Para Ord Firing Pin problem

[bobnailer]

I have a broken-in new Para Ordnance GI Expert Govn't model.
After my last shooting session in which I shot 200 rounds of .45acp, I performed a takedown of the pistol for cleaning and tried to remove the firing pin stop to take out the firing pin and spring for cleaning... get it? "spring cleaning?" Anywho, as I was pushing in the firing pin, it would not push in far enough for the firing pin stop to slide downwards.

I don't know if there is some other trick to Para Ords or not, never owned one before now. I did a takedown of my Springer Commander 1911 and the firing pin pushed in just fine and the firing pin stop slid out okay.

Any ideas on why my Para Ord is not being cooperative?

BobNailer

 

[amd6547]

It is a series 80-style 1911 with the firing pin safety...believe you have to depress the firing pin safety in order for the firing pin to move far enough forward....

 

[earlthegoat2]

It is a series 80-style 1911 with the firing pin safety...believe you have to depress the firing pin safety in order for the firing pin to move far enough forward....

yes and yes

 

[bobnailer]

Hmmmm... doh!
Um, I didn't think of that.
Oddly, I have a Springer Champion that has the same kind of firing pin safety but I've never actuated it (the firing pin safety), I'm guessing the Para Ord firing pin safety comes activated straight from the factory.
Great! Thanks for the answer!
Bob

 

[Kruzr]

Hmmmm... doh!
Um, I didn't think of that.
Oddly, I have a Springer Champion that has the same kind of firing pin safety but I've never actuated it (the firing pin safety), I'm guessing the Para Ord firing pin safety comes activated straight from the factory.
Great! Thanks for the answer!
Bob

That wouldn't be "Oddly" it would be extremely odd since Springfield doesn't use a firing pin safety.

 

[JTQ]

bobnailer wrote,
I have a Springer Champion that has the same kind of firing pin safety but I've never actuated it (the firing pin safety), I'm guessing the Para Ord firing pin safety comes activated straight from the factory.

Possibly a terminology issue here, but as mentioned above, Springfield does not put a firing pin safety on their 1911's. They do have an ILS though while the ParaUSA does not.

For information on the Series 80 firing pin safety

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/tech/s80fpb.htm

and how to disassemble a slide with a Series 80 firing pin.

http://www.m1911.org/stripin1.htm

 

[bobnailer]

Ok, so I finally got around to removing the firing pin from my new Para Ord GI Expert, let me say that it took 45 minutes for me to get the firing pin cover removed without denting/scratching/damaging it; the firing pin cover was really wedged in to the slide. My Springer Champion's firing pin cover was simple to remove, so was the one on my Kimber Ultra Raptor.

I had to use two Allen wrenches, one to depress the firing pin, the other to depress the firing pin release, once the firing pin and pin release were depressed, the firing pin stayed depressed, but the firing pin cover would not slide. Long story short, I had to use a small flathead screwdriver and a hammer to knock the firing pin cover out. I removed the firing pin but the firing pin spring would not come out like it does on my other two 1911's. So I cleaned the firing pin, squirted CLP into the firing pin channel to "clean" the firing pin spring, CLP'd the firing pin, re-installed it, and went to slide the firing pin cover back into position and found I had to use the hammer/screwdriver routine to get it back in. BTW, I used extra long pipe cleaners (that I use on my XM15) to clean the firing pin channel and the inside of the firing pin spring that would not come out.

The fit of the firing pin cover and the spring is way too tight.
I'm not a gunsmith (but I play one on TV... j/k) so I'm going to take it to my local gunsmith and ask "***?" and see what he says.

Otherwise, it's reassembled, function checked 100%, good to go.

Bob