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So now it is inoperable because a part the size of a half eaten pea fell out during a normal field stripping.
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Not inoperable. The pin can't walk out when the gun is assembled.
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I have only owned one 1911 in my life. That was a Springfield Loaded model back in the late '90s. I don't remember that pin being "loose" on that gun.
Is this normal?
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Nope. It's probably a simple matter of the pin being undersized or the hole being a little too large for the standard pin...but it can also be an issue with the barrel stopping on the link and loosening the pin's fit in the hole. Nominally, there should be a .0005-inch interference fit.
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A gun that is built to spec will have the link pin staked in place.
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Built to spec, the pin is a press-fit. Staking is unnecessary, and is usually employed as a field expedient repair to prevent pin loss during field-stripping.
The issue is to find out
why the pin is loose. Sizing isn't a problem unless the hole is wallowed out. Link pins are available in .0005 inch increments.
Stopping on the link, or the barrel hitting the frame bed before hitting the vertical impact surface can be a barrel-destroying problem. I've seen lower lugs pulled loose from the barrel...a few all the way through the chamber. Bad JuJu.