Blujay291 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Well here goes. I've been shooting uspsa for about six months and my first Gus was a supposed millinium custom .40 limited gun. After buying the gun for $2500 I shot 800 rounds and the bottom barrel lug sheared from the feed ramp. So I contacted the seller to get contact info for MC to find out it was not a Derek gun but was sold to me as one. Fool me once shame on you. So I ended up selling the gun as is with a newly fitted sheuman barrel, but I sold it as a sti edge with slide work, what it really was, and took a huge hit on the gun. So I used the funds from that gun to purchase a used open gun, open is what I found in my five months of shooting to be what I loved the most, I was always eyeballing g every open gun on my squad dreaming. So as I await my open gun my excitement grows. The gun arrives at my FFL to initial disappointment. The gun was quite beat up Wich I was unable to see in the pictures I received. I remained optimistic assuming its all cosmetic. The gun ran fine 5 matches and practice for a total of 2000 rounds. Just yesterday as I was stripping the gun for cleaning I noticed something, actually 2 something's both around the ejection port. CRACKS!!!!! I contacted the seller just to find out he knew they were there when he sold the gun to me and tells me it's just the hard chrome. I don't know whether or not to believe him but they sure do look like fatigue cracks to me. So again I was sold a gun that was advertised as something it was not. I really am at a loss, because most of the guys at my local club are very nice honorable guys, I didn't think this happened this much in the practical shooting community, there's that code among us I guess is what I can say it is, feels like. This hurts even more because it's the only gun I own, because it's the only gun I can afford to own with two kids under three and bills sky high, I can't even afford to buy a new slide and have it fitted. So I'm just here venting because I am very passionate about this sport, it's the only thing on my life that's mine and I love it, now it's gone for at least a couple of years until I have funds to buy a new gun and or top end. Oh and the guns were not bought off the classifieds here so no one from this community just wanted to post that. So thanks for reading guys and shoot straight, I'll see ya out there eventually! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cecil Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 sorry to hear you have had difficulties with an open gun... maybe next gun should be a BRAND NEW ONE WITH A WARRANTY... I am on the opposite end of the spectrum I bought 2 STI Steel Masters within 3 month of one another.. I love shooting both of them.. they both run like a "paper bag in the wind".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blujay291 Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 Well Cecil, trust me if I was financially able to buy a new gun I would , unfortunately the 3-5k$ price tag is not attainable for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gng4life Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Sorry to hear there brother! When I was reading your story, I was in disbelief as I was thinking at first it was something from this forum. I have had many, many dealings on this website and never once was there a misrepresentation or deception with anything sold/purchased on here. Just curious, can you take pics and let us look at it? Just curious about it. Also, why don't you just shoot it until it falls apart? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blujay291 Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 Yes I will try to post pics, and I plan on shooting it until I can't any longer, and it was no one on this forum, I guess I have to do my shopping here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Sorry to hear of your troubles. Custom guns are like exotic cars in that you have to be prepared to lay the additional upkeep on them. My suggestion is to cut your losses and run a good Production gun until you can afford to shoot your dream gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ssanders224 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Sorry to hear about your troubles. I know how frustrating it can be. I bought a uses Limited gun last year, built by a highly respected Smith. The first match I shot it in, the sear broke in half. The next match I shot it in the slide cracked. After all the repairs, I had more $$ in the gun than a brand new gun from the smith would have cost me, and had wasted about the same amount of time as I'd have waited on a new one. It really sucked. There's no free lunch in limited and open. It's gonna cost $$$ to play. Like the suggestions above, I'd shoot the gun until it fell apart, and then find a good (less expensive & worrisome) production rig to shoot for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blujay291 Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 Yes I will try to post pics, and I plan on shooting it until I can't any longer, and it was no one on this forum, I guess I have to do my shopping here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Alot of used competition guns have issues. I have been pretty lucky over time, and have bought several high mileage used 2011 type guns. I also knew they would need maintenance at best, and rebuilding at worst over time. Many guns have poorly fit barrels which can cause lug problems, or over machined slides that will crack in time. Make sure the cracks are not a critical area (as in the slide could break in half) as a mouthful of slide really sucks. Otherwise, shoot it and plan on replacing the slide at some point. If you bought a used F1 race car, it would probably need new tires, motor, suspension parts to keep it running...... Chin up, it's disappointing when a gun does not meet expectations, but at elast it runs 100%, right? For future purchases, buy local if possible, handle the gun , get it checked by a trustworthy smith. Those used open gun "bargains" are usually bargains for a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike g35 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 This is exactly why I held off buying a used open gun and bought a couple new ones. I understand the financial difficulties getting started too. These toys ain't cheap. OP if I were you I'd shoot the current gun until it started to get to bad to deal with then I'd stop (being sure not to damage any of the parts in the bottom of the gun) and save my pennies to buy either a new STI trubor or have a new upper built for your current frame. Or, and forgive me guys, there are other platforms available to build an open gun on that aren't quite as expensive. Of course there are tons of suggestions we all could give you for fixing your problems but only you know what's in your budget. Sorry they got ya brother. Do your dealing here and you should be GTG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 I have bought and sold many guns on this forum. I have always represented what I had down to minute detail including any thing I knew needed attention or replacement. The guns I have purchased here have all been as represnted. I have never had a problem with anything purchased on this forum. Sorry your experience was not the same. In the future stick to the Enos Forum and you should be alright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 If you want to find out if they are just surface cracks or something more you could take the slide