Breakdown of 1911

[richc]

So today I took apart a Sig GSR 1911 for the first time. I own quite a few Sig products, and have always loved the simplicity in dis-assembly/assembly.

Well I certainly appreciate the Sig products MORE now, having learned the hard way about 1911 breakdown. It honestly is not hard, just not as elegant. And a third hand would make life so much easier with the 1911!

Having said all of that I do want to get a high end 1911 in the future. They are just so gorgeous, and have such historical significance.

 

[TheRoland]

Seriously. My first handgun was a Sig, and I thought all would field strip that easily. Not so much.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I own quite a few Sig products, and have always loved the simplicity in dis-assembly/assembly.

This may be true at the field strip level (whether it is or not is a matter of opinion), but at the detail strip level, the 1911 is hands down more elegant than the Sig. The 1911 fits together like an elegant puzzle without any screws or press fit pins (not counting the grip screws). Sig is fond of nested roll pins (be sure to leave the openings at 6 and 12 which is the Sig standard when reassembling from a detail strip).

 

[copterdoctor]

Some 1911 stuff....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...50&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1#

http://www.surplusrifle.com/pistol1911/fulldisassemble/index.asp

 

[2000GM]

Ahh, this thread brings back not so fond memories of my first time sending a recoil spring plug across the living room.

 

[Ray-500]

This may be true at the field strip level (whether it is or not is a matter of opinion), but at the detail strip level, the 1911 is hands down more elegant than the Sig. The 1911 fits together like an elegant puzzle without any screws or press fit pins (not counting the grip screws). Sig is fond of nested roll pins (be sure to leave the openings at 6 and 12 which is the Sig standard when reassembling from a detail strip).

"Elegant"? No offense, but how do you define "elegant"? Have had, and used, many 1911's since I first went through the MP Academy at Ft. Gordon, GA, in the mid 60's. All of my competition in 2700's was using a 1911 in both "Centerfire" and ".45". Yup, pieces were gunsmith worked (Al Dinan) and ammo was all "hardball".....at the time, military team requirement. Have come across a couple of ways of breaking down the 1911 for cleaning, none follow the manual.

Today, have become a Sig convert. Have a 226 Blackwater, 220 Equinox, 226 X-5, 226 X-6 and 220 X-6. Love all of them. In my mind....and my mind only...the Sigs have it all over the 1911 config. in 9mm and .45ACP. Cannot speak for other calibers.

 

[CRSIII]

Another person has seen the light cast upon the earth by JMB.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

"Elegant"? No offense, but how do you define "elegant"?

Disassembly that does not require drifting roll pins out of holes they are tightly wedged into; assembly not using screws; and a simple elegance of design.

If I have to use a punch to drive out concentric tightly wedged roll pins, it's not elegant. The 1911 use of the mainspring to capture the mainspring housing pin with the notch in the center, or the way in which the safety is retained without the use of screws or pins in sheer elegance.

 

[Mike S]

Rich, sit down and dis-assemble-re-assemble a bunch of times, it gets much easier with practice.

You can cheat by using the plastic handle of a small screwdriver to hold the spring plug down while you lock the barrel bushing into place.

 

[Jose]

Not really sure how detail stripping is relevant except for repair.

I never detail strip any of my firearms unless a part needs to be replaced. If they need a deep clean, dunking/spraying with solvent, air blow drying, and relubrication can all be done without any more disassembly than a field strip.

 

[gjones77]

The SR9 I just bought is easy as all hell to breakdown.

Lock the slide back, take out the retention pin, then bring the slide forward slowy and it comes right off, after that just take the recoil spring off the barrel and then the barrel pops right out.

 

[T3andme]

Another person has seen the light cast upon the earth by JMB.

I couldn't agree more!

 

[garandman]

Criticizing the M1911 is like criticizing President Reagan: it doesn't stick.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I never detail strip any of my firearms unless a part needs to be replaced. If they need a deep clean, dunking/spraying with solvent, air blow drying, and relubrication can all be done without any more disassembly than a field strip.

