There are a plethora of custom 1911 shops out there, with even more semi-custom makers putting their spin on the 1911 design. Most of these makers pride themselves on how accurately they shoot because of their tight slide to frame fit. This is a great thing when talking about bullseye guns, but these makers market them as being self defense pistols. Having owned a number of semi-custom pistols from the big three, I can tell you that they are good pistols that will run if you keep them relatively clean, and well lubed. So what happens when you introduce mud, sand, and other harsh elements into the equation? How about just running them plain dry? In my experience with these pistols, they give up reliability for "match grade" accuracy. Not something you want from a self defense/ fighting pistol.
I am located in Utah, and did all my testing on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. The GSL is a hard place to keep a firearm working properly. The water is 8 times more salty than the ocean and is the second saltiest lake in the world. This would also be interesting to see how the Cerakote held up to the nasty, salty, water.
In testing I used a pistol I had just barely finished the day prior, and had only a couple rounds fired through it to make sure it was functioning properly. No lube was used throughout testing, and at no time was this pistol field stripped and cleaned.
I found a nice ditch that contained about a foot of water and threw the pistol with a round chambered and loaded magazine into the water. I was surprised when I went to grab it, because the water was deeper than I thought, and the pistol was tangled in the mud and weeds. It took me a good 30 seconds to find it. I then pulled the pistol out of the water and fired all rounds without a malfunction. This didn't surprise me however, since my other pistols from the big three passed this test as well. I then locked the slide back and threw it back into the drink. Again, I retrieved it and fired all rounds without a malfunction. I did this test two more times and let the pistol air dry. So far: Zero malfunctions. This picture shows how nasty the water is:
Directly adjacent to the pond was a big mud pit. This would be the next challenger to the pistol. The pistol was dropped with the slide locked back from a distance of 6 feet in the air. As you can see in the pictures, it is almost completely covered in mud.
When I pulled out the pistol from the mud, I was surprised to see how much of it was actually on it. The magwell contained a good deal of mud, as did the frame rails, and slide rails.
I inserted the same metalform magazine that I had previously used and fired all 7 rounds without a malfunction. I would like to say it was "uneventful", but the first round fired sent sludge all over your's truly. At least it knocked enough mud of the slide so I could actually use the sights.
I did the mud test two more times with the slide locked back to the rear and had no malfunctions to show for it.
I let the pistol bake in the sun for about 15 minutes while searched for our next place to abuse the pistol. I like torture testing the pistols using the actual environment the pistol will be operating in, not just dumping baby powder and other synthetic items all over it and calling it good.
We decided that dry dirt would be the next meal. I hope this pistol has a big appetite!
Once again, the slide was locked back to the rear, and dirt was dumped all over the pistol. Then for good measure, I kicked more dirt into the disconnector timing groove and the slide rails. I picked up the pistol, inserted the metalform magazine, and release the slide stop. The slide stopped a quarter inch short from going fully into batter. I easily pushed the slide forward with my weak hand, and chambered the round. The sound of the slide crunching the dirt along the way made me want to cry. I fired all round in the magazine without a malfunction. Again, I was spewed with flying debris.
The first round not chambering fully puzzled me, so I looked at my trusty metalform magazine. The blued finish was completely rusted on the inside and compressing the spring left me cringing. All magazines will be Cerakoted now. This salt water is nasty!
I again covered the pistol in dirt and inserted a unmolested metalform magazine. I released the slide stop and the round chambered just fine. I then fired every round without malfunction. This is a true testament to keeping your magazines somewhat clean.
My cousin and brother were helping me out with the photography and videography, so I only thought it fair to let them blow through a couple hundred rounds. The pistol now has dried mud, salt water, and dirt caked all over it.
Setting up a steel target at about 25 yards away, my brother and cousin unleased a couple hundred rounds at the plate. Both of them, having never shot a 1911, made me think of a possibility of a malfunction due to limp wristing or not slingshotting the slide. I was pleasantly surprised at their general ability to hit the plate as well as my pistols ability to chug through all rounds with no malfunctions.
This is what the pistol looks like after the testing.
In my opinion, reliability trumps match grade accuracy any day of the week when your talking about fighting/ carry weapons.
