Disassembling the "E" series 1911, is there a trick to it?

[ZLDRider]

I just picked up a new S&W SW1911 "E" series .45 ACP and really like it.

But, after firing it out on the range, I took it home to clean it. Reading the directions for disassembly, it states that after you release the recoil spring, you should be able to push the slide stop lever (on the right side) out through the left side but, I cannot get the darn thing to budge at all. I even tried tapping it out with a tap and hammer (lightly).

Any tricks to this?

 

[arjay]

Did you move the slide to the rear and line up the notch with the top of the slide release?

 

[Bullet Bob]

In addition to the manual, I find youtube to be a big help when doing something like this for the first time.

 

[Johnmuratore]

Make sure you line up the small notch in the slide with the slide release lever, not the large one. You shouldn't have to hit it at all, it should just push right out.

 

[t-bird]

I just picked up a new S&W SW1911 "E" series .45 ACP and really like it.

But, after firing it out on the range, I took it home to clean it. Reading the directions for disassembly, it states that after you release the recoil spring, you should be able to push the slide stop lever (on the right side) out through the left side but, I cannot get the darn thing to budge at all. I even tried tapping it out with a tap and hammer (lightly).

Any tricks to this?

We will need some pics of what your trying to do.

 

[icemn]

Try moving the slide very slightly as you push on the pin from the right side.

 

[ZLDRider]

Yes, I lined up the small notch in the slide with the slide release lever but, I'll try moving it back and forth a bit.

 

[arjay]

It's a fairly tight fit through that little notch and the slide release needs to be all the way down.A little jiggling should get everything positioned right.

 

[ZLDRider]

Thanks, Arjay. I was trying it with the slide release "up" in the notch. That might explain it.

Da-ooooh!

 

[scooter123]

Wait until you mistakenly grab a bottle of Copper Fouling Remover instead the bottle of oil with the dropper tip. Then when you fill the opening for the Disconnector with that Copper Fouling remover instead of the small drop of oil you intended you will learn how to do a full detail strip on a 1911 and how freaking easy these pistols are to work on. I do believe that John Browning designed the 1911 so that a soldier in a muddy trench could use a hobnail from his boot and a small rock from that trench to do a full detail cleaning on his sidearm.

 

[GrayGhost99]

No hob nail or rock, if you have the gun with the magazine it is designed to do a full disassembly using its own pieces for tools. Very interesting to do, provided you have a million spec gun with millions spec magazine. A RIA is a nice cheap gun to practice this with.

 

[scooter123]

How do you drive out the pin for the Mainspring housing with the magazine? I've never see a magazine equipped with anything that would do this and I've always used a small punch or brad to do this.

 

[arjay]

How do you drive out the pin for the Mainspring housing with the magazine? I've never see a magazine equipped with anything that would do this and I've always used a small punch or brad to do this.

Use the pin on the grip safety (assuming you're doing a detail strip)

 

[ZLDRider]

Well, no go. Still couldn't get it disassembled. I've never had any trouble before. Not sure what the issue is.

 

[Johnmuratore]

ZLD
You mentioned that you were trying with the slide stop lever in the "up" position? Are you sure you're lining up the small notch, to the rear of the slide stop notch? The lever shouldn't go up into the small notch as far as I know.

 

[Johnmuratore]

ZLD
What ever happened with this?
Did you get it worked out?

 

[SW_shooter]

I feel the OPs pain but in a different way. I got my new Series E apart but can't get it back together. Can't seem to push and hold the spring back in and turn the ring on the front of the barrel. A friend who was in the military and said he could do it with his eyes closed came over and proceeded to get the spring, rod and barrel all stuck and now none of it moves period!

I also have a S&W mod 539 that I can't budge the slide lock when I align the notch. I had it re-blued by S&W and since it came back I can't get the slide lock lever out to take off the slide.

Oy vay.....

Good Luck ZLDRider

 

[arjay]

I feel the OPs pain but in a different way. I got my new Series E apart but can't get it back together. Can't seem to push and hold the spring back in and turn the ring on the front of the barrel. A friend who was in the military and said he could do it with his eyes closed came over and proceeded to get the spring, rod and barrel all stuck and now none of it moves period!



Good Luck ZLDRider

Sounds like you need a barrel bushing wrench

 

[SW_shooter]

I have one arjay, I used it to turn the ring to release the spring. I just couldn't figure out how to use it to turn the ring back while holding the spring down. Fat fingers I guess. Plus the E series has that open ended bushing on the end of the spring and that thing digs into my finger tips and after a while my thumbs hurt from it.... yeah yeah yeah I'm a softie

 

[arjay]

Disassembling the "E" series 1911, is there a trick to it?

Lol Grip the frame and slide with your strong hand (muzzle pointing up),push the cap down with that thumb.Have the wrench just barely catch the top edge of the bushing so you can get it over the cap and then push down with it and finish the turn.