How to detail strip a 1911?

[DaveInPA]

So . . . . I'd like to learn to detail strip my 1911s to give them a good deep cleaning every now and then. But. . I've only ever field stripped them. How hard is a detail strip/reassembly? I'm scared I'll either break something, lose parts, or not be able to get it back together and have to take it to a gunsmith and look like a moron!

How do I go about learning how to do it?

Thanks
Dave

[tomh1426]

Watch these a few times http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P4XJTKzKEU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bh6K...eature=related

[ranburr]

Very simple and you won't break anything. Do your field strip. Then take your slide. Push in on the firing pin and slide the FP stop down. Make sure to keep your thumb in the way so the firing pin doesn't fly out. Remove the the FP and spring. The FP stop also hold the extractor in place. You will see a slot on the right side. Insert a small screwdriver or the firing pin and use it to pull out the extractor. Your slide is now completely stripped. Take the frame and look for the pin found at the base of your mainspring housing. Make sure that your hammer is in the forward, non-cocked position. Knock out the pin holding the MSH in place and slide the housing down and off the frame. Take the MSH and push down on the little plunger inside the top off the housing. Simoultaneously pushing out the tiny pin from the backside of the housing. Be careful, it is under a lot of spring tension. Dump out the contentst. Your MSH is now stripped. Now, hold the frame as if you were going to shoot the pistol. Take and pull/wiggle your thumb safety free. Your hammer will be in the cocked position. Be careful that when you remove the thumb safety that you don't let the plunger tube spring shoot out. Once the thumb safety is removed, you can now remove the grip safety. Once it is out of the way simply pull out the sear spring. If it is not already out, remove the spring from the plunger tube. Now push out the frame pins that are holding the hammer, sear and disconnect. Those parts should pretty much fall out once the pins are removed. Now, get a small flat head screwdriver. Turn the little screw on the right side of the mag release. You must do this while at the same time slightly engaging the mag release. It will then drop right out. Once the mag release is out, the trigger will slide right out the back of the frame. You have now completely stripped your 1911.

[Doggieman]

this is my favorite set of vids on youtube for detail stripping a 1911. Series 80 is a little different but watch this a few times for basics then do some research on series 80 if you have one.

Disassembly:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SEBrkF0sMgI

Reassembly parts 1 and 2
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1Bh6K5rNenc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RBhk2LKE8_c

[starshooter231]

I am only guessing that all 1911s come apart the same way. So I would recommend checking out taurusarmed.net in the 1911 section they have a very good writeup with pics on how to disassemble your PT1911.

[ranburr]

this is my favorite set of vids on youtube for detail stripping a 1911. Series 80 is a little different but watch this a few times for basics then do some research on series 80 if you have one.

Disassembly:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SEBrkF0sMgI

Not a bad video, but a couple of issues. He removed the thumb safety out of sequence, (makes it more difficult to remove other parts). Do as he says and not as he does (have the hammer de-cocked while removing MSH, this is why you don't remove the thumb safety when he did). Also, he didn't strip the MSH. Never remove the plunger tube (it should be crimped on and requires a crimping tool to re-install). Finally, don't remove an ejector unless you are replacing it.

[Doggieman]

didn't separate the hammer strut from the hammer or the barrel link from the barrel either... but I can't imagine one would ever need to do those things unless they dropped their gun in a bucket of paint.

[ranburr]

Watch these a few times http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P4XJTKzKEU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bh6K...eature=related

The animation video is accurate. The guy gets his Norinco back together, but he is once again a little out of sequence. The MSH should be the last thing installed on the frame (excluding grips). Also, when installing the sear spring, install the lip on the bottom into the cut out on the frame. This will insure that you install it correctly. The Norinco guy just makes things a little harder than they need to be.

[ranburr]

well,.he

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didn't separate the hammer strut from the hammer or the barrel link from the barrel either... but I can't imagine one would ever need to do those things unless they dropped their gun in a bucket of paint.
__________________

When you detail strip a 1911, you need to strip, clean, and lube the internals of the MSH. If you have never done this, you may be surprised when you get into it. This often overlooked area is critical to the function of your pistol.

[airlar73]

I had trouble finding any good Series 80 videos where people weren't slamming the hammer into the frame without the slide on or where they explained anything in detail - these are good, and this guy has a pretty good system for putting all those little parts back in without struggling:

Disassembly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWjHv...eature=related

Reassembly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr5Wm...eature=related

[MidwestRookie]

thank you newbie for posting in a 3.5 year old thread..much appreciated.

what would all the 1911 owners have done without you?

[Chris_B]

thank you newbie for posting in a 3.5 year old thread..much appreciated.

what would all the 1911 owners have done without you?

I own three 1911 pattern pistols, an Auto-Ordnance, A Colt Series 70 from 1978, and a Colt Model of 1911 from 1918. The animation linked to in this thread walked me through a trigger replacement in my A-O 2 years ago

I was not born with all the information in my head, and I didn't become an expert on the 1911 by purchasing one. Nobody did

It was cool to see the animation again and yes, it would be helpful to 1911 owners

What's not helpful is calling a new member a name and putting him down. I don't like the 'newbie' nonsense. TFL isn't about that kind of horsehockey. Make an effort to be a little more friendly please

[Micahweeks]

Well stated, Chris. We welcome the participation of all members, new or old, and are not in the business of bashing people.

[mrray13]

I, for one, am glad he bumped this. Like Chris B, it helps to see the video again. I don't detail strip 1911s daily, so it's not second nature. In fact, I'm on my third 1911, only once did I fully, sans barrel link and hammer/hammer strut, detail strip any of them.

The current 1911 had two features the other two (three if you count the dept issued one) didn't, ambi safety and full length guide rod. Heck, I foolishly asked for a bushing wrench, not knowing you needed an allen wrench for the guide rod.

Guess I'm still a newbie too.

[Aguila Blanca]

When you detail strip a 1911, you need to strip, clean, and lube the internals of the MSH.

Why?

For all the 1911s I've worked on, I have never opened up a mainspring housing and found any gunk or junk inside that could affect function. How do you lube a coil spring?

[Te Anau]

How about a link to a non-video,old fashioned book type disassembly?
Wheres a real good one?

[James K]

DO NOT, repeat, DO NOT remove the sights, the ejector, the grip screw bushings or the safety/slide stop spring tunnel. Those were intended to be parts of a permanent assembly to be removed only if absolutely necessary for replacement.

Jim