Trouble Removing 1911 Mainspring Housing

[Captain Spalding]

Hello everyone,

I recently inherited a Colt 1911 from my father. I've looked all over the thing, and I can't find a serial number anywhere. I read somewhere that on some 1911's there is a serial number on the frame under the sear spring. This seems an unlikely place to put a serial number, but I thought I would check anyway.

I took the gun most of the way down (thanks to information here - thanks!) but I can't get the mainspring housing to slide out. I was able to get the pin out easily, but even with the hammer cocked I can't get the housing to budge. Any ideas? I tried to lever it out by putting a small screwdriver across the magazine well opening, sliding another small screwdriver through the lanyard loop, and then levering one screwdriver against the other. Nothing. It wouldn't surprise me if the mainspring housing hasn't been out in 50 years.

I have lots of experience working on newer guns, but not much with older ones.

Thanks in advance,

Spalding

 

[Fleet]

Put the gun in a padded vise, use a soft faced punch and a hammer to drive it out.

 

[Captain Spalding]

Thanks for the reply.

It seems that driving the mainspring housing out with a punch is best done with the grip safety removed. Is it possible to get the grip safety out before removing the mainspring housing? I tried, but couldn't find a way to wiggle it out. That's even with the hammer and thumb safety removed. Is there a trick to it?

 

[dfariswheel]

The grip safety may not come out even with the hammer and thumb safety out.

Possibly to save you some time, the serial number isn't going to be stamped under the main spring housing.
Serial numbers are stamped on the outside of the frame, almost always on the right side, just above and slightly in front of the grip.
Some foreign made guns may have the number on the front of the grip frame, but this is rare.

If this appears to be an American made genuine Colt commercial or a USGI 1911 pistol, the serial number will either be on the right side as above, or the serial number has been illegally removed.
If it's a USGI 1911 issue gun, there will also be a "US Property" stamp on the frame either in front of the serial number or on the left side in front of the slide stop.

If the serial number has been removed or defaced, this is a Federal Felony offense to possess, no matter when it was done or by who.
In this case, about all you can do is strip the parts off and turn the frame in to the police. Get caught with it, and you WILL be prosecuted.

One trick that might get the housing off is to tie a strong cord to the lanyard loop and tie a weight on the other.
Brace the bottom of the frame on a table or bench with the rear of the frame and spring housing off the bench.
Lift the weight a short distance and drop it. Repeat a few times and see if the housing starts to move. This may pull the housing down, or it may pull the lanyard loop off.

 

[Captain Spalding]

Thanks. I concur that there is probably no serial number under the sear spring. I will continue to try to get the mainspring housing out, as a matter of honor. There's no serial no. visible anywhere on the slide or the frame. It does say that it is a Colt, but nothing about being USGI. I know that it was made before 1967. It has been chrome plated.

As far as removal or defacement of the S/N, I see no evidence that this pistol ever had one. In my reading I have come across the term "lunchbox gun." Is it possible that this 1911 falls into that category?

 

[dfariswheel]

To hear the stories, there was a steady stream of Colt employees stealing finished guns or parts to build one and walking out the door.
Most Colt employees never had access to all the parts or even most of the parts to build a complete gun.
I'm sure this happened, but common sense tells you that it wasn't all that common. Gun companies take theft of guns as a very big deal.

Going with the simplest explanation being the most probable, the most likely situation is that the frame had the serial number ground off.
You may not be able to see it, especially under a nickel finish, but I've seen some really smooth jobs that people claimed never had a serial.
It's not at all unusual to find USGI 1911's from which the serial and US Property stamps were removed, and the gun nickel plated to help hide the signs.

When you say "it says Colt" where does it say Colt? On the slide or on the frame?
On a genuine Colt commercial frame, the Colt markings will also be on the right side, just above the grip and will be "Colt's P.T.F.A. Mfg Co, Hartford, Conn USA".
There will also be a tiny stamp on the right front of the trigger guard web in the form of a "VP in a triangle". This is Colt's Verified Proof stamp.
There will be an inspectors letter stamp on the left rear trigger guard, and possibly another letter on the right side of the trigger guard.

A USGI issue frame, even if made by Colt will have NO Colt markings on the frame at all.
GI issue 1911's had the slides marked with the makers name, but during rebuilds, slides were put on other frames with no regard as to keeping Colt slides on Colt frames.
It's extremely common to see Colt marked slides on frames made by other GI contractors.

Bottom line: if the frame has none of the above Colt commercial marks, it's not a commercial Colt.
It might be a GI issue Colt frame or another GI contractor frame, but in any case there WOULD be a serial number on the frame.

In any case, again, a 1911 pistol with no serial number is a Federal and State felony CRIME to simply have it.

 

[rcmodel]

Try putting some penetrating oil on the joint and let it soak for a day or so. Or use a haet gun to heat it up.

It's probably just glued on with dryed grease & dirt.
Unless of course, the bumper shop that plated it did it with mainspring housing left in place! So now it's plated to the frame!!

Yowser, that would make it tight alright!!

rc

 

[bigfatdave]

I know that it was made before 1967

Weren't serial numbers not required by law prior to 1968? Is there some exception for 1911 pistols, or did Colt just mark their guns?

I'd try getting an etching from where the serial should be, and re-marking it with the number you find. Touching up a serial # is acceptable, I think.

Penetrating oil and heat sounds like a good plan, I'd try that before the weight plan, possibly adding the weight for steady pulling to add to the punch method.

 

[rcmodel]

Every Colt ever made had a serial number.
All GI 1911's had a serial number.

The 1938 Federal Firearms Act did not require serial numbers until it was ammended in 1958. Cheap .22 rifles were exempt even after that.

The 1968 Gun Control Act required serial numbers be put on .22 rifles that previously did not have to have them.

rc

 

[Jim K]

"... the serial number isn't going to be stamped under the main spring housing...".

Well, that is exactly where the frame serial number is stamped on Argentine contract guns, as well as on the top of the slide. When those guns came back as surplus, BATFE made the importer apply a visible number to the frame and that was made to match the slide number. Since the guns were often mixed in Argentine service, they will have two frame serials, matching only by coincidence.

Jim

 

[Captain Spalding]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I will check under the sear spring. Whether that number is there or not, there isn't one on the slide. If it turns out there's no serial number on this pistol, what is the best way to dispose of it? Cut it up with an abrasive chop saw and toss it in a dumpster? Turn it in to the desk at the local police department?

 

[ghitch75]

look under the firing pin stop.....

 

[bigfatdave]

If it turns out there's no serial number on this pistol, what is the best way to dispose of it?

Well, I would always find a number to restore if I were looking, but that's just me.

 

[ldsgeek]

Turn it in to the desk at the local police department?

^^^ This is the safest bet.

The S/N should be on the frame, right side, near the slide stop hole in the frame. If it isn't there, a) the smith(?) who plated it probably polished it off (a big no-no) and b) the gun is a jail term waiting to happen.

 

[rcmodel]

Turn it in to the desk at the local police department?

Yea! And some cop will end up with it in his gun collection by sundown!!

If you go that route, at least strip all the usable parts off the frame and keep them.
The frame is all they need to get their hands on.

You can sell the parts set for something, and at least come out with a little money in your pocket.

rc