mainspring housing removal

Jalex · March 22, 2005, 11:00 PM

I have a Kimber tle II that I would like to add a magwell to.
Kimber offers the magwell with the mainspring housing.
Other than routine cleaning I have never disassembeled
a 1911.
How do you remove the housing?
Any special tools required?
I have done some work on other guns just nothing like this.

thanks
Jim

cuate · March 23, 2005, 01:04 AM

disassembly is simple.....Pistol unloaded, double check the barrel, magazine out. I remove the grips, and take a small punch and tap the pin at the lower end of the housing out.
The housing can then be removed.

Making sure that the hammer is against the firing pin, the flat three legged spring in its slot, push the new housing into its slot, align the hole for the pin with a punch on one side and insert the retaining pin and gently tap in until it is seated.

Put the grips back on and cycle the slide and make sure that the hammer falls (on empty pistol) when trigger is pulled. Thats about it.

mikikanazawa · March 23, 2005, 02:34 AM

What Cuate said. But, the funnel shape of the magwell doesn't match the shape of the add-on magwell. You'll have to blend them if you're anal about appearance of the finished product. You'll also have to fit a set of square-bottom grips (again if you're anal about appearance). Regular 1911 grips have a bevel at the bottom and won't sit flush to the speed chute.

Robert Hairless · March 23, 2005, 03:08 AM

What mikikanazawa said to supplement what Cuate said but with some additional supplementary information. (Whew! This is exhausting.

)

First, and assuming that the Kimber you're talking about is single stack, my guess is that the Kimber part you're talking about is made by Smith & Alexander. It's an integrated mainspring housing and magazine guide. At any rate you need to know that Smith & Alexander offer several options that might interest you. Take a look at their web site to see what I mean. If you're going to do the installation instead of having Kimber do it, you might as well get what suits you best. Do take special note that S&A offers it also in aluminum and in a slim line version: you can go light or you can go thin. Thin is good if you have small hands. If you do go thin make sure to get thin full length grips from S&A. They have standard full length grips too. Their grips are good.

Second, here are some points about driving out the pin that holds the mainspring housing. It comes out from left to right: look for the cupped end of the pin and put your punch into that cup. Before you put your punch into that cup put a little bit of masking tape there so you don't mar the pin or the frame when you drive out the pin. Before you do anything make sure that the pistol is unloaded and that there's no magazine in the pistol and that the pistol is unloaded and that there's no round in the chamber and that it's unloaded for real. When you drive out the pin make sure the hammer is down: if the hammer is cocked there is pressure on the pin, which makes driving it out hard and produces unnecessary wear. In case I forgot to mention it, make really sure that the pistol is unloaded.

Jalex · March 23, 2005, 06:59 AM

Thank you for the advice, I thought it was fairly
simple just wanted to make sure.
Really can't see sending gun back to do a job like that.

Thanks again
Jim

1911Tuner · March 23, 2005, 07:36 AM

Three things...

Make sure that the left sear spring leaf is on top of the left sear leg, or the hammer won't cock. Probably the most common reassembly mistake...
If the hammer won't cock...don't panic. Just get the sear spring on the
sear.

Make sure that the center leaf is lying on the angle of the disconnect.
Some sear springs can be a little short on the middle leg...(I know...I know...
I left it wide open with that one.)

If the leg is a little on the short side,
it's possible for it to kink slightly at the top. I've known of two unexpected
full-auto events directly related to this. Fun when you expect it...Dangerous when you don't...and probably illegal if you do it on purpose.

Make sure that the hammer strut is in its slot in the grip safety, and not caught between the safety and the sear spring...AND...centered in the
mainspring cap instead of on the sides of the cap well.

Luck to ya, neighbor!

