Fieldstrip 1911 RIA Problem Putting It Back Together.

By take down pin, do you mean Slide Stop, or is something different on RIA 1911’s?

This is not uncommon. The shape of the slide stop, the shape of the front plunger pin, and the strength of the plunger spring all come into play when you try to put the slide stop back in the pistol. A common modification that makes this task easier can be seen here: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/a-question-for-1911-shooters.881378/#post-11779905

There are other ways to deal with this issue. You can put a credit card between the plunger and the slide stop to act as a wedge as you push the slide stop in. You can remove the thumb safety thus eliminating contact between the plunger and the slide stop. You'll still need to compress the spring when you put the thumb safety back in place. Some folks use a chop stick to push the plunger backwards as they push the slide stop in.

It may not be the plunger, spring, or slide stop at all. Maybe the link pin hole isn't lining up with the the slide stop cross pin. Maybe the barrel's lower lugs are not correctly fit to the slide stop cross pin. Maybe the slide stop hole was drilled incorrectly. So many possibilities.

I suggest doing the simplest things things first as they are almost always the cause of malfunctions. In this case I'd field strip the pistol. With the stripped frame in one hand, put the barrel in place and fully down and to the rear. Then see if the slide stop cross pin will easily pass through the frame and the link pin. If it does then there's nothing intrinsically wrong and you just need to hit upon a method that will allow you to push the slide stop back in place more easily than that can be accomplished now/.

If1HitU said:

... till I tried to put the take down pin back in. This morning I took it to a Gunsmith and he had a problem putting the pin back too.

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Steve in Allentown said:

This is not uncommon.

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I agree with Steve, as I occasionally get the slide stop to hang up, and have to start over, but I also found many of the responses from forum members in this thread

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/a-question-for-1911-shooters.881378/

that they never had trouble putting the slide stop back in interesting. A big thumbs up to those folks for their great skill, quality firearms and parts, and good fortune.

You can watch an experienced shooter like Hickok45 have trouble with his slide stop beginning at about the 16:20 mark of this video. Admittedly, Hickok45 is a known Glock shooter, but he's old enough to have a bunch of experience with a 1911.

Some go back together smooth and simple. Some I need a thin knife blade, or a chop stick etc whatever is at hand.

I had colts and sistemas etc all went back in smoothly.

Springfield seems to need help pushing in plunger pin, ria too. Maybe some cheaper brands are just tighter and needing broken in?

John Browning is rolling over in his grave.
Carried one in the Army for two years in the mud of monsoon and dirt and dust of the dry seasons, besides the detent most troubles the troops had was just aligning the link with the frame hole so we taught them to hole the pistol upside down and look through the hole and tilt till the matched up.

Good luck and try to learn how because you need to clean your own 1911 Pistol.

there is a motion where you line it up with the slide notch right over the hole, and you put the part directly over it. I downward and slightly upward push gets it in, no idiot scratch risk. This is assuming you have the bushing turned, and the plunger/spring under zero tension. It can be more difficult if you have to fight your springs too.

I have the same model/caliber pistol. Mine is close tolerance, as you describe, in seating the slide stop. I dabbed some grease on the plunger the first time or two I stripped it. It pops in smoothly now. No scratches.

----Note: Dis-, and >> Reassembly <<-----

If1HitU: Just in case somebody else also struggles with these.
I - without exception- always go first, to Youtube.

At 16:54 he seems to be successful. He had rechecked the swivels at 16:27 before finishing the reassembly.

My S&W 3rd Gen. (semi-autos) seem to have a similar design of the takedown pins.
Without the best videos (fully-illuminated, with explanations and closer views than in This video), I never would have attempted a detailed strip of my P6 and S&W 6904.

I had a hard time with the one on my TISAS the other day. Holding it upside down helped for me, too. My gun is really tight.

Just use something to depress the plunger and get it out of the way of the stop pin while you hold the slide lined up (you can see the holes line up inside). A small jeweler's flat screwdriver, the edge of a credit card, etc. Purists are going to deride this method as the chicken's way out, but it's stupid to have to bring your gun to a gunsmith for something you can so easily learn to do yourself. Do what works and who gives a rip about what others think.

Or you can just say screw it and put it in below the plunger and then rotate it up into position to generate the classic 1911 "idiot mark".

The holster wear up front is much worse I bought it to use it, not admire it as "art". End of disassembly/re-assembly "problems".

I recommend the slide stop modification referenced above. You'll be glad you did!

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/a-question-for-1911-shooters.881378/#post-11779905