New DW Valor has significant peening on slide -- How normal is this?
 

I've put roughly 400 rounds through my month-old Valor and I noticed that both the slide stop and takedown notches show sign of peening, particularly the former. Fortunately, I don't see much of any wear on the slidestop lever as you can see. This is my first 1911 so I have nothing to compare it against.

Here are my questions:

1. Did I get a lemon or is this normal for Valor's?
2. Should I send it back to DW for warranty repair?
3. Should I be concerned about safety and/or functioning issues?

http://i.imgur.com/hWyzQ.png
http://i.imgur.com/s4If1.png
http://i.imgur.com/NPaIV.png
http://i.imgur.com/TpskT.png

I had a small peening issue on my CCO that ended up being called "normal". You should send these pictures (which.. btw... are very very good) directly to Dan Wesson in NY for an opinion.

DaFadda

Thanks for the reply. How much peening would you say I have in relation to your CCO's "normal" amount out of curiosity?

In either case, I just sent off an email with these pictures attached to [email protected]. I've heard great things about DW customer service, the name Keith keeps coming up, so I have high hopes I will be taken care of. This pistol is an absolute dream to shoot and it's everything I ever hoped my first 1911 would be (sans this problem of course.)

your peening issue is more than mine.... I'd send DW the pictures.
DaFadda

Hey guys I know this an old thread, but I'm wondering what became of the OPs Peening issue. I went to the range yesterday and when I came home I noticed the same issue on mine. I've about 600-700 rounds through it and I don't think it was like this last time I broke it down, or this much due to the metal shaving I found pushed to the front of the slide.

Should I contact DW or is this normal and wearing in?




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Looks like problem solved. Glen Davis from Dan Wesson got back to me.
"Unfortunately you are going to have some peening going on in this area due to the slide stop. It is normal to see. Good thing is that it will not continue to get worst. You can use a fine stone or file to remove any high spots if you would like."

Is he talking about high spots on the slide? Does anyone recommend a WC slide stop. I read they have a detent that prevents this?


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This is a non-issue. Changing the slide stop won't make it go away. This wear is typical of all 1911s with stainless steel slides.

The removal of high spots that the DW rep is referring to is any high spot that is created in the area can be removed by stoning or light filing.

Uh; I don't think so.

Three of my 1911's have stainless slides, and none have any peening of the SS notches. The other four 1911's don't either.

The stainless slide ones are two Colts and one Kimber (I know).

I don't own any DW's though. Is there something different about the design of their slide stops that causes the peening?

Here's where it becomes debate. I saw some info where it's normal and some stating not normal. DW is telling me it's normal and won't wear down anymore after this. I am thinking that if it wears down more they consider that abnormal. I wonder if there is so much room for Peening before it is considered a defect. If they are saying it's normal, I am just glad I don't need to send it in. I do plan on hard chroming this pistol this year and am not sure if I should wait longer or if I will benefit from the harder finish.


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May be...

From top to bottom: Colt, DW, Sig - all stainless steel. Not a hint of peening on the Colt and Sig slides. Granted the DW has a higher round count, but the Colt and Sig have both been through IDPA matches.

The DW has a carbon steel slide stop, and the others have stainless slide stops.

http://www.cotep.org/forum/picture.p...&pictureid=928

http://www.cotep.org/forum/picture.p...&pictureid=888

Thanks for the pictures. I found this thread also where Keith from DW chimes in and says it's normal. The DW slide stop is carbon steel and harder than the SS slide.

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=371997

I may be hard chroming this sooner or getting a WC slide stop that has a detent and can prevent further peening. although Glen from DW says there will be no further damage. I know titanse05 said a WC slide stope won't prevent peening, but I read different, that the detent in it prevents it. Anyone have experience with this?


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This ^, I'd be concerned about it [ not function wise but that's NOT normal on s/s 1911 slides ]. I've never had a s/s slide do that in several makers model 1911's. I'd not accept it as "normal" no matter what DW said.

Nope, not right. Call Keith at Dan Wesson. Send him photos. Something is not working right. Take a look at the other side of the slide stop than what is showing in the photo. The place where it is causing the peening, it should have a slight angle to it.

My only concern is Keith posted this on the thread I mentioned earlier on 1911forum on a valor with very similar Peening.

"This happens after the last round is fed into the chamber. The follower of the magazine forces the slide stop up to the bottom of the slide. When the gun is fired and the slide travels to the back the slide stop has no where to go but up. This in turn forces the slide stop to be pushed out of the notch's with the reward travel and then into the locked back position when the slide returns forward. The stainless slide is about 20 RC softer than the slide stop if memory serves me. Something has to give. In this case it is the slide. Almost all of the Stainless slides will do this. You will see it less on a Carbon 1911 because the slide is much harder. Basically the same as the slide stop.
The "damage" is purely aesthetics."

