1911 take down tricks.

[Ramone]

I have yet again seen a post that is concerned about the 1911 being hard to take down.

This always puzzles me, though admittedly the 1911 pistol was the most common handgun around when I was growing up, and cleaning the guns was always fobbed off on the kids whenever possible.

So I thought I'd share some tricks I always though were just the way you did it, but have found are not as universal as I'd thought.

The Idiot Mark (growing up in a USMC family, we called this the 'Army Mark' )
If you always have a problem getting the Slide Stop back in past the plunger, Pop out the thumb safety, being careful not to launch the spring (more on that spring in a second!) insert the slide stop, and then replace the thumb safety- don't pull the safety all the way out- just up enough to release the plunger and spring. I find the thumb safety to be MUCH easier to get past the plunger than the slide top- just hold the plunger in from underneath with a pocket knife blade, coffee stirrer or whatever, and slide it out when the safety catches the plunger.

That damn Plunger spring:
Pull it out, and with a pair of needle nose pliers, squish a coil right in the middle out of round. Do the same with the end one or two coils on the Safety End. The middle kink will keep the spring from shooting out of the tube, and the end one will hold the plunger in place. It takes a little fiddling to get it just right, but won't hurt the function at all.

'crimping' the end of the spring also makes a big difference on the firing pin spring, and the main recoil spring, just enough to make them stay on the guide rod and firing pin, will cut down on the parts flying across the room.

Note: Some of the above I have found already done, even in new pistols, but I've never been able to figure out if it was the way JMB intended or not. I certainly didn't invent any of these things myself.


I've also seen people complain that the series 80 style firing pin safety makes the pistol harder to break down- while it *does* add two pieces to the frame, I don't find them all that tricky to deal with, and I find the spring and plunger in the slide actually makes removing the firing pin stop and firing pin easier.

Which reminds me:
I *open* the first coil or two on the Series 80 plunger spring, just enough to make it stay in the 'cup' of the plunger.

Again, I expect a lot of this is old news to many of our members, but I find a lot of otherwise knowledgeable 1911 guys don't know these tricks.

So- what do you do?

 

[2wheels]

After the first couple of tries, I never had a problem field stripping a 1911 (not even the series 80s), so I never looked into coming up with tricks or shortcuts to make it easier.

So far, zero idiot marks caused by me (1 caused by a previous owner).

I think alot of the complaints about taking 1911s apart come from guys whose experience is limited to Glocks or other modern handguns, or maybe they're just not very mechanically inclined. I've spent a lot of time working on cars, so to me the 1911 is childs play to disassemble by comparison.

 

[9mmepiphany]

You can avoid the whole slide stop lug drama by having it correctly profiled to cam the plunger out of the way as the slide stop is inserted.

Another step in the process that is becoming more common is removing the upper as a whole unit, rather than removing the tension from the recoil spring first...it avoids inadvertently sending the recoil spring cap across the room

 

[Drail]

That's the key right there. The slide stop either pushes the plunger out of the way and slips right in or hits it like a brick wall. A slight radius on the rear corner will fix it.

 

[HOOfan_1]

You can avoid the whole slide stop lug drama by having it correctly profiled to cam the plunger out of the way as the slide stop is inserted.

Another step in the process that is becoming more common is removing the upper as a whole unit, rather than removing the tension from the recoil spring first...it avoids inadvertently sending the recoil spring cap across the room

My dad's old Llama has no problem pushing the slide stop straight in without rotating it

 

[Voodoochile]

Sometimes I wonder about some when it comes to the basic field strip of the ole slabsides.

Becky's M1991A1 has the stop radiused just right for no issues only idiot mark was from her on her first try but she caught on really quickly.

My antique is a sinch & I could fuller strip her prasctly in my sleep.

 

[holdencm9]

Using the baseplate lip of a magazine to push in the recoil spring cap in order to turn the barrel bushing was a big aha moment for me. I can use my finger too but it isn't nearly as comfortable or stable. Trying it that way is how I launched my recoil spring cap as 9mmepiphany mentioned!

 

[1911Tuner]

Trying it that way is how I launched my recoil spring cap as 9mmepiphany mentioned!

If your recoil spring plug has the punch cut that lets you thread it onto the open end of the spring, you won't lose it anyway, assuming that the closed end of the spring fits the spring guide tightly.

If the barrel bushing is hard to turn, back the slide up about a half-inch. It should turn easier unless it's fitted too tightly to the slide. Grasp the slide in your fist, like a hammer...and use your thumb to depress the plunger. Much better than using your finger.

And the plunger spring should already have that little kink to keep it from launching the plunger assembly...as per original design specs.

Oh...and the hammer and sear pins aren't supposed to fit flush to the frame. Within proper spec, they should stand proud about .003 inch to keep the thumb safety from marring the frame.

