I thought I would write a how to on polishing the feed ramp on a semi-automatic firearm. The firearm that I am using for this demonstration is a Black Ops 1911, however (stripping aside) these instructions will work on any semi-automatic pistol. ****DISCLAIMER**** Working on a firearm of any type, in any way, is solely an "at your own risk" situation. You should be 100% confident in your abilities both as a proper firearm handler, as well as the ability to execute any and all functions described within this article. If in doubt, take it to a licensed gunsmith. By reading this article, you acknowledge that you understand this, and release any liability or responsibility from the author, any members, and/or BrowningOwners.com and it's owners/operators. You understand that handling and working on firearms is inherently dangerous by nature, and therefore accept all responsibility including (but not limited to) firearm damage, property damage, personal injury, or death.
Before we begin, allow me to address a few questions that you may have, first. Q. Why is it important to polish the ramp? A. Well, technically, it isn't. Firearm manufacturers usually do a fine job of designing their guns with the correct ramp geometry, and build them with a quality control standard that should provide consistent, trouble-free cycling.... by theory. That being said, these are still mass-produced firearms, and a little quality is often a sacrifice for bringing an affordable firearm to the market. While most of them are good, there is usually room for improvement. Q. Can I do this myself? A. Sure! It just takes a little effort, and a few basic tools. Q. How will this affect my cycling? A. If you do it right, it will improve it. By polishing the metal to metal contact, it operates with less resistance and allows the bullet to travel into the chamber more efficiently, thus reducing chance of failure (feed issues). Q. Can I apply this to other parts of my firearm, other than the ramp? A. No. Typically, I do not recommend working at all on the slide to frame tolerances, as they are machined to specification. Doing so can affect the accuracy and reliability of the firearm. Likewise, the polishing (operation 3) procedure is similar to a "trigger job", however this sort of work is not recommended by a novice, and should be handled by a certified gunsmith only, due to safety reasons. Q. Will this affect my warranty? A. No, not unless you do something really wrong. If you follow my instructions precisely, you will not change the geometry on the firearm, and the manufacturer will have no right to deny the claim. Q. Can I sue you if I screw something up? Nope. All firearm work is at your own risk. If you do something stupid, I will paint all your guns black, then call Nancy Pelosi and have her take them away. A. Now, let's get started. Tools and material you will need: *1 multi-tool (Dremel). *Some polishing compound (I have my own special brew used for automotive work, that consists of cutting and polishing compounds, but billet aluminum wheel polish will work just as good, if you do not want to spend $100 for some 3M Finess-It/Perfect-It). *A Sharpie marker. *Some 1200g and 2000g wet sandpaper. *A wooden dowel the same size in diameter (or just a size down) as the caliber. Remember that 9mm is the same diameter as .38. *Some gun specific lubricant.
Operation 1: Clearing the weapon. First and foremost, always make sure the firearm is unloaded. This should be the first step in ANY firearm servicing. To check for clear, place the firearm in a safe direction with your finger off the trigger, and remove the magazine. Lock the slide back, and check the chamber to see that there is no round present. As an added precaution, look into the empty magwell to make sure there is no round or obstruction.
Operation 2: Stripping the 1911. If you are familiar with this operation, or are working on something other than a 1911, please proceed to "Operation 3: Polishing". Lock the safety, then depress the guide rod button (cap) slightly, to allow the bushing to rotate clockwise. Remove the spring and guide rod cap. Rotate the bushing counterclockwise, then remove by pulling outward. Next, disengage the safety, then pull the slide back to where the end of the slide release aligns with the crescent notch in the slide. Then remove the slide latch by pulling it out. You can now disassemble the slide from the frame by sliding it forward. Remove the guide rod by pulling it up and out of the slide assembly.
Next, lower the link down to run parallel with the barrel. This is necessary in order to clear the slide. Then slide the barrel out of the slide (forward).