This is What Glen said when he saw the Pics. So I am torn on what to do. I don't want to keep shooting it and then they end up replacing the slide and I'm breaking in the pistol all over again.. $$$

Glen:

“Unfortunately you are going to have some peening going on in this area due to the slide stop. It is normal to see. Good thing is that it will not continue to get worst. You can use a fine stone or file to remove any high spots if you would like.”
I inquired on the WC slide stop which is supposed to impact the inside portion of the notch and/or Hard Chroming to fix or prevent any further peening (which I will point out he said should no longer peen in the comment above).
“It is OK to hard chrome your gun. It would void warranty of any finish issues on the gun though.
As for a different slide stop, unless there is a difference in design, there wouldn't be a difference.”






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I also don't want to start another year long war like I had with my Smith E-series after they damaged it doing repairs, and claimed they "are not resposible for any damage to firearms in their possesion." They didn't even fix the initial issue and the 4x it went back, it came back more damaged. After that they told me "they were only obligated to look at it, not fix it." I don't think DW operates like this, but I would think Keith knows his guns, unless there is an issue and they are only fixing what goes out of spec.

I wouldn't own it if they didn't fix it, PERIOD. I've had enough 1911's in s/s config to understand none of the former guns I owned ever exhibited that peening problem. If the slide stop is moving s/s on the slide, the slide isn't heat treated properly [ or should I say adequately ] or the slide stop is hardened more than the s/s slide.

New DW Valor has significant peening on slide -- How normal is this?
 

Keth from DW did say the slide was softer than the slide stop and something has to give. I guess the slide stop is made of carbon steel and the slide is stainless. I agree with you, it seems to be hit or miss with them and am wondering why this setup was made and why it's still acceptable. I'm surprised with all the Valor owners there haven't been more photos. I would like to see a stainless slide without peening..



Anyone have Keith's email? I wouldn't mind a second opinion from him..

Sent Keith a message. He's at Shotshow until 1/26, and I will update everyone on what he says.

Stainless can be hardened appropriately to prevent this. If their slides are soft enough to allow peening, IMO, there's a problem with the steel maker or DW specs are too soft. I wouldn't accept anything but a new slide that was properly heat treated if mine looked like that for the money spent.

My colt s/s 1911's never had this problem. Obviously it's solveable.

Hell, I don't have this problem with over forty Springfields. Even though, I am looking at the Dan Wesson Valkyrie.

Thanks brownie for all your input. I sent Keith this thread link also. Hopefully he reads through it. I'm having a hard time swallowing this pill, too. If this is normal why wouldn't they make to slide notches bigger or a different shape, or what you said a stronger slide. As you can see in Keith's earlier post he blatantly admits their slide is softer than the stop and it will peen. If they replace the slide that may irritate me too, considering the 600-700 rounds I spent $$ on breaking this puppy in.

I am expecting a "yes this is normal" reply to email and am trying to decide if this is acceptable.

Right, I'm somewhere between content and frustrated right now.. If this were another forum I would either be told this is wrong, and have them fix it, or I would be grilled for complaining.

:eek: Dang ... after reading this I had to pull out my just recently purchased CCO and take another real good look at it !! Have about 300 rds through it so far but no signs at all of this occurring ... do keep us posted.

After 600-700 rounds, I didn't notice until this last range trip, but I may have not noticed if for not the metal shaving on the slide. (100 rounds or so this range trip). From what I gather from reading and what DW reps has stated to me and others on forums, is that only the stainless slides have this issue because they are not coated and are softer... why they would allow the metal to be softer for the SS to chip away metal on the slide is beyond me.

What others area saying and I agree in this aspsect.. this should not happen on a semi-custom $1600 pistol for sure. This is why I am having a hard time moving on, regardless if it is just cosmetic.

By NO means trying to add fuel to the fire here, but, I CERTAINLY would NOT be happy if that were happening to my brand new pistol, cosmetic or not.

Lemme put this is some sort of perspective....A few years ago I won a gunbroker auction on a 1991 made Springfield Champion. It was the Holy Grail....$508 for a gun that looked like it was damn near never fired. It wouldn't feed hollow points. Dave Waits, via pictures, confirmed my suspicions.....the frame was cut "wrong" from the day the gun was new. In reality it was cut for ball ammo, back in 1991. I contacted Springfield, they instantly emailed me a shipping label, and maybe a week later they called. Yes, the frame was cut too deep in the ramp. My options were to cut it deeper and add a fully ramped barrel or get a new frame. Both free of charge. I am not a fan of bull barrels, so I took the new frame. Within a few weeks of diagnosis I had a smooth running, tight, Springfield Champion back home. It eats everything. Springfield didn't tell me any sort of "it's normal", or talk about metal hardness...they fixed the problem for free, even the shipping. This is just one reason I own so many Springfield 1911's and rifles. Most of mine never needed attention, but any that did never cost me a penny and the service was fast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNV1O4xnOPc

I've got to agree with you Joe, DW should find a way to make this right, the OP isn't happy and that's not good CS if they do anything other than keep him happy [ no peaning ].

