Field stripping vs. Detail

[N3rday]

With a 1911 (or INSERT GUN HERE), is detail stripping required for use and maintenance? And would learning to detail strip be a difficult process?

I will probably learn how to break the whole gun down, simply because I like to take stuff apart...just wondering if it was either necessary or recommended for cleaning the gun.

Also, how often (if needed) should I completely dissasemble and wipe everything down?

 

[P95Carry]

Opinion can vary .... radically!!

I do think having the ability to do a total strip is desirable ... for many reasons .... but cleaning is not the major one.

For most part .... and for me the ''crud factor'' assessment plays a large role ...... a ''field strip'' is adequate for quite some time. If bore fouling apparent (copper or lead) .. it needs dealt with ..... if bolt face gunking up ... clean it ... is firing pin free and its hole clogged? Clean it. All field strip.

With modern day ammo and powders ..... many rounds can be fired with quite minimal cleaning.

Sometimes the piece will suffer more externally ..... thru skin acids and consequent corrosion ... than any interior factors, unless cleaned off and wiped down (SS excepted of course!).

 

[4v50 Gary]

The 1911 is perhaps one of the easiest of guns to detail strip (but I'd leave the plunger housing alone). That's one of the 1911's advantage gunsmith Bob Chow (dec.) held over the Beretta 92.

 

[1911Tuner]

Detail Stripping the 1911

In its original guise...or as Browning intended...the pistol can be detail
stripped by using the gun's parts as tools. Series 80 Colts are a bit more
involved, and will require a tool for the job. An AR-15/M-16 firing pin is
ideal for the task, and will speed up the pre-Series 80 and GI pistols.
Using the firing pin and a small brass hammer , the original design and
close copies can be stripped down to the bare frame and slide in about
2 minutes...and reassembled in 3 after a little practice.

Detail stripping is a good thing to do periodically, especially if the pistol is
shot with dirty ammo (reloads using cast lead bullets) or carried concealed
due to lint and dust working its way into the gun...and for inspection of
the small parts.

Gary, if you mean the plunger tube on the left side of the pistol, it's not
meant to be removed unless it's damaged. That part is staked on. If
you mean the mainspring housing, it can be taken apart easily, though
a small bench vise is very helpful for the task.

I have a set of instructions written up on a notepad that gives detailed instructions. I can cut and paste them here if anybody wants them.
They deal with Colt pre-Series 70, Series 70, and Series 80 pistols.
Also included would be Springfield pre ILS pistols, any USGI pistols, Systema, Rock River, Auto Ordnance and Norinco variants.

Since I haven't had the opportunity to break down a Series 2 Kimber or
Smith & Wesson 1911...or any pistol using the Swartz system, I can't
comment on those.

Standin' by....

Tuner

 

[jrhines]

Tuner- You have graciously offered those instructions at least twice, and nobody rose to the offer. Not being proud, and, after 60 summers, still in the learning process, I'll take 'em, with pleasure and gratitude. At the bare minimum they will serve as better evening reading material than the local newspaper (Wash Post, not saying much huh? The phone book is better reading material!)

 

[Jim K]

Five (or eight if you prefer) parts should never be removed unless replacement is necessary. They are the front and rear sights; the left side spring tunnel that houses the spring and plungers for the slide stop and safety; the ejector; and the 4 grip screw bushings. The tunnel and bushings are staked in (or should be), and there is no reason to remove the ejector. The barrel link also should not be removed, even though it is easily replaced and restaked.

Browning failed in one area where use of parts in stripping could have been made easier, though the mistake was corrected in the BHP. That was in failing to put a reduced end on the slide stop pin to use in removing the firing pin. With the firing pin, other parts would be easier to remove.

Jim

 

[N3rday]

Yeah, go ahead and post those instructions, Tuner, thanks!

So, no messing with the sights, plunger assembly, ejector, screw bushings. I guess a full field strip would be harder on a double action gun, because of the fact that the trigger needs to put pressure on the hammer when required. That's at least another friggin spring...ahh, single action guns!

Wait, to change the grips, you don't need to touch the screw BUSHINGS, just the screws right?

I Thank thee for thoust info, noble High Roaders!

 

[1911Tuner]

Detail Strip

Done! To keep it on top for a while, I'll start a new thread. With a little
luck, it might become a floater. I'll do it in installments to keep each one short.

Comin' soon to a thread near you!

Tuner

 

[JeffC]

Everytime I say I'm just going to field strip my 1911 it ends up detail stripped. I can't help myself even series 80 guns are not safe.....what's wrong with me?

 

[N3rday]

Like you, I have the natural tendency to take things apart. A gun is a complicated device...and therefore infinitely fun to dissasemble!

 

[BEARMAN]

For detail strip of 1911 with pictures goto ( www.marstar.ca/AssemblyColt1911.htm ) or for other older guns goto ( www.marstar.ca/Assembly-Disassembly.htm )