I just bought a S&W 1911 5" Stainless with rail. I took the slide off and cannot get it back on. The manual says depress the firing pin black with a finger and gently push the slide back onto the frame. I cannot get the firing pin black deep enough into the frame to reassemble the pistol. This is not my only 1911, I own a Para CCW and a somewhat customised 1911 of hybrid lineage. So, I need some advice from some S&W "experts." Help me out fellows.

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Baptist Pastor, Chaplain TCSO

I just bought a S&W 1911 5" Stainless with rail. I took the slide off and cannot get it back on. The manual says depress the firing pin black with a finger and gently push the slide back onto the frame. I cannot get the firing pin black deep enough into the frame to reassemble the pistol. This is not my only 1911, I own a Para CCW and a somewhat customised 1911 of hybrid lineage. So, I need some advice from some S&W "experts." Help me out fellows.

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Baptist Pastor, Chaplain TCSO

are you depressing the grip safety the same time you are trying to push in the firing pin safety lever/plunger????

just a guess.

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if you're gonna be a bear...

No, I have tried to be very careful about that. With no pressure of any kind on the gun, the firing pin block sticks out of the frame about 1/16" or so. It has no give at all. The firing pin block will not go below the level of the slide no matter what I do.

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Baptist Pastor, Chaplain TCSO

I had that same problem with my 645. Eventually it somehow went down and the slide went on. ???

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

hmmmm, you may have one that the plunger is not adjusted properly or its wedged in the up position.

*oil
*may have to drop the MSH to get the grip safety to move back so the plunger can drop
*send back to SW if not adjusted properly

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if you're gonna be a bear...

Try it this way. Start the slide on to the frame.Place the muzzle down on to your bench. Push up on the beaver tail with your thumb and push the firing pin block down at the same time. It should at that point be able to slide all the way back. Bruce
BTW you may need to use something besides your finger to depress the part. It will get better with use. It was assembled before so it will go back.

if it goes back together

you need to check the safety's function.

without depressing the grip safety

cock the hammer and use a 1/16 punch and depress your firing pin. if it goes past the safety plunger, your safety is not adjusted properly.

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if you're gonna be a bear...

Called S&W this AM. Talked with Mark there and he was very helpful. He said use a screwdriver to apply pressure to the firing pin block tab and bump the front of the slide on a cushioned surface to drive it on the frame. If that failed, very judiciously, remove the sharp edge of the tab with a stone to give the slide a rounded surface to go over. That worked. I took maybe 1/64" off of the nose of the tab and had to bump the slide on.

His reasoning was the same as another post on this thread, it left the factory on the frame it has to go back on. He also said that this was a hand fitted part and was critical to the function of the gun. The more the gun is used the easier this will become he said. I am both amused at the problem and a little embarassed. Never had this issue before, but you live an dyou learn. Bought two new 9MM CZ's one time and neither would chamber Remington ammo. Both had to be throated. So sometimes things are just really tight.

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Baptist Pastor, Chaplain TCSO