Operation 3: Polishing. Now we are going to move to the actual polishing work. First and foremost, understand that there are two parts to polishing- one is sanding, the other is polishing. Polishing should always be your first step in polishing, because it is only then that you will trully understand if the sanding is in fact necessary. I find many times that polishing the ramp will be more than enough, and any further sanding could be altogether unnecessary. Likewise, polishing should always be your last step as well, should sanding be necessary. Start off by applying a Sharpie marker to the ramp. This will work as a guide coat during the polishing process. As you polish, you will remove the ink. Any areas that still have Sharpie ink will still need attention. Next, apply a cutting compound to the ramp. Feel free to be liberal, but not sloppy. At a medium speed, buff the ramp up to a shine. This process will take a few minutes (up to 10). Remove all Sharpie ink until the ramp is completely shiny. Now, stop and take a look at your work. If the ramp looks like chrome (you can see yourself in it, and the image is not distorted), you are done! If the reflection is wavy, grainy, or does not shine, further work is necessary. Move onto "Operation 4: Sanding.".
Operation 4: Sanding. Let me hit on a couple of key points here. First of all, the tools. Note that I did NOT include any grinding equipment (pictured above), and for good reason(s). 1. These are extremely agressive cutting tools, and you can easily change the geometry of the ramp itself. It is very easy to remove too much material using these drums. Remember that you are not re-engineering the ramp, only bettering it. 2. Any sanding you may need to do, should always be in the direction of the round (bullet). Rotational cutting tools grind away the metal in a perpendicular direction. Never do this! It can lead to tiny scratches in the ramp that can hang the round and prevent proper chambering. ONLY sand if necessary, and only in the direction of travel. (See drawings below). (Figure 1.) Sanding with these aggressive drums will put perpendicular scratches in the metal, that can cause feed problems. (Figure 2.) ONLY sand in the direction of the bullet travel. This will leave scratches that are parallel with the ramp. These scratches will have a much less likely affect on bullet travel/feed). Prepare your sandpaper by soaking it in soapy water for 30 minutes before sanding. While you are soaking your paper, re-apply the Sharpie to the ramp- again, to use as a guide coat. I personally use machinist's dye for this process, but Sharpie will work here, too. Next, wrap the 2000g sandpaper around the wooden dowel. If you are working on a .45 caliber, the standard sized Sharpie will work for this operation. Sand the ramp using moderate pressure- again, in the direction of the ramp. Do not sand by rotating the sandpaper. Check your work periodically. If all of the Sharpie marker is removed (the ramp will likely look dull), move on to polishing (Operation 3). If after polishing, the ramp is shiny and the reflection is undistorted, you are finished. If not, more aggressive sanding may be necessary. If more aggressive sanding is necessary, repeat the sanding operation, using 1400g sandpaper. Once you have sanded using 1400g, repeat this operation going back to the 2000g. At this point, your ramp should be perfectly smooth, and as little material should be removed as necessary. Lastly, finish up by completing "Operation 3: Polishing" all over again. Your ramp should now be smooth, and you should see your reflection undistorted. ***Note: In some extreme cases, it may be necessary to get even nore aggressive than 1400g sandpaper. In this event, you may repeat "Operation 4: Sanding" using 800g, then 1200g, then 1400g, then 2000g. Do not go any more aggressive than 800g! Also, do not be tempted to shortcut and start out with 800g. This should be reserved for extreme situations only, so don't get lazy. Start fine, then only step down if necessary. Apply the guide coat after each sanding. As you work your way up in grit, you may still see fine black scratches left in the ramp. That is the Sharpie marker filling in the fine grooves, and is an indication that you have not transitioned into the next grit properly. Step back down to the previous grit, then lightly sand until the scratches are removed.
Operation 5: Reassembly. Typically, I instruct that reassembly is the reverse of disassembly, however there are a couple of things to address when it comes to the 1911. Be sure to use a good quality gun lube to lubricate the slide to frame contacts. Do not use oil. Remember, oil protects, grease lubricates. 1. The link. When reassembling a 1911, it is critical that you restore the link to the proper perpendicular (or rearward) position. The guide rod will help keep this in place. (Incorrect position) (Correct position) 2. Plunger lever (series 80 type 1911's). Also note that sometimes you will need to push this armature down in order to install the slide all the way onto the frame. 3. The slide release. Make sure that the hole in the link lines up directly with the hole in the slide. Put the slide release loosely through the hole. Then rotate the release gently, so that it makes contact with the detent. Lastly, push the release lever all the way in as you rotate it up and into the hole in the frame. Congratulations!, you have now successfully polished your ramp! Now the only thing left to do is take it to the range and test it out!
