The 1911: Assembly / Dissassembly

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Troy26

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I've been considering a Springfield Champion (and possible am Ultra Compact for a super soft 9mm), but I occassionally run across comments saying things like you have to make sure thins are "lines up JUST right" ot that things (ie springs I assume) can fly away if you;re not careful.

I certainly liek the style of the 1911, but really don't want to pay a fair amount of cash for something that's goign to have me cursing a blue streak by the time I get it back together.

Your thoughts?
 
Really don't think you would have a problem. They all come with an owner's manual that details cleaning procedures, etc.

1911s are pretty simple compared to some things I've taken apart and put back together. Just ask someone who's had their Ruger MK II apart and lost the bubble on how to get it back together.

I take my Bullseye guns apart totally at least once a year and hose them down with Brake Cleaner; never had a problem getting them back together.
 
With just a little practice, the standard 1911 pistol can be completely disassembled...and by that, I mean frame and slide gutted...in about 2 minutes, starting with the gun in battery with a magazine locked in place. My record for a detail strip stands at 42 seconds...and back together in under 2 minutes. Yes. It takes practice to do it. No. It's not all that hard after the first few tries.

The field-strip can be accomplished in 10 seconds, assuming that you don't have to fiddle with a bushing wrench or a two-piece guide rod...and reassembled in about 15 seconds.
 
Troy, I think your choices are excellent...I wouldn't worry about those statement you mentioned....I think you'll find fieldstripping the pistols for cleaning or changing parts are fairly routine and those "flying parts" you mentioned are normally spoken when you do a detail strip on some pistols...
Buy it, fire it, clean it, and enjoy....:)
 
Here's a link to a youtube video showing a guy detail stripping a Norince Commander. (He also has a two-part re-assembly video posted.) I've found these pretty well done and really puts the 1911 into perspective. Field-stripping a 1911 is not really any more difficult than most other autos - just different. Not quite as simple as a Glock but not near as difficult as a Ruger .22.

Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEBrkF0sMgI
 
You Can Download 1911 Manuals

I believe there are also websites that offer the opportunity to download the manual for different sidearms - including several that have field stripping examples for the 1911. Can anybody site them?
 
The 1911, like Tuner said, is quite easy to disassemble and reassemble with just a little practice.
 
I think the Champion is very easy to disassemble and reassemble. You will be very pleased with your purchase! Are you going for a GI or a loaded champion?
 
Buy the 1911. You will get a lot of help/support for taking it apart for cleaning.
Have an experienced person show the method once or twice. Personally, I enjoy cleaning the pistol. It's a fun gun. I just bought a "Loaded". I have 2 complaints...I don't shoot it enough and I have to keep reloading it.

Springs..wear protective glasses. Point gun away from face when striping it. You'll be fine. Like everything else...take your time..be patient...be careful.
 
Please don't let what you've heard dissuade you from your purchase. The 1911 platform is purely awesome, and if you have the desire to experience it and purchase the Springfield, then do so. I doubt you will be disappointed.

Learning to field strip the pistol at first is quite different than just about most pistols out there. Patience and either someone to show you or a solid visual aid will make it easy. Don't rush it; learn how to do it the right way, and let repetition be your friend. You'll look back and laugh once you understand how it all goes together.
 
I certainly liek the style of the 1911, but really don't want to pay a fair amount of cash for something that's goign to have me cursing a blue streak by the time I get it back together.

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...
I once detail stripped and reassembled a 1911 blindfolded.

Granted, it took well over an hour to get it back together, but I did it, and won a $5 bet...
 
The Champion (if new) uses a captured, dual spring set up so no worries about flying springs, there (unless you're really unlucky and it breaks). They provide a little plastic "C" clip that attaches to the guide rod when the slide is locked back to make disassembly easier. I use two clips in tandem on mine so the notch lines up on the slide stop which makes disassembly really easy.

The main spring and plunger tube spring can go flying, though. Always a good idea to wear eye protection when disassembling and reassembling firearms.

Cloudpeak
 
I just picked up a S&W commander, and noticed it was way eaiser to get the slide stop back in, compared to my loaded Springfield. The Springer requires the plunger to be pushed in with something, while pushing in the stop, the Smith went back together like any other gun, just snapped in. So some 1911 are simpler by design:D
 
The 1911 is one of the simplest guns to field strip, and definitely one of the easiest (if not the easiest) to detail strip and put back together. John Browning's genius is evident in how simply the gun operates... one of the reasons I love 'em.
 
The 1911 is one of the simplest guns to field strip, and definitely one of the easiest (if not the easiest) to detail strip and put back together. John Browning's genius is evident in how simply the gun operates...
Click to expand...

Indeed. In its original guise, it could be detail-stripped and reassembled using its own parts as tools.
 
I thought it was going to be a pain to figure it all out as well. But I took it nice and slow the first time, and once it was apart (slide removed, barrel out, etc) I wouldn't let myself put it back together until I had figured out the basics of how it works.

Once you know how it works it becomes easy (and obvious), just make sure the recoil spring doesn't' take an impromptu flight across the room!
 
I took apart, cleaned and reassembled my first 1911, a RIA, in under an hour and without tools. I take my time cleaning and I read the instructions as I went along.

Its not hard at all.
 
Everyone pretty much nailed it so far, but let me add this little bit - the 1911 was originally designed to be used by soldiers. Not every soldier is what you'd call a "rocket surgeon". If it was straightforward enough for all those GI's to use and take apart/put back together, you can do it too. :)
 
And some are simply out of spec...
Click to expand...

Thanks for bringing this to my attention, after a little fitting, it snaps into place with finger pressure alone, no more popsickle stick:) The Springfield was my first 1911, and thought it was normal. Learning all the time!!
 
The field-strip can be accomplished in 10 seconds, assuming that you don't have to fiddle with a bushing wrench or a two-piece guide rod...and reassembled in about 15 seconds.
Click to expand...

I can field strip my Custom II in about 14 seconds and that is with the bushing wrench. I have reassembled from field strip, inserted mag with dummy round, racked slide and engaged thumb safety in just over 18 seconds (i'm talking fractions of a second here...)

SO yes, OP 1911tuner is absolutely correct. You will not have a problem once you figure out the steps...
 
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