pjb45 Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 SV is famous for taking care of their customers. Their products are superior IMO than others. Chris at STI does a great job of Customer Service. But Brandon and Sandy are top notch. If your seller does not stand by his product, SV will stand by it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raudi Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 To me it is new that the marks on the barrel are bad. They started to occur after just 1000 shots. After about 8000 shots the gun went back to the distributor, who is a gunsmith, for some tuning because of push-feeding. When the gun came back, it worked really fine. He should have noticed the "bad marks" on the barrel, but he didn't and that's why I think this marks are ok. Not being an expert, I'd like to throw some thoughts in. If the gun went back because of push feeding, there has been, in all probability, a timing issue, that caused the push-feed. Couldn't that timing issue be the cause of the barrel cracking? If one gun develops 2 big-time problems, in such a short time, I'd assume them to be related... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Posted August 17, 2009 Author Share Posted August 17, 2009 If your seller does not stand by his product, SV will stand by it. I don't have that impression. Not being an expert, I'd like to throw some thoughts in. If the gun went back because of push feeding, there has been, in all probability, a timing issue, that caused the push-feed. Couldn't that timing issue be the cause of the barrel cracking? If one gun develops 2 big-time problems, in such a short time, I'd assume them to be related... I said before, the push feeding desease was cured. At least after the repair or tuning or what ever, the timing was perfect. Not beeing an expert, I say nothing to this issue except, that overpressure looks different. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Posted January 22, 2010 Author Share Posted January 22, 2010 Hi everybody, I have some news to mention in this old thread: My SVI was repaired by a gunsmith and I had to pay the half price for the repair as I was told this crack is a result of overpressure. I got the gun back in September and didn't use it until late october. Just before christmas after I have made 1500 shots more or less, I noticed the same crack again! In the meantime I sent in some ammo to the proving authority for accurate pressure measurements. I got the expertise that my ammo is save and within the limit of maximum pressure. So even the first cracked barrel was not because of overpressure. The gun with the second broken barrel will now be repaired without any charges, but there are no barrels available at the moment and I have to wait and wait and wait...... My conclusion of all this is, that the sighttracker system is not good. Things that are invented by modern gunsmiths to improve the 100 year old 1911-system is allways a dsimprovement, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 My conclusion of all this is, that the sighttracker system is not good. Things that are invented by modern gunsmiths to improve the 100 year old 1911-system is allways a dsimprovement, isn't it? I don't think that is an accurate conclusion. We have seen many guns here in the U.S.A. that have run the ribbed barrels...for years. I have seen shooters that shot enough to wear the gun out, and not have problems. Your issue is likely one of two things... - A bad batch of parts with poor metallurgy. or - Poorly fit or poorly machined parts. From your other link, with the troubles you had with the extractor, I'd guess that you have a slide that is not properly machined. I'd be interested to know if the various measurements of the slide dimensions proved to match up with the blueprint specifications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Further, I recall another member posting here from Europe. I seem to recall he had a barrel that wasn't properly timed (bad fit). I thought it was on an STI. But, what I recall is that it was from a distributor/gunsmith in Germany. Yeah... found that thread: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=81777&st=0&p=946256&fromsearch=1entry946256 If you click on the posters member name you can see some other issues that he posted about. It makes me wonder if these guns are being put together by the local "gunsmith". Or, if they may even be having the parts made locally, under license... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 My 2 cents worth is the rib on the barrel is fitted to tight to the slide so as to "look" great. As the hood pounds against the breach face & sets back the slide then hits the rib & is useing the rib to push the slide into battery. Keep about .0015 clearence & probley wont happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Posted January 22, 2010 Author Share Posted January 22, 2010 Whatever the problem with my SVI is, I don't know it since I am not a gunsmith. I just want to compete in matches, which I cannot do often due to repairs. It is simply disapointing. What benny hill said (My 2 cents worth is the rib on the barrel is fitted to tight to the slide so as to "look" great.) might be the key. Indeed the barrel is fitted to the slide very tight without any gaps. Parts are not made in Europe under license. Usually the guns are built in the USA. For repairs they are not sent back overseas but fixed here. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Within the last month I've talked to two guys who had the exact same thing happen to their guns...probably the same ones Matt mentioned earlier. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 My conclusion of all this is, that the sighttracker system is not good. Things that are invented by modern gunsmiths to improve the 100 year old 1911-system is allways a dsimprovement, isn't it? I don't think that is an accurate conclusion. We have seen many guns here in the U.S.A. that have run the ribbed barrels...for years. I have seen shooters that shot enough to wear the gun out, and not have problems. Your issue is likely one of two things... - A bad batch of parts with poor metallurgy. Two barrels made at least a year apart would sort or rule out a bad batch or parts. Granted, he could have won the bad metallurgy lottery twice, but that's hard to imagine. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