March 22, 2005, 11:00 PM	#1
Jalex Member Join Date: February 10, 2005 Location: mid michigan Posts: 30	mainspring housing removal I have a Kimber tle II that I would like to add a magwell to. Kimber offers the magwell with the mainspring housing. Other than routine cleaning I have never disassembeled a 1911. How do you remove the housing? Any special tools required? I have done some work on other guns just nothing like this. thanks Jim

March 23, 2005, 01:04 AM	#2
cuate Junior member Join Date: February 18, 2005 Location: Comanche Co. Texas Posts: 737	Mainspring housing removal disassembly is simple.....Pistol unloaded, double check the barrel, magazine out. I remove the grips, and take a small punch and tap the pin at the lower end of the housing out. The housing can then be removed. Making sure that the hammer is against the firing pin, the flat three legged spring in its slot, push the new housing into its slot, align the hole for the pin with a punch on one side and insert the retaining pin and gently tap in until it is seated. Put the grips back on and cycle the slide and make sure that the hammer falls (on empty pistol) when trigger is pulled. Thats about it.

March 23, 2005, 07:36 AM	#6
1911Tuner Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2004 Location: NC Piedmont/Foothills Posts: 666	MSH Removal/Replacement Three things... Make sure that the left sear spring leaf is on top of the left sear leg, or the hammer won't cock. Probably the most common reassembly mistake... If the hammer won't cock...don't panic. Just get the sear spring on the sear. Make sure that the center leaf is lying on the angle of the disconnect. Some sear springs can be a little short on the middle leg...(I know...I know... I left it wide open with that one.) If the leg is a little on the short side, it's possible for it to kink slightly at the top. I've known of two unexpected full-auto events directly related to this. Fun when you expect it...Dangerous when you don't...and probably illegal if you do it on purpose. Make sure that the hammer strut is in its slot in the grip safety, and not caught between the safety and the sear spring...AND...centered in the mainspring cap instead of on the sides of the cap well. Luck to ya, neighbor! __________________ If your front porch collapses and kills more than three dogs...You just might be a redneck

March 23, 2005, 02:34 AM	#3
mikikanazawa Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2004 Posts: 449	What Cuate said. But, the funnel shape of the magwell doesn't match the shape of the add-on magwell. You'll have to blend them if you're anal about appearance of the finished product. You'll also have to fit a set of square-bottom grips (again if you're anal about appearance). Regular 1911 grips have a bevel at the bottom and won't sit flush to the speed chute.

March 23, 2005, 03:08 AM	#4
Robert Hairless Member Join Date: May 21, 2004 Posts: 47	What mikikanazawa said to supplement what Cuate said but with some additional supplementary information. (Whew! This is exhausting. ) First, and assuming that the Kimber you're talking about is single stack, my guess is that the Kimber part you're talking about is made by Smith & Alexander. It's an integrated mainspring housing and magazine guide. At any rate you need to know that Smith & Alexander offer several options that might interest you. Take a look at their web site to see what I mean. If you're going to do the installation instead of having Kimber do it, you might as well get what suits you best. Do take special note that S&A offers it also in aluminum and in a slim line version: you can go light or you can go thin. Thin is good if you have small hands. If you do go thin make sure to get thin full length grips from S&A. They have standard full length grips too. Their grips are good. Second, here are some points about driving out the pin that holds the mainspring housing. It comes out from left to right: look for the cupped end of the pin and put your punch into that cup. Before you put your punch into that cup put a little bit of masking tape there so you don't mar the pin or the frame when you drive out the pin. Before you do anything make sure that the pistol is unloaded and that there's no magazine in the pistol and that the pistol is unloaded and that there's no round in the chamber and that it's unloaded for real. When you drive out the pin make sure the hammer is down: if the hammer is cocked there is pressure on the pin, which makes driving it out hard and produces unnecessary wear. In case I forgot to mention it, make really sure that the pistol is unloaded.

March 23, 2005, 06:59 AM	#5
Jalex Member Join Date: February 10, 2005 Location: mid michigan Posts: 30	Thank you for the advice, I thought it was fairly simple just wanted to make sure. Really can't see sending gun back to do a job like that. Thanks again Jim