Built to original specs, the 1911 can be field-stripped in about 12 seconds, and detail stripped in about a minute...slide and frame...without tools.

 

[Skylerbone]

I think it's fine to start a thread with helpful tips on the subject and if the mods made a Sticky for all to see, that would be great as well. I don't hold out hope that people would look for it before starting the next "How do I ___ my 1911's ___?" Rather see people ask than loose a spring or a cap or an eye.

Admittedly parts that are correctly machined would save a good amount of grief but many are not and some will inevitably land in the hands of first time owners, compounding the problem. I don't recall having much difficulty in learning the procedure but neither was I born with an inherent knowledge of the 1911's disassembly, mechanically inclined or not.

 

[1911Tuner]

Rather see people ask than loose a spring or a cap or an eye.

Yep. That's why it's better to grab it like a hammer and use the tip of your hooked thumb to control the plug until you ascertain that the plug is properly made...with the punch cut.

 

[battlecry]

You can make a punch from a worn down drill bit. Cut the flutes off, then grind a sharp chisel edge. A careful tap with a hammer makes an almost mil-spec punchhole with a captive lip.

 

[1911Tuner]

You can make a punch from a worn down drill bit. Cut the flutes off, then grind a sharp chisel edge. A careful tap with a hammer makes an almost mil-spec punchhole with a captive lip.

It can also easily crush the plug unless you support it.

 

[Auto426]

You could also just buy a plug from Colt. Unlike many 1911 makers today, they still use the punch cut in their plugs to prevent them from flying across the room.

When I took my Colt 1991 apart for the first time I initially thought the plug had been butchered up at the factory, but I quickly realized the genius in that little punch cut. It allows you to keep the recoil spring and plug as a single unit when assembling and disassembling the gun. Pretty convienent.

 

[1911Tuner]

quickly realized the genius in that little punch cut. It allows you to keep the recoil spring and plug as a single unit when assembling and disassembling the gun.

Yup...and if the spring guide diameter is to spec, the spring can't leap out at warp speed either. Seems that many copiers and clone producers are making up the specs as they go, without actually looking at a real 1911 and asking themselves that question:

"What is it for?"

 

[Ramone]

If your recoil spring plug has the punch cut that lets you thread it onto the open end of the spring, you won't lose it anyway, assuming that the closed end of the spring fits the spring guide tightly.

That's a good one too-
I've seen lots without the punch cut to retain the plug.

with a little care, it's an easy, and major improvement.

 

[HDCamel]

Built to original specs, the 1911 can be field-stripped in about 12 seconds, and detail stripped in about a minute...slide and frame...without tools.

QFT
Though you need a .45 ACP casing to remove the grips.

A video detailing the process. He takes longer than a minute, but that's mostly because he's explaining the process as he goes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9HhqeTou70

 

[Jim K]

It sometimes seems that clone makers have the attitude -

"Specs? What is specs? We don't need no steenking specs!"

Jim

P.S. Removing the grips is not considered part of field stripping. Just removing the magazine and slide, then removing the recoil spring, plug, bushing and barrel. No part of the frame is removed except the slide stop.

JK

 

[Skylerbone]

Too bad my last Colt came with a FLGR so no captive plug and TORX grip screws. Don't know if the 1991s still come with GI spec screws or not but 10-8 Performance will sell you a few for $12. Sad thing about that Colt OEM FLGR, it was drilled out; the only benefit (additional weight) lost to compounded poor choices.

 

[HDCamel]

P.S. Removing the grips is not considered part of field stripping.

Who said it was?

 

[1911Tuner]

QFT
Though you need a .45 ACP casing to remove the grips.

Another point of interest. The original specs called for grip screws that were not only sized to use a case rim, the bottoms of the slots were dished to better fit the rim. If a particular pistol's screws aren't made to those specs...a case rim won't work so well if they're overtightened.

 

[Ramone]

I always used the 'toe' of a magazine, though these days, all mine have allen screws.

 

[1911Tuner]

A 10-second disassembly tip for standard magazines with welded baseplates:

Three rounds in. Slave pin through 2nd witness hole. Shake out the rounds. Tap the top of the magazine on a wood tabletop to release the follower. Thumb over the top and pull the pin.

Reassemble in 15 seconds:

Three rounds on top of the spring. Press down slightly and insert slave pin in 2nd witness hole. Shake out the rounds and drop follower in. Press to seat. Thumb over the top. Pull pin. Look to make sure the top loop on the spring is correctly positioned under the follower.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'd never heard that before...thanks, I'll try it next time

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

I use the back of a magazine as a bushing wrench. the magazine helps move the bushing, and traps the plunger.