The 1911 holds the distinction of being a handgun in continuous production for over a century, maintaining its relevance for various uses — whether you’re searching for your first handgun or seeking a dedicated platform for target shooting, handgun hunting, or personal defense.
Additionally, the 1911 is recognized as the first modern handgun as we know it today. Key features like passive safeties, locked breeches, and slide operation were perfected when the U.S. Cavalry adopted the Colt 1911 for general issue in 1911.
But when you pick up a 1911 and compare it to a modern pistol, you can see there are add-ons to the 1911 that may or may not carry over. For instance, some modern pistols are not hammer-fired and may lack grip safeties and even manual safeties.
1911 Disassembly
Disassembling a modern handgun is often as easy as dropping a lever and removing the recoil spring and barrel. In contrast, 1911 disassembly demonstrates just how old the design is; while all the major components found in modern firearms are present, accessing them involves more steps, which can lead to frustration for both novices and veteran 1911 owners.
In this article, we will be diving into 1911 pistol disassembly and reassembly step by step, providing you with the knowledge for stress-free and scratch-free maintenance.
1. Remove the Slide
The first step in disassembling the traditional 1911, like any other handgun, is to ensure safety by removing the magazine and checking the chamber for live ammunition. Additionally, confirm that there is no ammunition in the vicinity where you’ll be cleaning the firearm.
Hit the magazine release with your thumb and remove the magazine. Then rack the slide and visually inspect the chamber. You can push the slide release upward to lock the slide to the rear to help you verify an unloaded handgun.
To access the barrel and other internal parts, you’ll need to remove the slide from the frame, similar to other modern pistols. While the 1911 shares some characteristics with other handguns, it also has distinct features.
Like some older designs like the Browning Hi Power and CZ-75 series, the slide release runs through the frame and retains the barrel through the slide. This release must be pushed out using thumb pressure. However, unlike those other designs, where you may contend with spring pressure from the recoil spring, the 1911 allows you to relieve spring tension, making it easier to remove and reinstall the slide.
After confirming that the handgun is unloaded, swipe the thumb safety on to stop the slide from moving. Next, use your fingers to depress the recoil spring plug and rotate the barrel bushing clockwise. Gently let the plug and spring out. The spring itself will not have to be removed at this point, but there is now no spring pressure to fight.
Next, disengage the manual safety and manipulate the slide. On the left side of the slide, you’ll notice a crescent-shaped notch; this is the takedown notch for the slide release. Draw the slide until the rear of the slide release lines up with the notch, then push the release out from the other side.
You might have to use your fingers to wrench it the rest of the way out, but once it’s removed, the slide can come off the frame.
2. Spring, Barrel, and Guide Rod
With the slide removed, you now have access to the barrel, recoil spring, and guide rod. To remove the recoil spring and guide rod assembly, simply pull it from the bottom of the slide. However, depending on the tolerances of your specific pistol, you may find that you cannot easily remove the barrel in this manner.
To extract the barrel from the slide, you’ll first need to remove the barrel bushing. Turn the bushing counterclockwise until the lug that keeps it captive is visible in the recoil spring channel. Once visible, give it a tug to release the bushing. After that, you can slide the barrel out from the muzzle. The barrel can then be removed from the muzzle. It is important to lay the barrel’s swinging link flat so it comes out easily.
3. Reassembling the 1911: Avoid the Idiot Scratch
Often, 1911 disassembly is the easy part. Reassembly, however, can be frustrating — especially when it comes to getting the slide release back into the frame. It’s not uncommon to scratch the pistol’s frame during this process, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Reassembly begins with reinstalling the barrel, followed by placing the barrel bushing back in its open position. This allows you to position the recoil spring and guide rod assembly back on top of the barrel.
After that, the assembled slide is mated back to the frame. Some users like to reassemble the frame and slide upside down with the frame riding over the stationary slide. This helps ensure that the swinging link of the barrel is in its erect position for the slide release to reenter. However, I never had this issue as the link will swing down with gravity.
With the slide mated to the frame, the next step is to reinstall the slide release. Because the recoil spring is hanging out of the muzzle, the slide will be easy to manipulate. Work the slide until you see the swinging link of the barrel through the mortise for the slide release. Once you see daylight press the slide release in lightly to catch the link.
At this point, work the slide forward or rearward to align the takedown notch in the slide with the rear of the slide release. You can pivot the release in its slot to get lined up. Using both thumbs, press the slide release straight down, past the safety spring plunger, into its mortise.
Keep in mind that the slide release can be a tight fit, particularly on a new pistol. It can be tempting to wiggle the release around and under the plunger, but this scratches the frame and often will not work. You will then have to scratch the frame up more to get it out.
If you are having trouble pushing straight down with your thumbs, a plastic hammer is a great tool to get the job done without damaging anything. In my first few hundred rounds out of my Colt Government Model and a few disassembly tries with the help of a plastic hammer, I was able to disassemble and reassemble tool-free!
With the slide release in its place, return the slide to a firing position and engage the manual safety. The next step is to reinstall the recoil spring plug, pushing it down under the barrel bushing. Swing the bushing back over the plug, and your pistol is now reassembled.
Perform a quick function check: disengage the safety, rack the slide, re-engage the safety, and press the trigger to ensure the hammer functions properly. Now you are ready to hit the range.
