1911 detail strip?

[BerksCountyDave]

So . . . . I'd like to learn to detail strip my 1911s to give them a good deep cleaning every now and then. But. . I've only ever field stripped them. How hard is a detail strip/reassembly? I'm scared I'll either break something, lose parts, or not be able to get it back together and have to take it to a gunsmith and look like a moron!

How do I go about learning how to do it?

Thanks
Dave

[clarion44]

First and foremost... always make sure you drop the magazine and unload the firearm, second piece of advice I'll give is wear safety glasses. Those springs can fly pretty fast and pretty far. I learned from youtube videos. Not hard at all. It is a lil nerving at first, but once you do it, you think "that wasn't that bad". At least I did anyway.

[Lycanthrope]

Good advise above....

http://www.m1911.org/stripin1.htm

The series 80 parts can be a pain to get in order sometimes. I use a dab of grease to get them to stick in place when I feel like I need 3 hands....then I hose it out with lighter fluid once the pins are in.


Lycanwatchthevideostoothrope

[MOUNTAINORACLE]

Good advise above....

http://www.m1911.org/stripin1.htm

The series 80 parts can be a pain to get in order sometimes. I use a dab of grease to get them to stick in place when I feel like I need 3 hands....then I hose it out with lighter fluid once the pins are in.


Lycanwatchthevideostoothrope

Just a dumb question, why in the world would anyone buy a series 80 Colt when their are tons of 70 Series M1911s on the market??????

oracle

[Lycanthrope]

Just a dumb question, why in the world would anyone buy a series 80 Colt when their are tons of 70 Series M1911s on the market??????

oracle

Why do you drive on the parkway and park in the driveway?

Lycanpeoplethink1911'sareunsafethrope

[Pa. Patriot]

Just a dumb question, why in the world would anyone buy a series 80 Colt when their are tons of 70 Series M1911s on the market??????

Some folk believe in benefit of the FP safety.
70's also bring typically higher price in comparable condition.

[crazy charlie]

With todays aerosol cleaners and lubricants I can't see wanting to take any handgun down completely especially if you are not comfortable doing so unless there is something wrong with it. If something is wrong with it you'll most likely send it back to the factory or take it to a Smith.

[jdlv4_0]

Just a dumb question, why in the world would anyone buy a series 80 Colt when their are tons of 70 Series M1911s on the market??????

oracle

As Lycan pointed out, the pre series 80 guns are fetching a higher price, and if you get one of the new series 70 repro guns, you've now got a totally bone stock 1911, no beavertail, no good sights.

Not to mention that while there are lots of series 70 guns out there, they still aren't that easy to find, lately anything pre series 80 and earlier have been drying up at shops and shows. Short of people dying, they just aren't showing up as much, and when they do, they're still almost the cost of a new 1911.

Most of your current manufacturers, use the Colt style firing pin stop, Para, Smith, Sig, Taurus, Auto-Ordnance, etc. etc.

That type of FPS is easy enough to remove, unlike the Swartz style FPS which reguires removal of the rear sight.

If you want a new 1911 without the FPS from the factory, you're pretty much left with STI, Springfield, the Kimber Warrior models and SIS models and your semi-customs like Browns, Wilsons, Baers and Nighthawks.

Even pre series II Kimbers are getting harder to find, everyone that has one is keeping them due to the rising "street value" of the pre series II guns.


**Edited to add:
I've seen too many older Colts that have been bubbasmithed to being darn near worthless.

[crazy charlie]

The man asked about detail stripping, not about which model is worth more or less or which one is better than the other.

[Brick]

Before you start detail stripping your pistol, do yourself a really solid favor and buy a copy of either Dept of the Army TM 9-1005-211-12 the Operator and Organizatioal Maintaenance Manual for the Pistol Cal. .45 M1911A1 dated Sept 1968 or Army Field Manual FM 23-35 Pistols and Revolvers. Both have a great series of photos showing how to detail strip and reassemble the 1911 pistol (just remember though that Series 80 and certain others have additional parts for the firing pin block). Check out the books section at some of the gun shows.

But for what it's worth, if you use a soak tank for cleaning your piece, you'll probably never need to detail strip.