1911 slide stop pin diameter & lug & link question

[ForestBarber]

New poster, so sorry if I am covering old ground.

My good old Gold Cup that Wilson reworked some years ago recently broke the slide stop. I obtained a replacement from Wilson but pin diameter (.200") is about .003" larger than the broken stop's pin and will not fit through frame and barrel/lug area. Frame holes plenty big, but when gun in battery the pins will not pass through all the holes it must.

I ordered an Ed Brown slide stop with same result. Those pin's diameter measures .200" as well.

The broken pin measures .197 in critical area and shows no sign of having been turned or anything, showing only normal finish wear at the lockup points.

So, do i need to replace the link? Go longer makes sense to me. Right?

Or, call Wison and see if they have a .197/198 pin slide stop?

Many Thanks,

Forest

 

[mparms]

If you broke a slide stop pin I'd highly recommend buying a new barrel link as well as that component has been stressed as well. Whichever slide stop you prefer ergonomically buy their barrel link and pin.

I personally prefer Ed Brown products.

You should also inspect your barrel lug to make sure there are no cracks where it connects to the outside of the chamber as well as any peening to the rear of the barrel lug. If you find any you could try a recoil buffer at the end of your recoil spring and guide rod, you may also want to discuss with a smith a heavier recoil spring to prevent repeated damage. Also inspect the inside of the frame where the recoil spring rests and make sure that that is not peened as well- this would be another indicator of the need for a heavier recoil spring or a recoil buffer.
If you see any cracks in the barrel lug- go safe and get a new barrel...Hope this helps.

 

[Old Fuff]

Measure the hole in the barrel link that the slide stop pin passes through and see if it is oversized for the pin. I suspect it will be. Today most 1911 style pistols have what are called match barrels, (which is not so good in a weapon) and the barrel is cammed into lock-up by the lower barrel lug pressing on the slide stop pin. If you replace the slide stop with one that has a larger pin the lower lug/slide stop pin camming action may lock up the gun before it comes into battery. If this is the case you will need a gunsmith that can alter the barrel lug to work with the larger slide stop pin. If the pin fits in the hole in the frame I wouldn't reduce its diameter. You might want to return the pistol to Wilson, as he has the jigs, fixtures and other tools that can fix this in quick order.

 

[ForestBarber]

To be clear, mparms, it was the slide stop lug per se that snapped off the slide stop. The pin is intact and the barrel lug and link look perfect.

And, indeed the larger diameter pin locks things up before battery. I though perhaps a longer link would offset the larger pin diameter and let things work properly. I likely will send the works back to Wilson before I get in over my head.

Many Thanks,

Forest

 

[ForestBarber]

Oh, and it does have a Wilson match barrel.

 

[45auto]

Colt's slide stop is probably the same, buy one of those!

EGW probably has one or can make one for you in the size you need!

 

[Jolly Rogers]

Possibly a Wilson Combat standard slide stop (not bulletproof) will fit. It did on my Springfield .45
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=16411&title=1911 AUTO SLIDE STOP
Joe

 

[rcmodel]

but when gun in battery the pins will not pass through all the holes it must.

And well it shouldn't (without great difficulity) on a lug locked barrel.

Take the barrel link off and see if the slide stop pin will fit the frame & barrel lug area without a link. (out of battery)
Then see if it will go in battery without the link.

If it will, you need to open up the lower part of the bottom hole in the link enough to get it to fit when in battery.

After that, check for drag when it is unlocking / unlocked.

If that checks out, you should be good.

rc

 

[krs]

Right. And if it won't go to battery without the link it may be that the lugs on the barrel were fitted to that pin. Kind of surprising that they'd use a pin so loose in the frame but your new .200" pin is correct to spec. and the lugs should be fitted to it now if that's where the interference comes from.

If it IS lug interference on your new pin a longer link will not alleviate the problem.

BTW, I've found new slidestop pins in diameters ranging from .197" to .200". Ed Brown and EGW seem to be most consistantly .200" and IMO that's the size to have.

 

[Old Fuff]

Of course no one pays any attention to the USGI blueprints anymore, because they know so much more about the pistol then Browning, Colt or the Army did.

But just for grins, the follow dimensions apply:

Hole in the frame = .201" - .203" (and it was so important that even field armorers had a plug gauge to check it).

Pin Diameter = .2005" -.0020" (Notice how closely held the dimensions and tolerance was held.

 

[ForestBarber]

The damaged Wilson slide stop pin is right at the bottom of the gi spec for size - actually .001 under as measured by my dial calipers - , and the Wilson and Ed Brown replacements I have are at the top of the spec - thus the lug interference.

I am reluctant to do a "first time" fitting of the lugs to the pin, as this is my original and still favorite 1911 shooter - so off to Wilson it goes.

Thanks to all for the great information and insights!

Forest

 

[Old Fuff]

Fortunately the new slide stop(s) have a larger rather then smaller pin, therefore there should be enough material left on the bottom lug for proper fitting. This can be done by hand, but both Wilson and Brown have special tooling that makes the process faster, and more likely to be correct. When one is in the business, buying the expensive tools and fixtures makes sense, where buying the same things to do "a gun," does not.