If you shoot a handgun extensively, detail stripping is useful since:

1. It lets you inspect for worn or broken parts - I've found parts broken in a detail strip that did not (yet) prevent the gun from working, but which needed replacement.

2. It allows a much better cleaning

3. It allows you to better understand how your weapon works (which may or may not matter to you).

I don't detail strip my AR's, but I detail strip my 1911s and Glocks (the ones I shoot, that is) at least one a year.

 

[copterdoctor]

Ahh, this thread brings back not so fond memories of my first time sending a recoil spring plug across the living room.

I never sent a plug across the room.
The ceiling, however, has a few small round impact marks....

 

[Scrivener]

Criticizing the M1911 is like criticizing President Reagan.

The President who ENDED the US military's use of 1911 in favor of the 9mm Beretta? THAT President Reagan?

 

[garandman]

I never sent a plug across the room.
The ceiling, however, has a few small round impact marks....

Imagine a room full of new Lieutenants or Armor crewmen, disassembling M1911's for the first time.

The President who ENDED the US military's use of 1911 in favor of the 9mm Beretta? THAT President Reagan?

The days when US presidents trialed military small arms were long past.

I was in the Army through 1985 and carried a .45 regularly while on patrol, pay officer duty, etc.

There was little love for the pistols we were carrying, which were built in 1945 at the latest. They were heavy, the 21 rounds of the three issue magazines were not comforting, the sights were small, and with the loose tolerances they were difficult to shoot beyond 25m, which is of little concern for civilian use but troubling when it's all you had.

I had no hope for my issue pistol and simply purchased my own M1911. Found six issue magazines that worked well (also not an easy feat). Bought surplus .45 ACP for $5 a box from the Rod & Gun club and loaded them up so I went on patrol with 2X the issue load. No one ever questioned my POW use, even when we were inspected. In fact officers were already buying Beretta 92's at the Rod and Gun clubs with their own money, though this wasn't sanctioned.

This was all possible when Reagan was President. Since Clinton, not so much.

 

[rep308]

Hey Rob,

Do you remember 20 year ago when I drove to you house with a shoebox full of 1911 parts that I could not get together?

Rich, I'm down the street, feel free to drop by with a box of parts and we can put it back together

 

[[cerberus]]

Ahh, this thread brings back not so fond memories of my first time sending a recoil spring plug across the living room.

I never sent a plug across the room.
The ceiling, however, has a few small round impact marks....

I chuckled at both of these comments. I have been blessed to not have had that issue so far when taking the two I own apart, but I can see it happing very easily.

 

[2000GM]

In my case (quoted above) it only happened once, as I was re-assembling it. The spring landed about 3 feet away from me but the plug went about 8-10 feet into the corner, behind a corner cabinet we used to have there. It was a pain in the arse to find and I almost gave up when my wife found it under the couch. It was an early S&W1911 and the bushing was very tight so I was having a hard time rotating it into place. I thought I had rotated it into place far enough to engege the shoulder of the plug so I let my thumb off of it to grab the bushing wrench. I guess it wasn't because about a second and a half later, "SPROINNNNG!"

 

[richc]

Hey Rob,

Do you remember 20 year ago when I drove to you house with a shoebox full of 1911 parts that I could not get together?

Rich, I'm down the street, feel free to drop by with a box of parts and we can put it back together

Thanks, Ralph... but I used my secret weapon when I run into problems like this... my 16 year old son. He had it back together in a jiffy!

)

 

[insomniac]

A 1911 was my first gun. Not too bad to field strip after a few tries, but I haven't detail stripped it yet. My only other comparison is a Browning Hi Power, which is simpler to do. Interested in trying the Ruger MKIII, though.

 

[JoeyD]

I can field strip my 1911 easy enough. I don't even use the tool that came with it. I have not taken it down further than that though.