# Feedramp polishing ?



## armywags (Feb 19, 2012)

I just bought a RIA 1911 and was wanting to polish the feed ramp and slide guide rails (not sure if thats what they are called) and was wanting to know the best way to do that and if there is anything else i should do aswell


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## The Maintenance Shoppe (Nov 5, 2007)

If you need something a lttle more aggresive than metal polish, then try using valve lapping compound available at about any auto parts store.


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## armywags (Feb 19, 2012)

how would i use it?


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## GENTLE WOLF (Aug 19, 2009)

I use a Dremel tool with the polishing wheels.


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## armywags (Feb 19, 2012)

ok cool.... have that... is there anything else i should be polishing?


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## Joraca (Dec 29, 2007)

See

http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/tuning-the-m1911-for-reliability/

for the feed ramp work.

Lots of folks obsess over slide to frame fit, but I don't think it is very important for accuracy. I've shot some good ones that rattled a lot when you shook them. 

Joraca


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## mongoose45 (Feb 7, 2012)

There are a few things you should do depending on what ammo you are going to shoot and the application of your pistol. If you are sticking with standard ball ammo, polishing the feed ramp and the nose contact point in the upper side of the chamber will be fine. Use a dremel with a SOFT conical felt tip and lightly apply white polishing compound until uniformly smooth. Then follow up with rouge until it shines up. It does not need to be mirror bright. Do NOT polish the entire chamber. Doing so can cause a cartridge to feed too fast and unseat the bullet. If you are going to feed hollow points you will want to also throat the chamber mouth. I call it giving it a smile. This widens your feed area and makes the chamber more receptive to truncated hollow points and wadcutters. This should really only be done by a gunsmith, like myself, to ensure the proper angle is maintained and only the minimum amount of metal is removed. As for your rails, to speed up break in you can apply a light amount of 800 grit lapping compound (or Mothers wheel polish) and work the slide manually (unloaded of course) or fire fifty rounds through it with good eye protection on. If you want a tighter rail to slide fit for target shooting then just pm me to drop your pistol off. I have all the right tools and patience. Plus, 1911's are my specialty. Hope this helped you out!


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