SA 1911 Loaded Issue ??

[sofbak]

I'm new to 1911s and have a BNIB SA 1911 loaded stainless. I took it down to clean it up before going to the range for a break in session, and I am having an issue with either the take down lever or the retaining pin, and wondered if this is normal or a problem with this gun.

Either the bevel on the back of the take down lever where it meets the pin is cut wrong, or the pin sticks out of the housing too far. In order to get the lever back in place, I have to slip the point of knife blade between the back of the lever and the front of the pin, and depress the pin into to housing with the blade to get the lever fully seated.

I would have thought that the lever would "snap" into place with a firm push, but this one won't. The bevel cut on back of the lever tab is just too flat to depress the pin into the housing. If I were to push harder, I think it might bend the front end of the pin which is about 1/16th of an inch out of housing.

Also, the ILS lock on this one won't rotate 90 degrees. It will rotate about 10 degrees and it locks the action, but twisting any harder just munges up the tiny pins in the ILS key. I have no use for this ILS anyway, but wondered if this is going to cause problems in normal use.

Are these normal conditions, or does this one need a trip back to Springfield?

Anyone else encountered these problems and if so is there a fix?

TIA

sofbak

[sammy]

Normal. Of the 6 1911's I have owned only one would allow the slide stop to go in without depressing the pin. It was a Wilson CQB. I use an ice pick to get in there and depress it on reassembly. 1911's are a bit of a pain to field strip if you are use to the fantastic plastics out there.

As for the ILS just get a Wilson mainspring housing assembly and call it a day.

[Q619]

I'm new to 1911s and have a BNIB SA 1911 loaded stainless. I took it down to clean it up before going to the range for a break in session, and I am having an issue with either the take down lever (1911's don't have take down levers, they have slide stops) or the retaining pin (the plunger....the "housing" is called the plunger tube), and wondered if this is normal or a problem with this gun.

Either the bevel on the back of the take down lever where it meets the pin is cut wrong, or the pin sticks out of the housing too far. In order to get the lever back in place, I have to slip the point of knife blade between the back of the lever and the front of the pin, and depress the pin into to housing with the blade to get the lever fully seated.

I would have thought that the lever would "snap" into place with a firm push, but this one won't. The bevel cut on back of the lever tab is just too flat to depress the pin into the housing. If I were to push harder, I think it might bend the front end of the pin which is about 1/16th of an inch out of housing.

Also, the ILS lock on this one won't rotate 90 degrees. It will rotate about 10 degrees and it locks the action, but twisting any harder just munges up the tiny pins in the ILS key. I have no use for this ILS anyway, but wondered if this is going to cause problems in normal use.

Are these normal conditions, or does this one need a trip back to Springfield?

Anyone else encountered these problems and if so is there a fix?

TIA

sofbak

There, changed some terminology for ya so you don't confuse people when speaking about your gun

The problem you have can be fixed by putting a ramped notch for the plunger to slide along when you put the slide stop back through. I seem to think Wilson does this standard now which is probably why the previous poster had his go in so easily.

You don't NEED the ramped notch....I only have them on 2 guns. My others don't have any trouble...just sort of need to slightly lever up the slide stop when inserting it. Just be careful when doing so as you'll give yourself a nice "idiot" mark if you aren't. Practice makes perfect....you'll get the swing of it quickly. 1911's are a cinch to take down and put back together once you get used to it. You don't need to depress the plunger and will likely scratch your gun if you try to do so. Not enough hands

In regards to the ILS not working....consider yourself lucky. It's tits on a bull.

[Q619]

If you want your slide stop modified to go in easy as stated, you can probably send it off to this guy just by itself and have him fix it for you if you really want to. He's a great guy. I've had work done by him a number of times. Really good about fitting in small odd jobs on your gun without making you wait. Great smith too!

I believe the mod is $15....didn't take the time to find it though

http://www.harrisoncustom.com/Home.aspx

[sofbak]

1911's are a bit of a pain to field strip if you are use to the fantastic plastics out there.

Yes, I found that out first time through. My other pistol is a sig p220, which is a dream to field strip compared to the 1911.

There, changed some terminology for ya so you don't confuse people when speaking about your gun

Thank you. I realized that after I posted-I was in the sig world where the two funtions are covered by two different levers.....

If you want your slide stop modified to go in easy as stated, you can probably send it off to this guy just by itself and have him fix it for you if you really want to. He's a great guy. I've had work done by him a number of times. Really good about fitting in small odd jobs on your gun without making you wait. Great smith too!

I believe the mod is $15....didn't take the time to find it though

http://www.harrisoncustom.com/Home.aspx

Thanx for the link, but I fixed it! after studying the geomtry a bit, I took a jeweler's file to the back edge and cut a steeper bevel on the first third of that ramp, followed by some 600 grit paper to round over the corner and polish it down. Now it will snap into place nicely with a firm push.