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The No-Tool Detail Strip
JohnT
Member Posts: 384 ✭✭✭
Ok, John boy...So how does that work?
See? It's a question.
The 1911 is its own tool box, and the thumb safety is the key that opens it.
Take note of the original thumb pad on the safety. It's long been the target of disparaging comments from the fast-draw, high speed/low drag crowd...but remember that fast draw was never considered in the original design. Ease of maintenance in the field was.
The small pad offers a flat surface directly over the crosspin so that it can be used to push or knock the mainspring housing pin out of the frame. Here, the slide with the bushing installed becomes the hammer.
Once the mainspring housing is removed, the hammer pin can usually be tapped out. If it resists...the mainspring housing pin can be used to push it out. Then the hammer strut pushes out the sear pin should it offer resistance.
The hammer strut compresses the firing pin spring for FP stop removal, and it pries the extractor out.
The sear spring is used to turn the magazine catch lock. The bent tab or the leaf that powers the grip safety can be used.
A case rim is used to turn the grip screws if it's necessary to remove the grips.
Reassemble in reverse order.
But wait up there Johnny! If the frame and slide are assembled...how ya gonna compress the plunger spring and get the thumb safety back in? Hmmm?
Well...I'm glad you asked me that. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll do it with a picture.
See? It's a question.
The 1911 is its own tool box, and the thumb safety is the key that opens it.
Take note of the original thumb pad on the safety. It's long been the target of disparaging comments from the fast-draw, high speed/low drag crowd...but remember that fast draw was never considered in the original design. Ease of maintenance in the field was.
The small pad offers a flat surface directly over the crosspin so that it can be used to push or knock the mainspring housing pin out of the frame. Here, the slide with the bushing installed becomes the hammer.
Once the mainspring housing is removed, the hammer pin can usually be tapped out. If it resists...the mainspring housing pin can be used to push it out. Then the hammer strut pushes out the sear pin should it offer resistance.
The hammer strut compresses the firing pin spring for FP stop removal, and it pries the extractor out.
The sear spring is used to turn the magazine catch lock. The bent tab or the leaf that powers the grip safety can be used.
A case rim is used to turn the grip screws if it's necessary to remove the grips.
Reassemble in reverse order.
But wait up there Johnny! If the frame and slide are assembled...how ya gonna compress the plunger spring and get the thumb safety back in? Hmmm?
Well...I'm glad you asked me that. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll do it with a picture.
Comments
I have an original Armalite AR15 firing pin. It lacks the second step down from the major diameter. Word is that when Gene Stoner got wind that the US Air Force was lookin' at his little black rifle, he modified the firing pin to serve as a compliment to the US service pistol.
The second step is not only the proper diameter to use as a punch and slave pin for the sear/disconnect...the length coincides with the thickness of the frame, leaving only the little tip sticking out the other side. Coincidence? I think not.
The tip also pushes the mainspring cap pin out far enough to be grasped and removed.
Pretty neat, no?
Since the magazine disassembly is part of a complete detail strip...and the standard 7-round unit with welded or pinned baseplate is a bit of a problem...it has to be included in the no-tool disassembly. 10 seconds to disassemble. 10 seconds to reassemble. No tools other than what is contained in the gun required.
Load three rounds and insert the hammer strut into the 2nd witness hole. Push the cartridges out...invert the magazine...and tap the spine on a wooden surface to dislodge the follower.
Hold a thumb firmly on top of the feed lips and pull the pin. Remove the spring.
To reassemble:
Thread the spring into the tube, compressing it with your thumb. Load 3 rounds directly on top of the spring. Insert pin through the 2nd witness hole. You'll have to push down on the top round a little in order to let the strut clear the spring coil visible through the hole.
Push the cartridges out. Install the follower. Push down until it snaps in place. Hold your thumb on top of the feed lips and pull the pin. Done.
I'm glad you posted back. Once in a while it's good to get some solid information that links together a bunch of information many of us had locked in the back of the brain housing group with the cobwebs.
Without having had to ask a question.[;)]
didn't have a thumb safety or
a grip safety?
The gov't wanted it.
didn't have a thumb safety or
a grip safety?
The gov't wanted it.
Already covered that.
The grip safety was added to the Model 1905 as a tacked-on modification. It became incporporated into the design on the 1907 and reappeared on the Models 1909 and 1910. The thumb safety was added to the Model 1910 in the final modification for what became the Model of 1911 US Army.
Here's a picture of one of only two original 1910 Colts in existence.
Photo courtesy of Charles W. Clawson.
Nice pic of the orig pistol
As an interesting aside, an AR15 firing pin is an ideal armorer's tool for the 1911...
Pretty neat, no?Only if personnel who were issued the M16 and 1911 were instructed to use it in that manner.
I never heard it mentioned in any military or Colt training courses I attended that the M16 firing pin was specially designed/modified to double as a 1911 takedown tool and have also never seen it stated in any US military or manufacturer publications.
Nor have I, but it was pointed out to me by a few old salts that knew of such things at the Armory at Lejeune. Then, there's that modification that's just too coincidental.
And, then there's the point that nobody who was issued the pistol was authorized to tear it down beyond field strip level, so it's really a moot point. Just another one of those things that make ya go Hmmm.
quote:I never heard it mentioned in any military or Colt training courses I attended that the M16 firing pin was specially designed/modified to double as a 1911 takedown tool and have also never seen it stated in any US military or manufacturer publications.
Nor have I, but it was pointed out to me by a few old salts that knew of such things at the Armory at Lejeune. Then, there's that modification that's just too coincidental.
And, then there's the point that nobody who was issued the pistol was authorized to tear it down beyond field strip level, so it's really a moot point. Just another one of those things that make ya go Hmmm.
In the 1st Ranger Bn in the early '80's it was an Article 15, and usually shown the door out if you were caught stripping ANY weapon beyond what standard cleaning called for. I know of three: A private who wanted to 'massage' his M16A1 trigger. A PFC (AG) who wanted to tear down the trigger internals on his M1911A1 to get it cleaner and another PFC who tore down the firing mechanism of his M67 Recoilless rifle, again to get it 'cleaner'.
We just had to sit there for hours swabbing with a q-tip to get it to come out without showing any blackening or rust residue. Not so easy when you've just put a couple thousand rounds through it that week.[}:)][;)]