scratch from recoil rod?

[susan28]

i just installed a (excellent) new recoil rod in my G20 but noticed a small, smile-shaped scratch in the inside of the frame near the base of the dustcover. the scratch is silver and looks to have been made by the spring, but i can't say for certain. (pic below). the maker of the rod/spring says he's never seen this happen with his product before and he's sold thousands of them. it doesn't look to be a threat to the gun's function and this setup has revolutionised the performance of the gun, it just surprised me to see this mark. anyone ever had anything like this happen with an aftermarket rod/spring setup before? http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y200/susan28/scratch.jpg

[Rawny]

Are you referring to this?

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/rawny/scratch.jpg

Perhaps the finish of the spring/rod rubbed off onto the polymer frame. I checked mine this evening, and there should be no metal in that area. Does it come off if you scrape it with your finger nail?

[susan28]

yep that's the mark in question, Rawny. i can't get my fingers in there but just tried a pointed screwdriver to no avail. it looks like i now have additional steel reinforcement in my frame. the good news is that it's not as deep as it looks at a glance. i'd now estimate maybe half a millimeter.

check your PM's?

[10mm4ever]

That's just as you suspected,a reinforcement.On some Glocks it's visible and on some it's not.

[susan28]

i just don't remember seeing it before using the new rod. it looks like some plastic got scratched off by the spring hitting it. which as i said i don't think is a big deal, just curious as to the cause.

[G20man32904]

Susan,
I just checked my Gen2 G20 and the support is clearly visible and my Gen3 G20c and it looks like its just starting to wear the finish off of it...
hth

[10mm4ever]

Actually,you can see the ends of that "u" shaped insert if you look at the frame head on(with it pointed at you).It's embedded into the rear slidestop.This actually causes the rocking,or flexing action that you see in slo-mo videos.The slide impacts at the ends of this insert,then the "u" shaped portion attempts to rock up,or forward which causes the flexing.

[susan28]

ok, so you guys are saying that the "scratch" is actually a hairline crack in the plastic caused by the frame flexing at the forward edge of the insert?

[G33]

No...No!
That is metal molded into the frame for reinforcement.
I forget when, but it was between the 2nd and third Gen.
It was introduced for the 10mm and .357 Sig.
Gaston then made it standard after the 3-pin models.
Even the 9mm have it now.

You are fine.
IMHO

[susan28]

yes G, i think it's the metal insert showing and not metal from the spring, but i'm still wondering why it wasn't visible til after that session. i'm thinking that it was a long session with lots of (very!) rapid fire, causing the metal insert to get hot and melt thru at the point of stress/flex maybe?

it does seem to be the consensus, though, that it isn't a problem. i'm definitely leaving the DPM system in/on the gun. thing works miracles!

[10mm4ever]

You probably just didnt notice the re-inforcement there before.Nothing to worry about.

[susan28]

that would be pretty surprising, but on the other hand i was also being extra-vigilant after the session.

looks like we can dismiss the idea of it being caused by the new rod/spring, though, that's good news! thanks you guys ;c