1911 assembly tips, please help

waterhouse · Jan 31, 2005

I've always owned sigs and glocks, and have been quite happy with them. Everyone always said they were easy to field strip, but until recently I had no idea. Just for kicks I recently got a 1911, a Kimber. I gotta say I love it.

I'm having a little trouble getting it back together though. I mean, I get it back together just fine, it just seems to take a lot of effort.

Does anyone have any tips or tricks that make reassembly a little easier? My biggest problem so far is reassembling the recoil spring plug . . .pushing it down and getting the barrel bushing to lock it in place. Any help in this area or any helpful knowledge on the rest of the field stripping process would be great.

If this is something that just takes practice to get used to I'm more than willing to put in the effort to learn, but any advise from those of you who have been doing it longer than I've been alive is appreciated.

thanks,
waterhouse

nick89302 · Jan 31, 2005

I've always been a SIG fan too, I also just bought a Kimber.

Line the bushing wrench up with the bushing and use the edge of the bushing wrench to push the plug down. If you don't have a bushing wrench handy, a magazine will work in a pinch if you can't get it down far enough with your fingers.

cerberus · Jan 31, 2005

What Kimber

Not all Kimbers have the same take down. If it's a full sized 5" you use the bushing wrench if you don't have one I highly recommend geting one. If you have the 3" or 4" Kimbers you need their small hairpin L tool a bent small paper clip works in a pinch the tool go's in small hole in recoil spring guide rod. Keep your hand off the grip safety or it will hang up on slide you will know it when this happens as it won't come off.

Just take your time and don't force anything.

waterhouse · Jan 31, 2005

thanks guys. I have the 5 inch barrel, and Nick was right on. I think earlier I didn't have the bushing all the way to the side when I started (not sure if this makes any sense) but I've done it a couple more times this evening and it's much easier now.

you live (and read stuff on the internet) and you learn

thanks,
waterhouse

Shorts · Jan 31, 2005

here's the link we used

http://www.bobtuley.com/45/pistol_11.htm

308win · Jan 31, 2005

Go to the site below and you will find a lot of good info. Also 1911Tuner on this site is a tremendous resource and very helpful.

http://www.m1911.org/m1911dt.htm

Tman · Jan 31, 2005

Waterhouse:
Make sure you wear eye protection when putting on the recoil spring/plug. I got a couple of dents in my ceiling when assembling my first 1911 :what:

RM · Jan 31, 2005

The disassembly/assembly instructions at the Kimber section of the 1911 Forum are excellent!

Sam · Feb 1, 2005

IF you need a wrench it is fit up too tight.
Should be no effort at all.

Sam

waktasz · Feb 1, 2005

Put the thumb safety on and put the plug on the spring and push the plug down on the workbench until it lines up with the bushing. It's much easier than fighting the spring with one or two fingers.

waterhouse · Feb 1, 2005

Tman makes an extremely good point about safety glasses. My dad always told me to wear them when working, and especially with springs. I didn't heed his advice yesterday, and I also put a dent in the ceiling. I just going to chalk it up to luck that I still have both eyes.

waktasz, thanks for the tip. I just tried it and it worked great.

everyone, thanks for websites, I'll be sure to read over them.

waterhouse

waktasz · Feb 1, 2005

I have a funny recoil plug story too. First time dissasembling my Para it shot off and hit the wall. I found it and put the gun back together but I couldn't get the slide to unlock. It would only travel back about 1/8" then stop. I thought I put something back together wrong so I took it apart and check the slide stop pin, etc. and put it all back together, but had the same issue.

It seems that I dented the recoil plug just enough that the FLGR couldn't pass through it at all, and therefore the gun was locked shut. Had to get a new one.

Black Majik · Feb 1, 2005

Make sure you wear eye protection when putting on the recoil spring/plug. I got a couple of dents in my ceiling when assembling my first 1911

Ditto Tman,

Also make sure the recoil plug isn't facing towards you or anyone else.

I was cleaning my Kimber last weekend with some friends over watching a movie, and my hand had some CLP on it. Boy did that recoil plug FLY!! I heard that plug richochet against my window to the door across the room. I'm really glad I pointed it somewhere "safe".

Wear eye protection and dont point the recoil plug at anythin you do not intend to destroy!

357SIG · Feb 1, 2005

I agree with Sam. You should not need a bushing wrench to assemble your 1911. The only time I can recall ever needing a bushing wrench was with a brand new Les Baer Premier II 5".

BluesBear · Feb 2, 2005

That's why so many of us still love the old GI recoil plug with the little "dimple" so you could screw it on the spring and it would stay put.

If a modern day company would start doing that again they'd sell a ship load of them.

Matt-man · Feb 2, 2005

357SIG said:
I agree with Sam. You should not need a bushing wrench to assemble your 1911. The only time I can recall ever needing a bushing wrench was with a brand new Les Baer Premier II 5".

You don't need the bushing wrench with a Kimber because the gun's tight - you need it because they have full-length guide rods and the edge of the plug is sharp. I can take the gun apart and put it back together without a wrench, but my fingers are darn sore afterwards.

Sam · Feb 7, 2005

The Curse of JMB upon you sir!

Loose the guide rod and all will be forgiven, otherwise, it's the Fire for you.

Sam

357SIG · Feb 7, 2005

Guide rod? What is this "guide rod" you speak of?

Ivy Mike · Feb 7, 2005

Best 1911 assembly tip evar.

BUY A CZ!!!!!

Stealthfixr · Feb 8, 2005

Sam is right!

I too had major issues putting my first 1911 back together without sore and bruised fingers, or plugs shooting across the room. I bought an STI Trojan, and it originally came with a FLGR. To fix this, based on Sam's advice, I bought a Wilson standard length guide rod and plug, and viola, my reassembly issues went away! Now I can take down or reassemble the guide rod & bushing business just with my fingers and not a lot of effort--a huge improvement in my book. And, it does not seem to have affected the function or accuracy of the gun in the slightest.

Now I need to work on the slide stop so I don't need something to depress the plunger to get the slide stop back into place!

1911 assembly tips, please help

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