entropic Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Looks like a clear case of fatigue stress fracture to me. The crack started from the stress of the tracker rib pounding into the slide thousands of times and proceeded all the way into the bore. The shpeal about overpressure was probably just what they have say to people about this to cover their butts. I bet they fix it for free though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucasb67 Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I'm agree with chuck, josh and benny hill ... the pictures show a fitting problem ... mister, please, change your gunsmith too, he hasn't understud it and repet the error ... your load is ok, it's a wonderful standard load Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 (edited) If they quench the barrel after the lug is silver soldered on, that would cause stress fractures too. Needs to be slowly cooled in still air. Edited January 25, 2010 by Toolguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 AFAIK, those barrels are made with the rib in place - it's CNC'ed there to begin with, not soldered on later... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 It's in the fitting. I have fit several w/o any problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahtsay Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 I'm also thinking of building a sight tracker. Just wanted an update on this if it's not too much trouble. Did the gun experience any more problems after it was fixe/repaired the second time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Posted March 23, 2012 Author Share Posted March 23, 2012 Hi, I am back again in this old thread. Sometime in the summer 2010 I got the gun back repaired. I shot about 15k rounds through it and guess what? The third barrel is broken at the same spot just where the rib starts. The rib had no radius, to the contrary it had a sharp groove. The barrel had enough clearance to the slide and there are no signs of contact. Since I have got a STI with no such ribbed barrel gimmick in the meantime it does not hurt anymore to own an expensive SVI beeing worth nothing. If it will be repaired again at no charge it's ok, if not it will be recycled like scrap metal. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcschwenke Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I'm wondering whether the slide hits the back of the barrel during each cycle of the slide. If so, it will cause this type of crack. It appears to me that the slide needs more clearance as Benny mentioned, and radius the inside of the slide where the rib may contact. I've built several without issues as well. You've either had lightning strike twice or it's a common denominator like poorly fit barrel. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whoops! Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I do believe this would actually be the third lightning strike. Something is very wrong here. In my understanding he also says it was repaired by SV for this round of ammo. SV should not be improperly fitting their own barrels. Especially not for the $5000+ they are currently charging for guns. I would like to see this issue fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Common cause: Sight tracker bridge is fitted to tight against the slide and as the barrel hood and lugs take a set, the bridge now hits the slide and breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 Here are two pictures I have made today. I cleaned the barrel and made some shots to make clear where the gas escapes through the crack. When I got this barrel fitted, there have been barrels with a radius where my barrel is broken already available, but probably not in Europe. This broken barrel has actualy a fine notch creating a predetermined breaking point. The slide never hit the barrel at the rounded surface, the grey color is residue from gas. Also the slide shows no signs of contact with the barrel. I don't know why I should get another barrel fitted. I will keep You informed as soon as I get a response from SVI. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usmc0326 Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Regardless of loads used there is minimal radius on the machining causing stress risers if the barrel is made out of one piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Posted May 15, 2012 Author Share Posted May 15, 2012 Well, I have got a new barrel fitted. It looks different, the rib is squared with rounded corners and a radius between the barrel and the rib. It is marked AET but does not have the progressive rifling. I hope the fourth barrel will last longer now. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EngineerEli Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Sorry to drag this out of nowhere but, holy cow! I got an SVI sight tracker used and have been cleaning that residue from the corner on the barrel you have been talking about from day one, I have a crack forming too!!! I had seen the mark before but couldn't tell if it was an actual problem or just a piece of lint or cleaning patch. And I had a major (for me) match that I am already registered for on Sunday I guess mine is going to have to go in.... Now I have to see if they will let me change to production two days before a match Only problem is I just got my production gun a few months ago, and have no idea how to shoot it yet. Alex, is the new profile barrel they put in the fourth time still working well for you??? -Eli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonglee0507 Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 call SV they will replace that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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