Disassembly Dangers

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ripcurlksm

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I want to break down my 1911 Kimber Eclipse trigger mechanism and firing pin assembly to give it a good clean and also take a good look at it. I feel it is very important to know how every aspect of your weapon functions and interacts. With this said, is there any tricks or advice that anyone can throw out there off the top of your head?
 
Ewwww this is a good one, I like to take pictures of my weapons when I completely field strip them. This way I can have pictures of the way it used to be before I got to it.:neener:

Also make sure that you place all parts in order, I like to put them in a line from start to finish.
 
Practice, practice

When I am feeling brave again, maybe next year, I will break down my 1991-A1 for the third time (have not fired it in years). I spread newpapers on my desk to soak up solvents and such, and also lay the parts out in order as they come out (suggested above). I always have trouble getting the cross-pin reseated correctly through the trigger and frame.

Someday, I hope to disassemble and reassemble the gun while sitting blindfolded naked in a muddy field on a moonless night in a thunderstorm with my arms tied behind me while looking backward into a one way mirror to catch illumination from the lightning. In less than 30 seconds.

Practice, practice :confused:

wb
 
Oh, have fun with it! Worst case, a Zip-Lock bag and a trip to the store. :D
(Or, you can have fun driving Tuner nuts. :D :D )

Had my entire Defender dissected in a pie pan yesterday. Each part has its own "personality." I find that thinking in terms of what the things do, instead of just where they go, helps.

But then, I've done a LOT of exploded-view diagrams for a living. Makes ya a little nuts ... :D

Watch those springs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Best help I've found for the new 1911 owner, besides the owners manual, is:

  • Wilson's 1911 disassembly and maintenance manual, found here
  • A quality set of punches and brass hammer. Something like this is what you'd like to have. The small punch helps aligning the sear and disconnector when you put it back together, too.
  • This handy little jig, especially useful when taking apart the mainspring housing - Wheeler Engineering Bench Block

The bench block has a PDF file now, but it has all sorts of uses you'll figure out eventually.


With this, you can do enough to be dangerous . . . so go slow, don't go overboard, and you'll be able to take it apart beyond field stripping and still get it back together on your own.
 
Excuse me, but

Moderator, is this not better left to the realm of the "Gun Smith", the legendary master of tiny tools? I would never advise my tiny grasshopper to attempt driving a gas powered lawn mower, or a duck to sing soprano.

wb
 
...with my arms tied behind me while looking backward into a one way mirror to catch illumination from the lightning...
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If you're blindfolded, what do you need the illumination for?
 
Liquid Tension

Can your closed eyes withstand sun light, or your mind the truth?

Not meaning to say you are blind, of course; I tend to to cut to the black and white ....
 
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wildburp said: Excuse me, but Moderator, is this not better left to the realm of the "Gun Smith", the legendary master of tiny tools?
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No. Not at all necessary.

A 1911 is not a system someone needs to go to a Glock Armorer's school or SigAcademy to learn to take apart, or more precisely - put BACK TOGETHER. In fact, other than the plunger tube, ejector, the grip screw housings, hammer strut, and barrel link (and perhaps a full length guide rod - depending on what you have) the handgun was designed originally to be taken COMPLETELY apart using its own parts. Its not hard to take it apart and put it back together. Those tools merely help A LOT. It appears hard to the novice, but with pictures and the instructions provided in that Wilson manual, it can be learned from . . . well . . . pictures and some captions. Just don't DRILL or FILE on anything, or - with the exception of the mainspring housing pin - POUND and force things.

The only "tricks" are that pins go in left to right - the sear pin and hammer pins should have a flare on it, so they won't fit the other way anyhow . . . and springs go back on "tighter end" first. If you pick up the firing pin with its spring on, and turn it upside down and shake, it should stay on. Recoil spring goes on closed end first, against the guide's shoulder.

Oh . . . and please . . . just to make me feel good . . . wear safety glasses. Parts under pressure of springs have a way of flying, and if you're looking closely . . . you can get bopped.
 
I want to break down my 1911 Kimber Eclipse trigger mechanism and firing pin assembly
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As far as the firing pin & extractor goes I recommend getting a third hand.

Actually, I can do it easily now with two hands, but at first I was getting help. (that third hand). The rest of the gun is relatively simple if you have good directions or get someone knowledgable to demonstrate for it for you.
 
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It's funny --- I've had a couple of 1911s for awhile (a Colt and a SA), both Series 70-type (no extra doodads inside). Then I got a Colt Defender, which is a Series 90 --- in other words, a firing pin block, plunger, spring, bar, ... blahblah ... :D ).

The more complex model is actually easier to strip the slide parts. Push the FP in, press the block plunger in, the FP stays forward, pop the FP stop out, point the back end of the slide against a piece of cardboard on the table, press the plunger in, ker-pop, the FP blips out, shake out the plunger and spring, pull the extractor. Which sounds ridiculously complex when you say it or read it, but beats the heck out of pushing the FP in and juggling the block out, without getting skewered :what: or playing find-the-part :cuss: . Reassembly is even easier, since that little plunger obligingly holds the FP in while you put the block back in.

There was a point. Honest! :D
Which is: NOTHING beats doing it the first time. Drawings, diagrams, videos, manuals --- once your eyes, hands, and head wrap around it one or two times, it's yours forever. All the stuff that put little beads of sweat on your forehead become little jokes. :)

Now --- slightly off-topic --- once you've wandered through your 1911s, pull the guts out of a Ruger MkIII and do the trigger, using the manual diagrams! Get to know what sweat is! :D :cuss: :D :cuss:
 
NOTHING beats doing it the first time. Drawings, diagrams, videos, manuals --- once your eyes, hands, and head wrap around it one or two times, it's yours forever.
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Exactly! :D
 
Post #12 Safety Glasses.

I'm a certified Auto & Diesel mechanic and always wear Safty Glasses. One day I was useing a bench grinder with a wire wheel attachement to clean up the threads on a spindle bolt and the phone rang. I took off my Safety Glasses and answered it. After about 5 min. of talking I went back to work on the bolt and forgot to put on my Safety Glasses. As I was working one of the bristles from the wire wheel snapped off and stuck just under my left eye browe and penatraited about 3/4 of an in. and it was VERRY HOT!!! Had that dirty, hot piece of wire stuck in my eye I'm shure I would have had permanent loss of sight in that eye. So lets be safe out there.
 
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