Bad chamber reamer?

[fatelk]

For some stupid reason I bought a new .45 today. I've learned my lesson on inexpensive guns in the past, but this seemed like it was worth a try: it's an ATI M1911. It's made in the Philippines and inexpensive as far as 1911s go.

It looks and feels great. I took it all apart to check it out before taking it out to shoot it. Everything was fine until I had the barrel out and looked closely at the chamber. The chamber and throat don't look right to me, really rough. Looks like the reamer chattered or galled or something. I didn't take it apart and inspect it closely in the shop because it's brand new, but since I was planning on only shooting cast through it, I'm pretty disappointed.

[retread]

If it was me I would take it back.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Agreed. Take it back. Sorry my friend but that is awful. I hope everything is made right, whether you get your money back or a well-chambered barrel.

[fatelk]

Yes, I'm going back to the store tomorrow. It seems like a really good shop, and this thing is brand new. I'm sure they'll help me.

It is a relatively inexpensive gun for a solid 1911, $379 brand new, but even at that this is pretty bad- undeniably a "defect in workmanship". Darn, I have the day off tomorrow and was looking forward to trying it out.

[tigweldit]

If the chamber has such obvious problems, what is the quality (tolerance,metal quality,ect.) do you expect?

[bouncer50]

Yep, Looks like a bad chamber job. Would a 1911 Colt barrel work in it ?

[Guesser]

I've owned 2 of the ATI 45's. neither looked like that and both mine are good shooters once they get a few hunnert rounds thru them.

[DougGuy]

Can always send the barrel here, I have two different finishing reamers and two different throating reamers, looks like that one needs some serious tlc!

[Preacher Jim]

if they won't fix it put an after market barrel and enjoy it

[fatelk]

I'll be rather upset if they don't make it right. I already felt bad enough for spending money on something I don't need right now. I only did because I've worked a bunch of overtime lately, but even then it wasn't very responsible of me. We're pinching every penny right now. I really can't justify spending any more money on it.

[35remington]

Send it to DG. He will fix it at a very competitive price and give you a more suitable throat.

[fatelk]

It wasn't just the throat that was ugly, but the chamber was damaged as well. It's hard to see in the photo, but there's a small, sharp ridge near the end of the chamber at the top only, along with scrapes on the whole top of the chamber. Trying to polish that out would have wallowed the chamber. I think having DougGuy work on it would have been a waste of his time and my money. That, and the fact that it's a brand new gun with an obvious factory defect. No way am I going to spend more to fix something brand new with a warranty.

Now, the average guy would never have noticed, would have just run a couple boxes of factory ball ammo through and never known the difference, probably.

The good news is that I took it in to the shop I bought it from. They are good people with great customer service. They didn't have a replacement in stock, but are getting one coming right away. I told them even just a replacement barrel would be fine, either way. I'm confident they will make it right. It's a relatively new shop in town. I think I like them- good people.

[dubber123]

Good deal, I think just getting the throat fixed would have made you happy. I have seen 6 chambers on a Dan Wesson .357 that looked that bad or worse. One of the vaunted Monson guns no less. It happens. Good luck with the replacement.

[fatelk]

By the way, no disrespect intended towards DougGuy or his work. I've heard great things and if it was a used gun with no warranty I'd have sent it to him for sure.

Also, to answer Bouncer50's question in post #6, it's supposed to be a completely mil-spec 1911. I'm looking forward to trying it out, when I get one back with a barrel that doesn't look like the throat was cut with a rusty screwdriver.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I'm speaking from personal experience when I say DougGuy will ream your critical dimensions and make your revolver shoot better -a lot!

[fatelk]

Well, I'm not real happy with how this is looking. It's been nearly three weeks since I bought the gun and turned right around to take it back in unfired because of an obvious factory defect. They told me they'd ship it back quick and have a replacement coming from the distributor asap.

Now I stop in and get some song and dance about the distributor being out and didn't know when they'd get more. They said they could give me store credit or a refund, or just wait for who knows how long. I said what I really wanted was the model of gun I bought but without the defect. On top of that, the refund would be sans the $10 state BGC charge. They then said that if/when a replacement gun arrived, I would have to pay another $10 BGC. Ten bucks isn't a big deal, but it just bugs me to buy something brand new that's defective from the factory, then have to wait who-knows how long and pay more money for something that should have been right in the first place. I'm a little disappointment in the level of customer service at this point.

On top of that I'm frustrated as heck over something completely unrelated, that looks like it's going to cost us a lot more than the cost of a gun. Last year I'd been going to a foot doctor and ended up getting some orthotics for a foot problem. The doctor gave us the diagnostic codes beforehand so we could verify coverage with the insurance. We're very particular about this because of problems in the past with assuming something is covered only to find out it's not.

My wife worked as a CMA and has dealt with diagnostic codes, billing, and insurance for many years. She called the insurance, gave them the codes, and was told that absolutely they would be covered for me. She even asked them to double check due to the cost (over $500). She was assured that they would be covered. Now we get an EOB showing that they were not covered. She called the insurance, even gave them the name of the person she talked to originally, and was told no, it would not be covered, and that the original rep she talked to had been mistaken. Too bad, tough luck.

[slughammer]

This is your chance to get out! Take the refund, loose the $10 and run away.

Be a customer for a different item, in a different shop, another day, when the timing is right....

[jrayborn]

Yup, my advise as well. Take the refund. They make guns every day.

[DougGuy]

Well that just sucks! Sounds to me like someone was looking out for you and as much as you don't like it, they made room in the budget for something more important than a 1911.

There are more 1911s. I bought a complete Auto Ordnance mil spec frame from GB, added an old WWII era Remington Rand slide, HS barrel and WWII internals and came up with a danged nice 1911A1 replica for about $450 that beats any original 1911 I ever owned. Now, I don't miss the old 1943 Colt nearly as badly, as this one LOOKS and FEELS like a US GI 45, but it feeds anything you can cram in a case, and shoots groups that rival most of the $2,000.00 name brand units!

[bouncer50]

If it was me and the gun shop is giving you a dog&pony show. If you really like the gun beside the bad barrel. Put a WTB add for a replacement barrel. I am willing to bet their a lot of new and used 45 barrels sitting around and at a good price. Its sucks what happen to you. Its your choice return it or buy a barrel.