only to a gun smith or machine shop to do a magnetic particle inspection. Probably cost 20-50 bucks but they should be able to tell you if it is just a surface crack or not. I'd talk to the machine shop first to make sure they were cool with inspecting your slide. The poor man's way would be to build a dam around a crack on the outside using modeling clay and then put a few drops of MEK or acetone on the crack in the dam and let it sit for a few seconds. If you see wetness on the inside of the slide....no bueno. If not than at least you know the crack doesn't go all the way though. If you find that it doesn't go all the way through you could just keep shooting it while monitoring the crack to see if it propagates or opens up. Unfortunately open guns require more TLC and can cause a lot of frustration. Hang in there, it may not be as bad as you think. As was said before at least it was running 100% for you! Replacing a cracked slide isn't a horror story. If you are running an open gun it is usually just a matter of time before something breaks or starts to malf. Seriously, if my box of old broken/cracked parts were any good I could probably build two open guns...or at least a gun and a half! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Dang I feel lucky, I bought 5 or 6 open guns and a couple limited guns, a production gun, AR, Shotgun, and every one was exactly as stated. Sorry to hear about your issue. Now, from my expierece with a cracked slide, the advise, Shoot it till it locks up, yeah, that's right, shoot it, the worst thing that can happen is the slide will get tight and it won't cycle. It has to crack all the way down to the grove for that to happen. If you don't know who built the gun, but you are sure that it is an STI slide, if it meets the 10 oz weight requirement ask STI for an RMA, they will make you send pictures of the slide first. I had one crack, and got an RMA and a couple months later in the mail a new slide. I did cost me $150 to have it fit and the two barrels and comps fit to it, by a local smith, (by the way very good one). I have not had it butchered down to fighting weight yet, but it works pretty good even at full weight just looks like it is from the 1990's, it is in the white but I'm gonna run it like that for a while, it is just #2 backup gun, but if it were all I had I would shoot it like it is. Recently 5 local shooters on a "competition" squad all with new guns from infamous builder and let me say they are very nice guns, had cracked slide one after another! Yeah, it seems to happen a lot. They blamed it on the "baked on finish". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandrooney Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 A friend of mine has been shooting his limited STI with a cracked frame for a long while with no problems. He say's he is going to shoot it till it stops working lhen fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Worst thing that can happen is the front and rear of the slide separate when you fire it and the slide hits you in the face. Seen it happen. Don't risk your eyesight to keep shooting a broken gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robman1000 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 wow that would turn a good fun day of shooting in to a very bad day of shooting and a trip to the ER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillChunn Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Infinity slide replacement (with Acc-U-Rails) ran about $780. Money well spent as the gun is tight and shoots like new. As Matt Cheely stated, it's not worth serious injury to shoot a broken gun. BC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blujay291 Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 Well obviously a new slide is the answer, im just unable to do it financially until at the earliest next tax return, thanks for all the replies but unfortunately money is the only way to fix my problem, and money is something I don't have now, so I'm sidelined for the time being, it could be worse at least my kids are healthy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EkuJustice Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 If it is a sti slide I would check with them about a factory replacement as was mentioned earlier. In all honesty open and limited especially with 2011s are not a good division to shoot on a very tight budget. The guns either cost a good amount of money or have been well used and are looking at major repairs coming up if they are cheap. For what a good production or single stack gun costs your looking at a WELL worn limited gun or an open gun that's at the end if its life and probibay in need if a major overhaul. The glocks are a good open or limited gun on a budget as they are a lot cheaper and if something breaks the parts are cheaper and simply drop in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 As EkuJustice hints at.... do you really need a $3500 gun to be competitive? I don't think so. It's probably too late for you to take the advice, but you can get a really nice *brand new* production or singlestack gun for right around $1000. Then you can buy ammo, and go to matches, and shoot alot, and get better. 99% of the skills required to succeed in the different divisions are exactly the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris iliff Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 CocoBolo is right on! I'm going through that right now. July 19th is my date, it stinks to be out for so long, but STI is stand up, as long as it weighs more than 9 oz, they usually warranty the slide. And yes, shoot it until it freezes up, or, send it in now and start the wait. I chose the send it in now route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY BARONE Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Matt Cheely has given you sound advice. Safety first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blujay291 Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 Sorry guys I'm hooked on open. And money spent now switching to another division would be more expensive than overhauling my current gun considering I'm only set up to load 38sc now. But I have the funds available for a slide so does anyone have any suggestions on who will fit it for me, and can my current barrel,link,slide stop be fitted in a new slide, I hope. If anyone has info on who can fit a new slide to my current frame and barrel for a working mans price please let me know, thanks for all the advise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trodrig Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Call Shay at acguns.com and see what he can do for you. Can't say enough about the quality of his work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gng4life Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Sorry guys I'm hooked on open. And money spent now switching to another division would be more expensive than overhauling my current gun considering I'm only set up to load 38sc now. But I have the funds available for a slide so does anyone have any suggestions on who will fit it for me, and can my current barrel,link,slide stop be fitted in a new slide, I hope. If anyone has info on who can fit a new slide to my current frame and barrel for a working mans price please let me know, thanks for all the advise. Contact Glenn at Lone Star Inn., excellent work, great prices, and super fast turnaround, I will PM you his info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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