Easiest way to field strip a 1911?
- Thread starter sprice
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General Geoff
Member
With a high pain tolerance and a callused thumb. 
Frog48
Member
I dont use any tools to take down any of my 1911's. A tool makes pistols with full-length guide rods a little easier to take apart, but not a necessity. Just use your thumb, in the same manner that you would a 1911 with the short GI guide rod. The first time or two it can be a bit uncomfortable, but you get used to it.
The Wiry Irishman
Member
Or use a magazine or loaded round to depress the recoil spring plug, the spin the bushing with your finger. As long as you don't have a tight-fit gun, this should work just fine.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
The easiest way?
Pull the slide back until the take-down notch aligns with the slide stop and pop it out.
Ease the slide foreword off the receiver and catch the spring and guide with your hand grasp around it.
After you get the slide off, go about breaking it down the rest of the way.
Put it back together the same way.
You have to flip the barrel link down and keep it there while starting the slide on.
Then rack it on back at the very end so the link will flip back down and align with the pin hole.
I have very seldom used the "correct" method since learning the "trick" in 1968 while gunsmithing match guns for Uncle Sugars Army.
rc
Pull the slide back until the take-down notch aligns with the slide stop and pop it out.
Ease the slide foreword off the receiver and catch the spring and guide with your hand grasp around it.
After you get the slide off, go about breaking it down the rest of the way.
Put it back together the same way.
You have to flip the barrel link down and keep it there while starting the slide on.
Then rack it on back at the very end so the link will flip back down and align with the pin hole.
I have very seldom used the "correct" method since learning the "trick" in 1968 while gunsmithing match guns for Uncle Sugars Army.
rc
earlthegoat2
Member
I field strip the same way as rcmodel. Even though I am not a believer in the full length guide rod at least it did not hamper my ability to strip it without tools.
Claude Clay
Member
i wait for my daughters boyfriend to come over
seriously, the hand fitting kimber did 10 years and 40 odd thousand rounds ago is still so tight to the frame that it only gets claeaned every 4 or 5k rounds or when it starts to cycle slower.
seriously, the hand fitting kimber did 10 years and 40 odd thousand rounds ago is still so tight to the frame that it only gets claeaned every 4 or 5k rounds or when it starts to cycle slower.
dairycreek
Member
+1 - this is the easiest way!
FiveFiveSixFan
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rcmodel, thank you! I actually went and retrieved a .45 and tried your method. The first time was a little dicey manipulating the bushing going back in but the second time was great.
John Parker
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I always used a magazine to depress the recoil spring plug before swinging the barrel bushing out of the way.
Maj Dad
Member
Cool Tip, rcmodel
That's one of the best tips I've gotten here - cheers! But come to think of it, I dissassembled one of my tight bushing-ed race guns that the guide rod & spring buggered on, and never extended the concept to the obvious. I have race guns with tight bushings that need hydraulics at times, but my Combat Commander with full-length guide rod etc etc works fine with the thumb method. With this tip, things just got slicker. It's really simpler (for me) without the bushing wrench, but if ya gotta, ya gotta.
That's one of the best tips I've gotten here - cheers! But come to think of it, I dissassembled one of my tight bushing-ed race guns that the guide rod & spring buggered on, and never extended the concept to the obvious. I have race guns with tight bushings that need hydraulics at times, but my Combat Commander with full-length guide rod etc etc works fine with the thumb method. With this tip, things just got slicker. It's really simpler (for me) without the bushing wrench, but if ya gotta, ya gotta.
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Not doing it right.
Assemble the slide, plug, barrel & bushing, and then insert the spring into the plug with the bushing captured by the plug.
Now compress the spring until you get it held in place with the barrel link swung forward, and hold the whole mess together with your hand wrapped around it while you put it back on the frame.
Once the link gets past the front of the dust cover, let it go, and rack the slide on back hard to flip the link down into place and put the pin back in.
rc
Kruzr
Member
Works great for a GI recoil plug but can be a PITA with the FLGR the OP has. This makes it even harder to depress the plug since you also have to hold the FLGR in place or it wants to angle up and it prevents the plug from being depressed.
I do my GI rod guns this way, in fact it's about the only way you will field strip a new or tight Baer. For a FLGR gun, I use my thumb nail on the edge of the open spring plug and push it in.
OurSafeHome.net
Member
Two good data points, there.
;-)
How do you do you hold slide back in the proper position then remove the slide stop without 3 hands or a really weak recoil spring ? Is there a trick I"m missing ? I'd like to find another disassembly option but normal disassembly still appears easier IMHO.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Well, I'm 65 years old and not as strong as I once was to say the least.
If I can pull the slide back with my left hand, and pop the pin out with the index finger of my grip hand, you probably should be able to as well.
rc
If I can pull the slide back with my left hand, and pop the pin out with the index finger of my grip hand, you probably should be able to as well.
rc
Kruzr
Member
The easiest way is to use an overhand grip at the rear of the gun. With your right hand, put your thumb under the grip safety. Wrap your fingers over the top of the gun. Squeeze your hand closed.
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