need help reassembling my 1911

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I finally got my S&W 1911, I need help reassembiling it. I cleaned the gun, now I can't get the slide back on, I can't seem to get the slide over a lever on the rear of the slide, I think his is the grip safety lever. The manual says nothing about overcoming this.
I'm sure I'm not the first to have this problem, so if anyone can help me out that would be great.
 
I don't recall precisely but it may require that you squeeze the grip safety.

Please do NOT use any tools on this, it might cause damage.

I do it all the time with just my finger, so hammer back, squeeze grip safety and push down with finger. Give that a try.
 
swatmedic,
I know you have been in the store a couple times and you are close to us, I don't recall if you bought that particular gun from us or not but please feel free to stop in. Ted or I will assist you in putting it back together. There is a technique to getting the pin to "snap" in. It's very easy, if you try to force it in, you can hurt your gun.

B.J.
 
I bought the gun used. Len I tried gripping the safety, that seemed to make the lever ride higher. I did try to use a small screwdriverin an attempt to hold the lever down, but I soon realized that was futile.
Type01313, whwn will you be at the store again, if I can't figure this out, I will have to swing by, although I will feel like an ass, because I didn't buy the gun from ted.
 
LenS said:
I do it all the time with just my finger, so hammer back, squeeze grip safety and push down with finger. Give that a try.
Len, with all due respect, the manual says specifically, do not push grip safety. Moreover, the picture shows the holding hand to be positioned below the grip safety.

I had the same problem with my “new” used S&W 1911. It just takes patience and, as you mentioned, carefully push the lever down with your finger (fingernail?).
 
Jack,

You may well be right. That's why I said "may". I don't really recall which way it worked (I was trying to go by memory) and I'm not willing to take mine apart to give a step by step (with oily hands on the keyboard [wink] ).

If he stops by to see Ted or BJ that might be his best bet.

Thanks for the correction.
 
some more research at m1911.org. It appears that there is supposed to be some spring action to the firing pin safety lever. there is none on my gun, there is no way to get this below the level of the slide. I am waiting a return call from S&W, it may need to go back to them. There were a ew other people with a similer problem, and the factory fixed it.
 
swatmedic,
Please keep us posted. I'm very much interested in S&W reply. My firing pin safety lever doesn't have much spring action and pushing it down during reassembly is always a challenge.
 
I just spoke on the phone to S&W warranty dept. The guy was very nice. He explained, if the safety lever has no spring action it means the grip safety needs some adjustment, basically, the safety lever is sitting too high. They will fix it for free, but you need to send your gun to S&W (or just deliver it there, they are only about 75 ml from Boston).
 
JackO said:
I just spoke on the phone to S&W warranty dept. The guy was very nice. He explained, if the safety lever has no spring action it means the grip safety needs some adjustment, basically, the safety lever is sitting too high. They will fix it for free, but you need to send your gun to S&W (or just deliver it there, they are only about 75 ml from Boston).

I'm glad you got to talk to someone. My first messege still has not been returned. The second phone call I spoke with a man who wanted no part of talking to me, he abruptly told me the gun would need to be returned, he was in such a hurry to get me off the phone, he hung up without even getting my zip code. So we will see if the return sticker actually arrives. So far i'm not impressed with the legendary customer service of S&W.
 
Hmm, I've had them volunteer at least once to send me the prepaid label. I've asked the other times and they sent it each time. It has taken as much as 2 weeks to get it.

I've always found them very helpful on the phone.

Good luck.
 
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