Just got this gun, and field stripping it was terrible...especially putting it back together. In fact, I couldn't do it...had to get a buddy come over and put it back together....and he had use a video I had.

Does anyone have any tips, especially helpful videos, or anything else to help with this? thanks.

This is how I do it...

You should be able to find good ones on youtube

What was the issue? It's just a 1911. I guess they are a bit of a palaver compared with most modern polymer guns or even a CZ 75.

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Release the Kraken

If they are a standard 1911, they're pretty easy.

Push in recoil spring plug, turn barrel bushing until clear of plug ( can't remember right or left)

remove recoil spring

push slide back until the rounded notch sits over the slide stop, push slide stop out from right to left

remove slide

do whatever

repeat process in the reverse order to reassemble.

At times the small detent knob and spring that holds the slide stop in is rather difficult and makes it hard to push the slide stop in.You can give it a little help with a thin piece of plastic to help get past the detent

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1st smiles,lies.Last,gunfire.

Yes, it's pretty easy to field strip a 1911. It becomes easier with practice. Do it a few times, and it becomes second nature...

Bayou52

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Bayou52
NRA Life Member

Is it a full size or a smaller version?

Sometimes the barrel bushing on the 1911 can be hard to turn without
a bushing wrench. Was that your problem?

They're leaving out an important first step except for F75 in post 5, he mentions it!
Always take the tension off the spring first and put it on last.
This makes a huge difference and prevents you from getting the "idiot scratch" and you may need a bushing wrench if the barrel bushing is really tight.

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Dave Ramsey Cultist

The hardest part for me, initially, was getting the barrel Link properly lined up, in order to get the Slide stop back in. It took some practice.

It takes a bit of practice. As someone else mentions, the part about lining up the barrel link can make me say bad words sometimes. And if you get in a hurry during reassembly, you will put the dreaded "idiot scratch" on it.

If you assemble the barrel link and slide stop up side down they line up pretty easy for you. At least that how I did it when I built them. The slide stop/detent/idiot scratch are the sign of where you learned to field strip/reassemble 1911's, If you learned from the military or someone who did, protecting the finish was of no importance to you! I have seen a number of brand new 1911's at gun stores with the "Idiot Scratch", honestly this is not a factory accessory!

Ivan

1911 First few times field stripping can be like a bad hair day. I thought there has to be an easier way to do this.
Getting that dang lock lever to snap into place can be a bummer and yeah I did get the idiot scratch. Amazing how that lock lever will go right into place when it wants to.

Kimbers with the swartz can't be done this way. The push rod for the firing pin block is free floating and can get jammed in the slide cut outs and cause damage.

I hold with muzzle down, pinky keeps barrel up against the breech face, thumb keeps the spring and guide rod up against the barrel. Barrel link is towards the muzzle. Slide onto the frame, a little wiggle and the barrel link falls into place. Hold barrel in place and tip gun up, notice the barrel link through the hole for the slide stop. Insert slide stop. Easy..!!

At least Jackie Chan won't disassemble it out of your hand.

But the 1911 is pretty easy to fieldstrip. Even those with a full recoil spring guide rod.

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Expect the unexpected

It takes time to get it to take down and back together smoothly practice practice and you'll be able to do it blindfolded well at least with one eye open.

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IN GOD WE TRUST     ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Never did a Rock Island but have done hundreds of GIs and Colts.
And a good cross section of clones from Kimber to Norinco. The
only one I ever had trouble with was the Remington when they
1st came out. It was machined so rough it was a PIA to get back
together. It made my fingers bleed. So some of these clones the
problem is not with assembly steps, it's poor machining of parts.

I concur with pulling the recoil spring plug first and installing it last. Also, the best thing you can do to prevent the dreaded "idiot scratch" is to mod the stop with a channel to align it with the detent pin during install. I use a small round Swiss file to mod all mine but a Dremel with a small diamond burr bit would work also. The below pic is of my modded RIA Baby Rock slide stop.

Attached Images

lockmod.jpg (52.9 KB, 43 views)

[QUOTE=Funflyer;140196063]I concur with pulling the recoil spring plug first and installing it last. Also, the best thing you can do to prevent the dreaded "idiot scratch" is to mod the stop with a channel to align it with the detent pin during install. I use a small round Swiss file to mod all mine but a Dremel with a small diamond burr bit would work also. QUOTE]

If you're going to play with real 1911's, you should learn to do it right, so you don't mess up somebody else's pistol!

I like the extra detent idea. But everybody and their brother is "improving" the tried and true design!

Ivan

[quote=Ivan the Butcher;140196384]Not sure I follow,
"learn to do it right", "mess up somebody else's pistol"? Please elaborate.

I have 3 Colts, a Ruger and a RIA. The RIA is accurate and reliable, but I do have to "fiddle" with it more when reassembling than the others.

Rock Island full size

In Infantry AIT at Ft. McClellan, Alabama our whole company had to dismantle (field strip) and re-assemble a 1911 in 60 seconds after instruction and qualifying at the range-inside of a black cloth bag. It will get easier as you practice Sir.

When I was in training at Fort Bliss we had DIs that would take
parts off your table when you got cocky. We did it with blind folds
The 1911s we used had been taken apart so many times the parts were polished from use. They went together easy.