1911 Slide Stop question
- Thread starter cobra81
- Start date
I've always been afraid of that when I reassembled my first 1911 (that and the idiot scratch a lot of people talk about).
I'm trying to picture it...but the gun should not cycle properly if your slide stop wasn't in right. Maybe you did put it in right? I'd imagine it would have felt very wrong when you first try to chamber a round.
I'm trying to picture it...but the gun should not cycle properly if your slide stop wasn't in right. Maybe you did put it in right? I'd imagine it would have felt very wrong when you first try to chamber a round.
Last edited:
I'm absolutely certain the slide stop pin wasn't through the barrel lug. I'm still amazed that the action cycled and fired dozens of times. There were two stoppages where the bolt was in battery but the trigger was not producing a hammer fall. Both times, I ejected the magazine, and racked the slide back to find a live round in the chamber. After clearing the chamber manually, I slipped the magazine back in, let the slide slam home, and resumed firing. Has anyone ever fired their 1911 without the slide stop pin through the barrel lug? I'm just curious if anything potentially hazardous could have occurred.
I presume you mean the pin missed the hole in the link.
There have been reports of very sloppy barrel fitting on the Rugers, so it might be possible for the link to miss the pin in recoil and let the barrel drop enough to unlock. (Normally, if the pin is between the link and the foot, the gun won't unlock because there is not enough room for the link to bypass the pin.) If the link then stayed in the raised position, the gun would probably function almost normally as the slide motion dragged the lugs out of engagement with the slide. (The link is not required to lock the barrel in counter-recoil; the foot rides up on the pin whether the link is there or not.)
Jim
There have been reports of very sloppy barrel fitting on the Rugers, so it might be possible for the link to miss the pin in recoil and let the barrel drop enough to unlock. (Normally, if the pin is between the link and the foot, the gun won't unlock because there is not enough room for the link to bypass the pin.) If the link then stayed in the raised position, the gun would probably function almost normally as the slide motion dragged the lugs out of engagement with the slide. (The link is not required to lock the barrel in counter-recoil; the foot rides up on the pin whether the link is there or not.)
Jim
I think that the slide stop holds the slide to the frame on a 1911. I know that if I do not catch the link the slide will come off. I don't have my SR9C here but if the stop pin doesn't engage the lug then what holds the slide onto the frame? Perhaps I am wrong but I think that you had the stop pin in right.
What alerted me to the problem was when I went to reinsert the slide stop after cleaning, following my most recent range session, the slide stop would absolutely not fit into the barrel link. Then I noticed that diameter of the hole in the link was smaller than the pin diameter! After some head scratching, I finally remembered that several months ago, when I last disassembled the weapon, the link pin fell out, and I quick put it back in, without checking for big hole, little hole. Turns out that I erroneously pinned the link to the barrel lug using the link's larger hole. Then, in a classic case of error stacking, I missed the link hole altogether when inserting the slide stop! Last night, I absolutely could not understand how that link got turned around! I honestly thought my son had attempted to clean the gun without telling me, and gotten the link reversed! I knew the gun couldn't do it itself. Then I started considering all possibilities, and the vague memory of reattaching that link during my last dissembly months ago came back to me. I sure was relieved; I thought I was experiencing the onset of senility! 
g.willikers
New member
Don't forget to remind us of this should you ever decide to sell this pistol here. 
polyphemus
New member
It is entirely possible for the barrel to cam up due to the lug's front radiused
profile but on recoil unless something pulls it down it would remain locked to the
slide.According to OP the pistol cycled fine for a few dozen rounds so something
must have been disengaging the barrel during all that firing.
He says the link was reinstalled in reverse and therefore the crosspin wouldn't
have fit anyway.So the link was then wedged somewhere under the barrel
between lug and crosspin .Methinks the slide cannot be reassembled if that's
the case and the pistol can not function.
profile but on recoil unless something pulls it down it would remain locked to the
slide.According to OP the pistol cycled fine for a few dozen rounds so something
must have been disengaging the barrel during all that firing.
