I have an old Colt 1911 in pieces and...

[Zeebrahed]

...I need to have a new plunger tube installed onto the frame. This gun is very mint in every way, but when I got the gun I noticed the the plunger tube was damaged. I need to remove this one and fix it right.

I know there is a tool to do this correctly, but it is alot of $$$.

Is there any other way I can perform this simple operation without the expensive tool?

 

[WINTERVILLE WILL]

That plunger tube is staked to the frame and yes, you need a special tool to do a replacement job right. Check with Brownell's.

 

[hammer4nc]

I'd venture that your local gunsmith would install one for about half what the special pliers cost.

 

[James K]

If the plunger tube is not too badly damaged, it can be expanded back out using a rounded piece of drill rod of the right size. (You will have to turn a piece to the exact inside diameter of the plunger tube.) This can be done with the tube on the gun.

There is no special trick to staking those tubes, the trick is to have either a bench block or a staking block to keep the tube from being crushed. This can also be done by using the same drill rod idea and inserting it into the tube, but that is not as good as the block.

Jim