Questions about reassembling my 1911

C

Correia

New member
This is probably a stupid question, but I'm new to the world of 1911s, having just picked up my first. (Springfield ss loaded).

When I go to put the slide stop pin back in, there is this little knob or button that sticks out from in front of the bar in front of the safety. I have a hell of a time getting the slide stop back in because that knob blocks it, I have had to use some sort of tool to shove the knob in, and then insert the slide stop.

Is that correct, or is there some sort of trick to doing it right?

By the way, this thing is awesome. Even though I just had surgery a few days before, and I had no excuse for going out, I had to go put a quick 50 rounds downrange. (got home and thought I was going to die, but it was worth it). These things can shoot, even in my wobbly and shaky hands. It is worth being a pain to field strip.
 
I don't have my 1911 in front of me, but the button is a plunger with a spring behind it and another plunger at the other end to keep your safety in place.

Since I don't have mine, I always try to get the slidestop to lay against the plunger, then move the slide back until the notch in the frame lines up with the clearance notch in the slide, then push it in so that the plunger doesn't get caught in the U-shaped notch on the end of the stop lever. Make sure the plunger slides across the portion of the end of the stop that has no notch in it. Sorry I can't be more specific, but look in your manual.
 
Correia, I believe I've figured out which plunger you're talking about. If not, it goes without saying, ignore me. It is the one sticking out of the front end of the cylinder that also contains the plunger for the safety, right?

The easiest way I've found to put the slide stop back in is to move the ridged end slightly away from the slide and insert the pin most of the way so that the rear is then just below the plunger. The top of the rear of the slide stop is usually curved, so it's no big deal then to push it toward the slide, thus depressing the pin gradually. When the ridged end is rotated into place, finish pressing the pin end through the frame.

The tricky part with this approach is that you can scratch the frame if you're not careful.

Steve
 
It's usually easier to get the slide stop past the detent if you start with the slide stop slightly below the detent and then push it up and in. This will inevitably cause a small arc scratch on the frame. A small piece of paper under the stop will help prevent the scratch. Sometimes it won't be possible to this so you just have to live with the scratch.

Here's a good link on the 1911 in case you haven't already found it (there's a disassembly/reassembly section): 1911
 
Stephen, looks like we were posting at the same time. :) (I'm glad someone else mentioned "the scratch". Almost every 1911 has one eventually.)
 
Go ahead and scratch it and get over it. At least you have the satisfaction of knowing who did it. ;)
 
To paraphrase somebody I'm sure we all admire, I did not scratch that 1911. Define "scratch." :D

Glad to hear so many other people have done it, though.

And what have I got to do to get somebody to call me Steve, anyway?

Steve
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Correia:
This is probably a stupid question, but I'm new to the world of 1911s, having just picked up my first. (Springfield ss loaded).

When I go to put the slide stop pin back in, there is this little knob or button that sticks out from in front of the bar in front of the safety. I have a hell of a time getting the slide stop back in because that knob blocks it, I have had to use some sort of tool to shove the knob in, and then insert the slide stop.

Is that correct, or is there some sort of trick to doing it right?

[/quote]

Doesn't the owner's manual give you assembly,disassembly instruction?
Make sure that's right in front of you until you feel confidant in taking the gun down. Always...always check that the magazine is out of the gun and the chamber is empty!!! Can't emphasis that enough...
You might want to ask your dealer to show you the tricks and such about taking the gun down. You can ask him while he talks you thru it.
 
Believe it or not the manual doesn't say a thing about it. The reassembly section is something like: "Reverse disassembly".

I'm mostly used to field stripping Rugers and Berettas, so this was a little different. And yes I already scratched it. :)
 
Make sure that you have the smaller of the two cutouts on the slide lined up with the slide stop (already stared in its hole), take a thin bladed screw driver and while applying pressure on the slide stop, move the detent back in its tunnel. It does not take three hands to do this. Everyhting should pop in to place. After a while putting a 1911 back together will be a piece of cake.


Buy Jerry Kuhnhausen's 1911 manuals at http://www.gunbooks.com , volumn 1 is really enough to have. And look at their nifty wall charts showing the operation of the 1911.

------------------
Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
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