He says the link was reinstalled in reverse and therefore the crosspin wouldn't
have fit anyway.So the link was then wedged somewhere under the barrel
between lug and crosspin .Methinks the slide cannot be reassembled if that's
the case and the pistol can not function.
Yes, I recommend staking the barrel foot to retain the link pin. The pin should be angled on the end to allow that to be done, and it should have been done at the factory. It makes no difference when the gun is assembled, but if it is not staked, the link pin can fall out and be lost when the gun is disassembled.
Normally, if the slide stop pin is inserted between the link and the barrel foot, the barrel is locked up and the slide cannot be moved. Worse, if the slide stop is inserted all the way (difficult), the gun will be completely unusable and the slide stop will have to be cut so it can be removed and replaced to make the gun workable.
But since the link was put in backward, and if there was a more than usual amount of play in the barrel, the barrel could have had enough room to move backward. When the link cleared the slide stop pin, the barrel could drop enough to unlock. Then, if the link was stuck in the upward (forward) position, it would clear the pin going forward, then the barrel foot will ride up on the pin and the slide will go into battery.
I will say that I have not tried the reversed link. But I have tried a 1911 with no link at all, and it did function for a couple of shots, working just that way.
Jim
Normally, if the slide stop pin is inserted between the link and the barrel foot, the barrel is locked up and the slide cannot be moved. Worse, if the slide stop is inserted all the way (difficult), the gun will be completely unusable and the slide stop will have to be cut so it can be removed and replaced to make the gun workable.
But since the link was put in backward, and if there was a more than usual amount of play in the barrel, the barrel could have had enough room to move backward. When the link cleared the slide stop pin, the barrel could drop enough to unlock. Then, if the link was stuck in the upward (forward) position, it would clear the pin going forward, then the barrel foot will ride up on the pin and the slide will go into battery.
I will say that I have not tried the reversed link. But I have tried a 1911 with no link at all, and it did function for a couple of shots, working just that way.
Jim
Last edited:
Thanks all for the sage input. I might add that I had no difficulty disassembling the 1911 after firing it in the aforementioned condition. Nothing was stuck or jammed. It seems no worse for the wear, and it is back together and cycling fine. I do plan to stake the link pin. I recall now, being surprised when the pin literally fell out during cleaning. That had never happened before, over the course of perhaps 1000 rounds.
polyphemus
New member
There you go!
Miss install the barrel link then assemble it backwards and go shoot your pistol.
30 rounds no less and all is well.
Only in America.
Miss install the barrel link then assemble it backwards and go shoot your pistol.
30 rounds no less and all is well.
Only in America.
This is the oddest thing I have heard about a 1911 since the one about the "series 80 quarter-cock shelf " which I totally misunderstood. It is in this thread.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=547404&highlight=1911
Thank you for posting this cobra81 and with your luck running the way it is maybe you should go buy a lottery ticket...good luck.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=547404&highlight=1911
Thank you for posting this cobra81 and with your luck running the way it is maybe you should go buy a lottery ticket...good luck.
re:
I got notification of this one and was asked if it was even possible.
I discovered several years ago that it's possible for the 1911 to function without the link.
As Jim pointed out, the barrel doesn't depend on the link to enter the slide, and although the link's only function is getting the barrel out of the slide at the right time...as long as the gun is held horizontal to the ground, it's entirely possible for gravity to drop the barrel and let the slide cycle. Depress or raise the muzzle a couple degrees, and it won't. The link makes sure that the barrel gets out of the way under all conditions.
There's also the issue of getting the barrel lugs clear of the slide in time to keep the lower lug from hitting the vertical impact surface before the upper lugs are completely disengaged...or "crashing" as it's called...and damaging both the upper and lower lugs.
The OP should look closely at the front corners of the upper lugs to see if they've been radiused...and at the lower lug where it joins the barrel at the rear for any sign of a light fracture, and to keep an eye on it after every trip to the range. If a crack shows up...no matter how tiny...replace the barrel.
