Wear on the front of the slide??

[1911crazy]

Ok one more topic to discuss what causes the most of the wear on the front of the frame rails/slide to happen?  I notice on many used 1911's that the front part of the frame and slide seem to get the most wear over the rear part of the slide.  With all the movement of the slide being straight back towards the rear you would think all the wear would be pretty much even but its not.  I think there are two things going on.  One is the slide is spreading out in the front meaning its widening do to side pressure, plus the wear on the frame rails this is why it seems there is more wear over the rear part of the slide.  So what causes the front part to get more of the forces that causes this to happen.  I believe its the bending and coiling of the recoil spring that adds this side force on the frame rails and slide widening.  I'm thinking by using a full length guide rod it will avoid some of this side force.  With the side force removed we should see only a straight back movement of the slide now with no binding/coiling.  This is the only thing i can think of thats causing this to happen.  It has to be even worse with the stronger recoil springs when there used with no full length guide rod installed.  We don't see the wear right away but over time with many rounds thru the 1911 the wear is there because of this side force on the front of the 1911.

Any thoughts on whats causing this thats different? Seeing this wear happen down the road and shooting many 1,000's of rounds worth worring about or should i not worry about it and just shoot it and forget about it.

Fact;  When i first installed the 18# recoil spring while running the slide slowly by hand i heard the spring binding and coiling up was it was compressed as the slide moved towards the rear of the frame.  If you don't believe this wear isn't happening just go to your local shop and look at the ysed 1911's and move the front of the slide side to side, then check the rear movement.
If your willing to accept this wear thats ok but i'm against seeing any wear at all. I'd like to solve what causes this wear.  I use a lube that can handle extreme pressures but why depend on a lube when there is a design flaw that causes this wear and we can stop it from happening.  The flaw really shows up more when we go to the stronger recoil spring.

[1911crazy]

I guess no one wants to touch this but its really there.  Wether its just plain normal wear or the slide is spreading?  Time will tell on my new AO 1911a1 if the full length guide rod kit and the moly(lube) will prevent this wear or spreading from happening.  Its hard to tell right now with 500rds thru it and its still tight.  I'll have to measure my well ridden norinco to see if the wear is slide spread or4 wear at the frame rail area.  To me it seems the slide is more loose in the front area over the rear which is much tighter.

I'm sorry for being a PIA but its about finding the cause and fixing it.  I just can't accept seeing wear if we can prevent it.

[SHOOTALL]

Did you consider what happens to the front of the slide when the bbl goes into battry ? That last bit of movement can be under more pressure from the bbl being pushed up at the rear to meet the lugs in the slide. Maybe this increases pressure on the bushing and front of the slide and rails. Maybe if the lugs on both bbl and slide are not machined so both bbl and slide are centered in the frame then they would/could work like a lever on the bushing and rails.

[jimster]

I never really kept track of which end gets more wear faster, I know the one I've been shooting the last several years is looser than when it was new after approx. 4000 rounds or so. It's still as tight as a brand new series 70 Colt I bought new in the box a long while back. I don't like em too tight myself, just want it to lock up nice when in battery. I figure things have to wear eventually?

The flaw really shows up more when we go to the stronger recoil spring.

Might I ask why a stronger recoil spring is used in the first place?  I never used anything stronger than a 16# in any of mine, and they seem to be a bit much till they get broke in some. What comes back, has to go forward, there is a wear factor on slamming the slide home as well.  I was able to slow down the rearward movement of the slide a wee bit with a very thick firing pin stop with almost no radius, just the edge broke and smoothed, I think I prefer that way instead of a heavy recoil spring myself. FPS change was real noticable while shooting and working the slide.