold, not bad.
Today Springfield uses 1 pc ss barrels as a stock item.
geo
www.egw-guns.com
This 2-piece barrel business is very interesting. Thanks George for the explanation of the manufacturing advantages. Two questions:
* How are the 2 parts held together?
* Any reports (or rumors) of one totally separating when being fired?
My mind is flooded with bizarre images of that last one!
You would not know if from the picture but they appear to be silver brazed probably in a vacume oven. you can see a seem at the chamber and the throat / hood of the barrel.
I have seen 2 ever that the bottom lug broke free from the chamber area but I have never seen the barrel fail as in detonate.
I can not say the same for SS barrels.
geo
www.egw-guns.com
I had this almost-humorous image of some shooter squeezing off a shot, the barrel part landing with a clank about 10 feet downrange, and the next round sticking about half-way out of the barrel bushing.
Probably couldn't happen.
One of the guys I work with (who was a machinist in a former life) told me that they would use one of two methods. One would be to silver braze the two pieces together and the other would be to spin them together. He said they could spin the barrel one direction and the lower lug section in the opposite. Once the lubrication burns off, the two parts would seize together.
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...two methods. One would be to silver braze the two pieces together and
the other would be to spin them together.
Interesting. Thanks.
I suppose spinning until seizure might be kind of like "spin welding" - maybe. But maybe they're just stuck together by the overheated,carbonized lubricant residues and not really, truly welded (in the normal sense) where the two actually melt and fuse together.
Did the guy say which method produced the best bond between the two?