I was very happy with the corrosion resistance of the Cerakote. I dumped clean, bottled water over the pistol when I was done with the tests. The only places that rusted were the blued recoil spring plug, magazine, and recoil spring plug. Basically, the places that weren't Cerakoted. To see more pictures of the pistol unmolested, check out the gallery on my site.
When it starts to snow here, I will be doing another torture test, so if you have any ideas, let me know. Once the HD video is done getting edited, I will post it on here. Thanks!
I am located in Utah, and did all my testing on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. The GSL is a hard place to keep a firearm working properly. The water is 8 times more salty than the ocean and is the second saltiest lake in the world. This would also be interesting to see how the Cerakote held up to the nasty, salty, water.
In testing I used a pistol I had just barely finished the day prior, and had only a couple rounds fired through it to make sure it was functioning properly. No lube was used throughout testing, and at no time was this pistol field stripped and cleaned.
I found a nice ditch that contained about a foot of water and threw the pistol with a round chambered and loaded magazine into the water. I was surprised when I went to grab it, because the water was deeper than I thought, and the pistol was tangled in the mud and weeds. It took me a good 30 seconds to find it. I then pulled the pistol out of the water and fired all rounds without a malfunction. This didn't surprise me however, since my other pistols from the big three passed this test as well. I then locked the slide back and threw it back into the drink. Again, I retrieved it and fired all rounds without a malfunction. I did this test two more times and let the pistol air dry. So far: Zero malfunctions. This picture shows how nasty the water is:
Directly adjacent to the pond was a big mud pit. This would be the next challenger to the pistol. The pistol was dropped with the slide locked back from a distance of 6 feet in the air. As you can see in the pictures, it is almost completely covered in mud.
When I pulled out the pistol from the mud, I was surprised to see how much of it was actually on it. The magwell contained a good deal of mud, as did the frame rails, and slide rails.
I inserted the same metalform magazine that I had previously used and fired all 7 rounds without a malfunction. I would like to say it was "uneventful", but the first round fired sent sludge all over your's truly. At least it knocked enough mud of the slide so I could actually use the sights.
I did the mud test two more times with the slide locked back to the rear and had no malfunctions to show for it.
I let the pistol bake in the sun for about 15 minutes while searched for our next place to abuse the pistol. I like torture testing the pistols using the actual environment the pistol will be operating in, not just dumping baby powder and other synthetic items all over it and calling it good.
We decided that dry dirt would be the next meal. I hope this pistol has a big appetite!
Once again, the slide was locked back to the rear, and dirt was dumped all over the pistol. Then for good measure, I kicked more dirt into the disconnector timing groove and the slide rails. I picked up the pistol, inserted the metalform magazine, and release the slide stop. The slide stopped a quarter inch short from going fully into batter. I easily pushed the slide forward with my weak hand, and chambered the round. The sound of the slide crunching the dirt along the way made me want to cry. I fired all round in the magazine without a malfunction. Again, I was spewed with flying debris.
The first round not chambering fully puzzled me, so I looked at my trusty metalform magazine. The blued finish was completely rusted on the inside and compressing the spring left me cringing. All magazines will be Cerakoted now. This salt water is nasty!
I again covered the pistol in dirt and inserted a unmolested metalform magazine. I released the slide stop and the round chambered just fine. I then fired every round without malfunction. This is a true testament to keeping your magazines somewhat clean.
My cousin and brother were helping me out with the photography and videography, so I only thought it fair to let them blow through a couple hundred rounds. The pistol now has dried mud, salt water, and dirt caked all over it.
Setting up a steel target at about 25 yards away, my brother and cousin unleased a couple hundred rounds at the plate. Both of them, having never shot a 1911, made me think of a possibility of a malfunction due to limp wristing or not slingshotting the slide. I was pleasantly surprised at their general ability to hit the plate as well as my pistols ability to chug through all rounds with no malfunctions.
This is what the pistol looks like after the testing.
In my opinion, reliability trumps match grade accuracy any day of the week when your talking about fighting/ carry weapons.
I was very happy with the corrosion resistance of the Cerakote. I dumped clean, bottled water over the pistol when I was done with the tests. The only places that rusted were the blued recoil spring plug, magazine, and recoil spring plug. Basically, the places that weren't Cerakoted. To see more pictures of the pistol unmolested, check out the gallery on my site.
When it starts to snow here, I will be doing another torture test, so if you have any ideas, let me know. Once the HD video is done getting edited, I will post it on here. Thanks!
