Author Topic: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???  (Read 1800 times)

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Offline 1911crazy

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Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« on: January 28, 2012, 06:20:08 AM »
Does polishing the feed ramp and barrel throat make the 1911 cycle any faster??  If i have a 100% perfect cycling 1911 wilol polishing the feed ramp hurt it?  I'm just using fritz polish on a dremel polisher/buffing wheel.  I was thinking about doing this on my norinco build 1911 or should i leave it alone.  I still see machining marks on the ramp.
I been cleaning up the ramps on all my spanish 9mm pistols.
To be honest, example;
When i installed headers on my chevy k10 4 spd 4x4 truck i didn't notice any difference probably because of the gearing.  When i install headers on my chevy suburban k10 automatic tranny 4x4 truck the low end power increased big time.  My point is even if we don't feel or notice the difference the increase is still there.

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2012, 12:42:32 AM »
In my opinion if it works a 100 percent id leave it alone. As to speed of cyleing if it did get faster it certainly wouldnt be enough that youd notice it in your hand.
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Offline DFBonnett

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2012, 08:27:24 AM »
I don't think it speeds cycling so much as helps it to feed blunt profile HPs. Some 1911s, especially the lower end ones, often have a feed ramp that could have been machined a bit smoother.

Offline Blackhawker

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2012, 08:49:02 AM »
Doesn't speed of the cycle of a 1911 have to do with the tension, and balance thereof, of the springs in the magazine and recoil spring?  The only thing that I can see that might speed things up with cycling would be how fast the action shuts and how fast a round is brought up into the chamber.  If one is too fast and the other too slow, you get stovepipes or rounds that scrape the top of the chamber and jam up.

Offline bubbinator

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2012, 08:37:27 PM »
I have Dremel-Tooled all the feed ramps of all my pistols,not much, just to smooth ant blemishes. All my guns, when diassembled-that show signs of wear, get a kis of polish. I don't compete, but none of my guns in almost 50 years has ever malfuctioned.

Offline 1911crazy

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2012, 05:46:47 AM »
I have a cheap HF dremel i got for christmas you can't over load it or it stops, it can only go lightly.  This is in my favor of just polishing the ramps and barrel throats.
I did notice after polishing the feed ramp and barrel throat on my norc the round feeds much smoother out of the mag.  There was vertical score marks across the feed ramp that was orginally there.  I removed them and its a mirror finish now.
Now i'm thinking of fluting my full length guide rod to ease up on some of the recoil spring friction too.

Offline Savage

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2012, 07:02:25 AM »
I have Dremel-Tooled all the feed ramps of all my pistols,not much, just to smooth ant blemishes. All my guns, when diassembled-that show signs of wear, get a kis of polish. I don't compete, but none of my guns in almost 50 years has ever malfuctioned.

Wow! No malfunctions in almost 50 yrs! Few of mine could boast such a record. Among them Glocks, Sigs, Kimbers, Colts, Rugers, and S&Ws. If you shoot any of them long enough it'll malfunction. No reflection on the gun necessarily. Weak springs, worn or damaged magazines, parts failures, improper lubrication, and bad ammo. Even the best of the best will malfunction eventually. Proper maintenance will reduce the provability, but eventually if used enough it happens. In my observations and experience if a pistol is functioning properly, it's best left alone other than routine care.
Savage
An appeaser is one who feeds the crocodile hoping it will eat him last,

Offline Mike in Virginia

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2012, 01:28:18 PM »
Savage, I don't think he meant that.  Not sure what he meant, but certainly not that.  Perhaps he meant none of them have ever broken during use.  Clarification, bubbinator? 

Offline Savage

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #8 on: March 04, 2012, 02:01:05 AM »
Mike, don't know what he meant, just what he said. :-\
Savage
An appeaser is one who feeds the crocodile hoping it will eat him last,

Offline 1911crazy

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2012, 05:35:16 AM »
I have to add i found some nasty machining marks under the bluing that i couldn't see before on some auto pistols.  Now i need to test fire them all.

Offline bubbinator

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #10 on: April 01, 2012, 07:07:38 PM »
Savage- You had in your post "if used enough"- I agree- they may break. The topic was polished feed ramps and thats all I was speaking to. As I said, I don't shoot competition. I shoot for fun and hunting, load my own ammo, etc. My "No malfunction" comment was about cycling of my weapons with polished feed ramps. I have not had a problem with my carefully maintained and fed semi-autos. Hope that clears up this issue.

Offline Rangr44

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Re: Polishing the feed ramps and barrel throats???
« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2012, 03:36:29 AM »
  If i have a 100% perfect cycling 1911 wilol polishing the feed ramp hurt it?

I'm with Lloyd Smale - Leave a 100% perfect cycler strictly alone.  Give it a nice kiss, every once in awhile.

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There's a Place for All God's Creatures - Right Next to the Potatoes & Gravy ! !