[taliv]

i'm quite fond of my 1911, but one of the things that has been bugging me is that i can't take the thing apart without an allen wrench (2-piece guide rod).

it's not too big of a deal, even though this is the gun i carry, since i can't think of a situation where i would want to field strip and wouldn't have my range bag and allen wrenches on hand.

however, all my other pistols can be stripped w/o tools. and this is just one of those nagging things in the back of my mind, like the nightmares people have about being naked.

I'm wondering, has anyone found a clever way to solve this?

I'm thinking about cutting an allen wrench down to about 1-inch and drilling a hole through it and putting it on my key ring. maybe somebody knows of a product like this already?

[Brian Williams]

With the 1911 fully safe, mag out and chamber empty, and your fingertip on the back side of the gun pushing on the slide lock pin, pull the slide back to the rear until the slide lock can be pushed out and removed, then let the slide slowly move to the front and off the frame. The guide rod and captured spring can be removed when the slide is off and then remove the barrel. To return to position, put the barrel in the slide and the guide rod and spring back in and slide the slide on the frame and when the slide stop pin lines up with the link and put it in and keep pushing the slide back until the slide stop slips into the assembly slot.

I even field strip my 1911 Sistema this way, but the GI style guide rod and spring with plug makes it hard to reassemble this way.

[stans]

If you are worried that you might need to field strip this 1911 without tools I suggest swapping out the full length rod and open end plug for a standard short rod and closed end plug.

[taliv]

i could take the slide off the frame that way, but i still couldn't get the 2-piece guide rod out of the slide without unscrewing it

[WhoKnowsWho]

If it is loose enough, you can pull the slide back and lock it and turn the guide rod by hand, could be tough if it is tight though.

I just spend a few bucks and got a standard Ed Brown plug and guide. Works the same, easier to disassemble, no two piece to come loose.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=1357&title=RECOIL+PLUG+%26+GUIDE+for+1911+AUTO

[Black Majik]

The easy answer is to ditch that 2 piece guide rod system and go for the GI spring and plug instead.

No allen key to fumble with, and it makes it easier to disassemble/reassemble.