Getting Rid of My 1911

[vba]

That said, the 1911 isn't THAT bad. However, I will agree that fighting the recoil spring/guide rod, lining up the stop so that it doesnt scratch the gun can be a bit of a chore.

Why do you have to "fight the recoil spring and guide rod?? The recoil spring does not have to be captured by the plug and barrel bushing to put the slide stop in, do that after.

Lots of delicate people on the site.

 

[entropy]

Put he pin back in with no spring tension on it. It's much easier that way. It's not like it's hard top compress the recoil spring in afterwards.

 

[Walkalong]

Here is the place to groove a slide stop for easy insertion past non-spec plungers.
https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=214653&highlight=idiot

Cool, but all I have ever done is round that edge off a little where it rides over the pin.

 

[Fiv3r]

Why do you have to "fight the recoil spring and guide rod?? The recoil spring does not have to be captured by the plug and barrel bushing to put the slide stop in, do that after.

Lots of delicate people on the site.

How Incredibly High Road of you

What I am saying is that, yes it does take more effort to monkey with the recoil spring and the bushing of a 1911 than it does to simply thumb in a captured recoil spring as found on a modern handgun like a Glock or press in a guide rod and spring assembly of a 92fs.

It's not a matter of me tossing the pieces aside in a huff...you know, being the delicate flower that I am. It's a simple observation that not having to screw around with a spring and barrel bushing at all is easier than...well, than screwing around with a recoil spring and barrel bushing.

I love the 1911. I've had 5 of them. I still have one and plan to keep it. It's a great range gun and a capable soldier for home defense. I don't begrudge anyone who carries or favors it. It's a tad heavy for me, but that's to be expected, obviously.

However, for all the merits of pointability or stopping power or reliability as regaled in storied tales of the 1911 compared to any other gun (be it a Beretta or a Glock or pretty much any other gun design that is not over 100 years old), "Way easier to field strip and reassemble back together" isn't one of them.

I think that is a quantifiable and objective observation despite the fortitude (or lack there of) of myself and anyone else who finds other pistols easier to field strip's composition.

 

[Dokk]

1911 protip: If you have been having to resort to using foreign objects to keep the barrel link aligned properly to insert the slide stop... simply hold the gun upside down so that the slide is on the bottom and the frame on top. This causes the barrel link to rest on the recoil spring guide and the slide stop pin can be inserted cleanly.

This was how I learned to reassemble my first 1911. A few years later and I could do it without turning the gun upside down, but this technique is what helped me grasp the concept. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

CornCod, if you have a Glock disassembly tool (or even a paper clip) you can often align the barrel link fairly easily. I certainly respect your choice to sell the gun if that's what you really want, I just hate to see anyone part with a 1911.

 

[splattergun]

I have owned a 1911 for well over 20 years. Its a hoot to shoot and super-accurate. However, every time I field strip the thing and attempt to reassemble it the reassembly turns into a farce. I can never get the slide stop through the pistol into the barrel link. I eventually get it but only after hours of yelling, cussing, swearing and aggravating my wife. This evening after a couple of hours, I just gave up and put it in a box. I will pay a gunsmith to put it together and sell the thing ASAP. No complaint to the late Mr. Browning, he eventually refined his theories and invented with Mr. Saive, the Hi-Power, which takes me all of 5 seconds to reassemble.

Ruger finally straightened out its iconic .22 this year. The only reason I keep my Ruger Mark II is because I give it a WD-40 bath and dry it off and its works fine. However the Mk II isn't a self-defense gun and the 1911 is and self-defense guns should be field stripped and cleaned frequently.

Farewell 1911, I just don't need the aggravation and a potential heart attack at age 57! Its a fine gun for the mechanically inclined, but not for me.

What's wrong with a heart attack at 57? I was 56 for mine, and certainly not the youngest on the cardiac ward by a long shot.

 

[MedWheeler]

^^ What isn't wrong with a heart attack at 57? Or at any age?

In 25+ years of EMS, I've yet to have a MI patient tell me his or hers was "right."

 

[HisSoldier]

One night I disassembled and reassembled one of mine in the pitch darkness just to see if I could, it was easy.

Do it over and over until you get it through your head exactly what needs to be done when. What got it together the last time is exactly what will get it together next time, but a lot of false steps that slow you down and don't get it together need to be identified and disposed of, I expect you are doing the wrong things over and over because you have forgotten that they didn't work before.
I disassembled one of my Remington 51's the other day, it had been so long I'd forgotten how they go back together. "Ah Hah!" I said to myself, "Youtube!".
And that was that, youtube remembers better than I do.