1911 reassembly

[middy]

I detail stripped my Springfield WWII Mil-Spec last night. Getting it apart was easy. Putting it back together was easy, even the disconnect and sear were no problem, until I got to the mainspring housing. I don't have the strongest hands, and pushing it in far enough to pin it was pretty challenging for me. Bruised my thumb. Then, putting the hammer in was impossible. I ended up pinning the hammer back in first, and then putting the MSH back on. I breathed a sigh of relief when I got it all back together and it passed all tests... I was sure I was doing something wrong. Detail stripping my Glock required no brain or hand effort, the 1911 requires both.

Does anyone have any reassembly tips that would make this easier?

 

[Shmackey]

Not sure why you'd have to "put the hammer in" after the MSH. You sure you've got the order right?

See here:

http://m1911.org/full_striping.htm

 

[1911Tuner]

Hammer it!

Schmackey nailed it. The hammer goes in first...then the sear spring, and then the mainspring housing.

Your ILS-equipped Springfield came with a small tool for the mainspring housing. It looks like a boomerang. Cock the hammer and insert one end into the hole at the top right corner of the housing. That keeps your
mainspring captive. The original design has a small pin in the hole that
accomplishes the same thing, except that it's not supposed to come out
after assembling the gun. The mainspring housing and all its internals
come out and go back in as a unit.

Good show, lad! Do it a few more times and you'll be able to strip it blindfolded in just a minute or so.

Luck!

Tuner

 

[Zach S]

Whenever I detail strip mine blindfolded it takes me about 30 minutes to get the sear and disconnector back in. Series 80 safeties are still a PITA when I can see what I'm doing.

 

[1911Tuner]

Blind Strip

Zach said:

Whenever I detail strip mine blindfolded it takes me about 30 minutes to get the sear and disconnector back in.

I meant strip...not reassemble.

 

[Zach S]

Ahhh, I just woke up. Nicotine no work yet

 

[Shmackey]

Anyone who can reassemble a Series 80 gun blindfolded has my highest respect.

I'm a believer in the Series 80 parts, but I would never claim that they're very easy to assemble.

 

[middy]

Hmmm... I was following the instructions here, then just going in the opposite order to reassemble. (Why is there no reassembly tutorial anywhere if it's different?)

Your ILS-equipped Springfield came with a small tool for the mainspring housing. It looks like a boomerang. Cock the hammer and insert one end into the hole at the top right corner of the housing. That keeps your mainspring captive.

I tried that, but it seemed like the mainspring wouldn't compress enough to let me pin it until I took that little tool out of the hole.

I'll do it again tonight. No pain no gain.

 

[Shmackey]

I tried that, but it seemed like the mainspring wouldn't compress enough ...

Make sure the hammer's cocked when you're doing this. Otherwise, the hammer strut is too low.

 

[1911Tuner]

Instructions

Middy...just pop on over to THR's Gunsmithing Forum. There's
a sticky thread second from the top called:The Consolidated
1911 Clinic Thread" Open'er up and browse around a little.

Luck!

Tuner