1911 mag release issue

Kevinfreem · July 9, 2018, 01:42 AM

Hey guys. I have a new 1911 STI that I have put around 250 rounds through. Yesterday I was at the range and had a squib that I got out using a dowel rod with a cotton cover so as not to damage the barrel. After I did this, I reseated the mag that came with the gun and it would not stay in. Basically the mag release is loose and wobbly in it's hole. Its almost like the spring for the release popped out and now no magazine will seat and stay but I admit that I had not looked at the release before this. Has anyone ever had this happen? I admit that I am pretty new to 1911s and have only torn it down to clean three times but this seems like an abnormal problem. I am already planning to contact the manufacturer but I was curious if anyone else has dealt with this and fixed it on their own.

**Aguila Blanca** · July 9, 2018, 02:00 AM

Look at the mag release from the right side. Is the slotted screw head still in place? If so, the spring cannot have escaped.

It's remotely possible that retainer (which isn't really a screw) may have rotated slightly so that it's not doing its job. To check that, you'll need a small, straight-bladed screwdriver that fits the slot well. To remove the mag catch, depress it from the left side almost all the way, while gently turning the "screw" counterclockwise. When it gets to the magic point, it'll rotate a quarter of a turn and lock in place in the mag release, allowing you to remove the entire assembly from the gun for inspection.

To reinstall, insert the mag catch in the gun, gently apply clockwise turning pressure to the "screw," and depress the mag catch until the leg on the mag catch retainer engages the slot in the receiver and the "screw" head turns a quarter of a turn. That locks the mag catch back in the gun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v1dzdO7ndA

**44 AMP** · July 9, 2018, 02:05 AM

Is the magazine catch still under spring tension??

Are all the parts still there??

Look at the right side of the magazine catch (the end opposite the button you push)
There should be a slotted "screw" head there.

It's NOT a screw. Tis the "catch" that puts tension on the spring that operates the magazine catch. It moves 1/4 turn

it is unlikely but not impossible that it has turned and engaged, taking tension off the mag catch, but check it, anyway. it is also possible that it broke and came out (along with the spring). Never heard of that happening, but its possible.

If the parts are missing, that is certainly your problem, right there.
Edit to add:
Aguila is right, and just FYI one of the "legs" of the sear spring is exactly the right size to do this.

One of the least well known aspects of the 1911 design is that other than something to push in the firing pin (and that can be anything from a fork to the GI bootlaces) the (GI spec) gun can be detail stripped to the bare frame using only the parts of the gun itself as tools. I can't think of any other design that allows that.

RickB · July 9, 2018, 10:24 AM

If the tab has broken off the mag catch lock (screw-looking thing that's not a screw), the mag catch should just fall out the right side of the gun.

If the mag catch is still being retained in the gun, but isn't working properly, the problem could be with the mag release itself, or even the slot milled in the frame for the mag catch lock.
Hopefully, the problem is with the cheapest part.

For many years, the only 1911 part I'd broken was a mag catch lock, and I still carry three of them in my range bag, when nobody else probably carries even one.

polyphemus · July 9, 2018, 11:32 AM

The hammer strut can be used to push the firing pin in to release the stop plate.

RickB · July 9, 2018, 03:22 PM

What did you use to push out the mainspring housing pin, to get at the hammer pin, to get at the . . .

You need to drive out a pin, somewhere, to get the other pins out, and the firing pin makes a nice punch for the others.

polyphemus · July 9, 2018, 04:18 PM

I think you know that the hammer can be removed before you slide the M.spring housing out.We're out of topic

reddog81 · July 9, 2018, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickB

What did you use to push out the mainspring housing pin, to get at the hammer pin, to get at the . . .

You need to drive out a pin, somewhere, to get the other pins out, and the firing pin makes a nice punch for the others.

There are plenty of videos out there showing the process. You can get the thumb safety out without any tools, use the stud on the thumb safety to press out the hammer pin, once the hammer is loose you can pull out the hammer strut and use that to push out the mainspring housing pin.

John Moses Browning intentionally designed it so it could be stripped down without any tools. If you try and take apart the gun in this manner you will note that the little items like the ledge on the top of the sear spring serve dual purposes as a screw driver for the magazine catch and the ledge on the bottom works to unscrew the grips.

Another interesting aspect of the design is that a lot of the components serve multiple purposes. The slide release/slide catch also provides the stud the barrel link pivots on to unlock the barrel and slide. The plunger tube serves detent lock for both the thumb safety and slide release. The sear spring imparts pressure on the sear, disconnector and also the grip safety along with being a screw driver as mentioned above. The firing pin stop also holds the extractor in place. And I'm probably missing a couple other multi-purpose items on the gun. All of these nuisances were built into the design over 100 years ago and not too long after the first semi-auto handguns came onto the market.

RickB · July 9, 2018, 06:29 PM

If the mainspring is under no compression with the slide removed, then yes, the hammer would be "loose".
That's not the case with all guns.

Springfields with the Internal Locking System, admittedly not a Mil-Spec gun, have a 28 pound mainspring with no retainer pin; you drive - drive - the hammer pin out and you might never see your hammer and strut again.