I'd be very leery of someone telling me that the coating is what makes the slide hard and without it it will peen. Like I mentioned, none of the Colt s/s guns suffered the same fate over tens of thousands of rounds over many years through them,

What a sexy old man you are Joe
:lies: :lies: :lies:

It helps put things in perspective a bit! I’m not completely unhappy, but I bought a DW to get away from this kind mess, believing the quality control was better. Which I still think it is. Now I know nothing is perfect, but now this gun’s future is in a false sense of limbo because of my uncertainty.
I planned to have it hard chromed which will void the warranty on the finish, but now I am holding off on that and may wait until the warranty is up in 4 years. Last thing I want to do is spend $300 and then have them replace the slide, or deny replacing due to me refinishing it.
I am hoping Keith takes care of it, and also reads this thread. After all Cotep gravitates towards DW owners and that should be important to them. I don’t doubt they will make it right, but like you guys all said this should not be accepted as "normal wear”. I also shouldn’t have accept that I got one of the pistols with this problem and it’s normal to a certain degree.
Again I am leery of escalating this because déjà vu when my E-series had an issue where the slide took off all the anodizing on the frame rails. They ended up calling it normal after asking me to send it back to them 4x??. Every time I sent it to them it came back with more damage and to them it was my fault for sending it in.

Yup....near 2K for a pistol, DW needs to fix it no questions asked.

Lies, huh? Now you know why I rejected your marriage proposal...:D

Wait a second....Dan Wesson has a four year warranty? That's it?

5 years and your on your own! I've owned mine almost a year.


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[QUOTE=aqualungs;99639]5 years and your on your own! I've owned mine almost a year.


A five year warranty? On a near 2K 1911? The Dan Wesson lineup is beautiful, for what they cost I will not tolerate a limited warranty. I wonder why they aren't in line with other gun manufacturers. Now I wonder what Baer, Ed Brown, even Nighthawk offer in warranty service.

[QUOTE=milkmanjoe;99640]From Browns website:

Do you have a written warranty on your products?

Yes, we have a lifetime warranty. If you ever need service on your Ed Brown firearm, we are here for you. It doesn't matter what the reason is, how old it is, or whether you are the original owner. We never look for reasons to turn away service calls...if you've got an Ed Brown firearm and you have a problem, we are here to help you.

In addition to the excellent service we offer, effective April 10, 2007, all Ed Brown firearms include a legal written limited lifetime warranty as well. We are the only high end 1911 manufacturer to our knowledge who offers a legal written lifetime warranty on firearms, which demonstrates the confidence we have in our product. Anyone can claim their service is the best (and most do), but to go a step further and put it in writing in a legal warranty is something that Ed Brown Products, Inc. does, and the others avoid.

Should I have bought a Brown? Lol. I guess the Baers & Browns have this issue too.

Ed Brown
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=250278

They all eventually point to stainless steel is a soft metal.


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[QUOTE=brownie;99654][QUOTE=milkmanjoe;99640]

From Browns website:

[U]Do you have a written warranty on your products?

Yes, we have a lifetime warranty. If you ever need service on your Ed Brown firearm, we are here for you. It doesn't matter what the reason is, how old it is, or whether you are the original owner. We never look for reasons to turn away service calls...if you've got an Ed Brown firearm and you have a problem, we are here to help you.

In addition to the excellent service we offer, effective April 10, 2007, all Ed Brown firearms include a legal written limited lifetime warranty as well. We are the only high end 1911 manufacturer to our knowledge who offers a legal written lifetime warranty on firearms, which demonstrates the confidence we have in our product. Anyone can claim their service is the best (and most do), but to go a step further and put it in writing in a legal warranty is something that Ed Brown Products, Inc. does, and the others avoid.

Question is what would Ed Brown do about the peening. They do have the warranty in place forever on the forearm, not even just the original owner.

[QUOTE=aqualungs;99656]Should I have bought a Brown? Lol. I guess the Baers & Browns have this issue too.

Ed Brown
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=250278

They all eventually point to stainless steel is a soft metal.


I'm getting the feeling a good set of Arkansas stones are in the future of some 1911's.

[QUOTE=milkmanjoe;99640]Wilson covers their pistols. Forever. Period. Doesn't matter who bought it or how many times it is sold. If it ain't things like springs, or blatent abuse, they cover it

[QUOTE=Riverpigusmc;99668]Good to know.....I like Wilson Combat.....my wallet hates Wilson Combat....I normally win over my wallet eventually.

Ya, interesting read on the link, thanks. Mine's not exhibited the problem. Did you see someone also mentioned the colts s/s not peening as I experienced with several colt s/s guns?

I find that very interesting. Thanks for the link

That's was me; no peening on any of my 1911's, including three with stainless slides.

I pulled out 4 stainless Dan Wessons and didn't find any peening on any of them.