I got notification of this one and was asked if it was even possible.
I discovered several years ago that it's possible for the 1911 to function without the link.
As Jim pointed out, the barrel doesn't depend on the link to enter the slide, and although the link's only function is getting the barrel out of the slide at the right time...as long as the gun is held horizontal to the ground, it's entirely possible for gravity to drop the barrel and let the slide cycle. Depress or raise the muzzle a couple degrees, and it won't. The link makes sure that the barrel gets out of the way under all conditions.
There's also the issue of getting the barrel lugs clear of the slide in time to keep the lower lug from hitting the vertical impact surface before the upper lugs are completely disengaged...or "crashing" as it's called...and damaging both the upper and lower lugs.
The OP should look closely at the front corners of the upper lugs to see if they've been radiused...and at the lower lug where it joins the barrel at the rear for any sign of a light fracture, and to keep an eye on it after every trip to the range. If a crack shows up...no matter how tiny...replace the barrel.
1911 slide lock pin came out
After reading this post, I'm hoping someone can help me with my recently problem. I took my new 1911 E-series 45 ACP to the range for the second time. Everything worked well on the first range trip but today, the slide stop pin popped out twice while I was firing. Before each trip I had cleaned the weapon and I've tried to follow the directions in the manual and those I've seen on line. I'm figuring I did something wrong but don't know what it might be. Any ideas on what I might have done to cause this to happen? I cleaned it when I got home and have everything back together, but don't want to have this happen again. What did I do wrong? By the way, I did get "that scratch" trying to put it back in at the range and wasn't careful. Ughhh. Thanks.
After reading this post, I'm hoping someone can help me with my recently problem. I took my new 1911 E-series 45 ACP to the range for the second time. Everything worked well on the first range trip but today, the slide stop pin popped out twice while I was firing. Before each trip I had cleaned the weapon and I've tried to follow the directions in the manual and those I've seen on line. I'm figuring I did something wrong but don't know what it might be. Any ideas on what I might have done to cause this to happen? I cleaned it when I got home and have everything back together, but don't want to have this happen again. What did I do wrong? By the way, I did get "that scratch" trying to put it back in at the range and wasn't careful. Ughhh. Thanks.
Theohazard
New member
Welcome to TFL! I recommend re-posting your question in a new thread. Even though your question is loosely related to this thread, it's still somewhat derailing the original topic. You'll almost certainly get better responses if you open a new thread with a title like "1911 slide stop falls out when I shoot".SH2pilot said:
g.willikers
New member
You could try another slide stop and/or link, to see if it fits tighter.
Although, it could be that the holes are drilled slightly large, or maybe a little slanted.
Or you could do what an original thinker at our club did when his 1911 acted that way.
He replaced the slide stop with a nut and bolt.
Not a recommendation and hardly an approved gunsmithing method, but it worked.
Granted it was in the middle of a match and he needed to continue.
He had to chamber rounds with the overhand slingshot method, but he did that anyway.
Although, it could be that the holes are drilled slightly large, or maybe a little slanted.
Or you could do what an original thinker at our club did when his 1911 acted that way.
He replaced the slide stop with a nut and bolt.
Not a recommendation and hardly an approved gunsmithing method, but it worked.
Granted it was in the middle of a match and he needed to continue.
He had to chamber rounds with the overhand slingshot method, but he did that anyway.
I'd say look at the slide stop, and the detent plunger. There should be a little "dimple" in the slide stop for the nose of the plunger to fit into. This keeps the slide stop in place, plus providing the tension needed for it to work.
Some "improved" designs use a flat face on the slide stop, and rely only on the friction produced by the spring tension of the detent. Those can work loose and fall out. Not sure which your gun is supposed to be, but if the latter, its not working.
Good luck.
Some "improved" designs use a flat face on the slide stop, and rely only on the friction produced by the spring tension of the detent. Those can work loose and fall out. Not sure which your gun is supposed to be, but if the latter, its not working.
Good luck.