I'm not trying to just make up stuff for the sake of argument, I have never driven a hammer pin out with the hammer and strut under pressure from the mainspring, but if it's absolutely necessary, yes, it can be done that way.

Breaking the rules and using some other tool to remove the firing pin first, allows conventional takedown, and that would be preferable.

polyphemus · July 9, 2018, 08:49 PM

OP,did you figure out what the problem was with your magazine catch?

Kevinfreem · July 10, 2018, 12:38 AM

OP here. No I left town for a few days and have not had a chance to check it out yet. Will follow up tomorrow.

July 9, 2018, 01:42 AM	#1
Kevinfreem Member Join Date: January 10, 2017 Posts: 30	1911 mag release issue Hey guys. I have a new 1911 STI that I have put around 250 rounds through. Yesterday I was at the range and had a squib that I got out using a dowel rod with a cotton cover so as not to damage the barrel. After I did this, I reseated the mag that came with the gun and it would not stay in. Basically the mag release is loose and wobbly in it's hole. Its almost like the spring for the release popped out and now no magazine will seat and stay but I admit that I had not looked at the release before this. Has anyone ever had this happen? I admit that I am pretty new to 1911s and have only torn it down to clean three times but this seems like an abnormal problem. I am already planning to contact the manufacturer but I was curious if anyone else has dealt with this and fixed it on their own.

July 9, 2018, 02:05 AM	#3
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,832	Is the magazine catch still under spring tension?? Are all the parts still there?? Look at the right side of the magazine catch (the end opposite the button you push) There should be a slotted "screw" head there. It's NOT a screw. Tis the "catch" that puts tension on the spring that operates the magazine catch. It moves 1/4 turn it is unlikely but not impossible that it has turned and engaged, taking tension off the mag catch, but check it, anyway. it is also possible that it broke and came out (along with the spring). Never heard of that happening, but its possible. If the parts are missing, that is certainly your problem, right there. Edit to add: Aguila is right, and just FYI one of the "legs" of the sear spring is exactly the right size to do this. One of the least well known aspects of the 1911 design is that other than something to push in the firing pin (and that can be anything from a fork to the GI bootlaces) the (GI spec) gun can be detail stripped to the bare frame using only the parts of the gun itself as tools. I can't think of any other design that allows that. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

July 9, 2018, 10:24 AM	#4
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	If the tab has broken off the mag catch lock (screw-looking thing that's not a screw), the mag catch should just fall out the right side of the gun. If the mag catch is still being retained in the gun, but isn't working properly, the problem could be with the mag release itself, or even the slot milled in the frame for the mag catch lock. Hopefully, the problem is with the cheapest part. For many years, the only 1911 part I'd broken was a mag catch lock, and I still carry three of them in my range bag, when nobody else probably carries even one. __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

July 9, 2018, 03:22 PM	#6
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	What did you use to push out the mainspring housing pin, to get at the hammer pin, to get at the . . . You need to drive out a pin, somewhere, to get the other pins out, and the firing pin makes a nice punch for the others. __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

July 9, 2018, 06:29 PM	#9
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	If the mainspring is under no compression with the slide removed, then yes, the hammer would be "loose". That's not the case with all guns. Springfields with the Internal Locking System, admittedly not a Mil-Spec gun, have a 28 pound mainspring with no retainer pin; you drive - drive - the hammer pin out and you might never see your hammer and strut again. I'm not trying to just make up stuff for the sake of argument, I have never driven a hammer pin out with the hammer and strut under pressure from the mainspring, but if it's absolutely necessary, yes, it can be done that way. Breaking the rules and using some other tool to remove the firing pin first, allows conventional takedown, and that would be preferable. __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

July 9, 2018, 02:00 AM	#2
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,466	Look at the mag release from the right side. Is the slotted screw head still in place? If so, the spring cannot have escaped. It's remotely possible that retainer (which isn't really a screw) may have rotated slightly so that it's not doing its job. To check that, you'll need a small, straight-bladed screwdriver that fits the slot well. To remove the mag catch, depress it from the left side almost all the way, while gently turning the "screw" counterclockwise. When it gets to the magic point, it'll rotate a quarter of a turn and lock in place in the mag release, allowing you to remove the entire assembly from the gun for inspection. To reinstall, insert the mag catch in the gun, gently apply clockwise turning pressure to the "screw," and depress the mag catch until the leg on the mag catch retainer engages the slot in the receiver and the "screw" head turns a quarter of a turn. That locks the mag catch back in the gun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v1dzdO7ndA

July 9, 2018, 11:32 AM	#5
polyphemus Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Posts: 1,055	The hammer strut can be used to push the firing pin in to release the stop plate.

July 9, 2018, 04:18 PM	#7
polyphemus Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Posts: 1,055	I think you know that the hammer can be removed before you slide the M.spring housing out.We're out of topic

July 9, 2018, 08:49 PM	#10
polyphemus Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Posts: 1,055	OP,did you figure out what the problem was with your magazine catch?

July 10, 2018, 12:38 AM	#11
Kevinfreem Member Join Date: January 10, 2017 Posts: 30	OP here. No I left town for a few days and have not had a chance to check it out yet. Will follow up tomorrow.