1911 Ejection Ports

In the beginning, there was the GI ejection port, and it was good. The GI type of port is high on the 1911 slide, and ejects reliably. It works well if you don't mind getting smacked in the noggin by brass once in a while. It works well if you do not reload and therefore do not care whether your brass is dented by your slide. The higher port is eschewed by the custom 1911 crowd, but if the truth is told, it serves a purpose. The higher wall helps prevent dirt and grit from getting underneath the barrel into the linking system and potentially jamming the gun. I retained the GI port on my carry 1911s for just that reason. It's not that I don't keep them clean, it's just that I like the extra protection.

Later, as 1911s began to be shot competitively, and optics were added, there was a need for the brass to be ejected sideways. People who shot thousands of rounds on a single range trip did not appreciate the intimacy of brass occasionally kissing their foreheads. The port was lowered down the side of the slide, and an extended ejector was added to force the brass in a lateral direction.
Because many competitive shooters reloaded, a scallop cut was added at the rear of the port to prevent the slide from denting the brass. This type of port is often called the flared and lowered port, and it works very well for it's purpose. It is the usual port on off the shelf guns.

With custom 1911s the ejection port takes on a whole new life. It is often massaged and melted. The forward edge is often tweaked to allow live round ejection through the port (the other ports will do this as well most of the time). Bringing an ejection port to this level of perfection is not the job for a kitchen table gunsmith. Many slides have been ruined by a Bubba with a Dremel.

As usual, a gunsmith will give a customer what he wants. Most customers believe a 1911 must have a hogged out ejection port to function properly. That is simply not the case. The M1911A1 prospered through several major conflicts reliably ejecting brass through a small hole all along the way. It was only when competitive shooters began making demands, and accomodating gunsmiths began tweaking the gun that the port was lowered. Know why the modifications are done to guns. Don't follow fashion. Form should follow function. If you foresee your 1911 being in dirty, gritty conditions, you might want to consider not lowering that hole.