RIA 1911- learning curve

[WWDHD?]

I picked up a RIA Tactical .45 this week. I've never owned a 1911 or even shot very many of them and I wanted to give this platform a try after reading how fanatical some people are about these guns.
So today I disassembled the thing after watching a video on youtube. that went ok. I cleaned everything up and oiled it. then I tried to reassemble. Wow, what a pain in the butt. this gun has a full-length guide rod. I launched the spring and cup across the room twice (put on safety glasses after the first) and chewed up my nice new Wilson plastic bushing wrench.
I'm a fairly handy guy. I fix up cars and can MIG weld. I can break down and reassemble a Beretta 96 blindfolded and have no trouble with any other firearm I own.
After an hour or so I think I got it back together correctly. My questions to all the 1911 experts out there are:

1. The cross pin that goes through the slide also goes through the hinged loop attached to the the chamber end of the barrel, right?
2. Do these guns lossen up with use and get easier to reassemble?

Any advise is very much appreciated.

[gumby]

Had the same problem with my 1911. I had my brother (an FFL) put it back together for me and sell it. I'll stick to modern weapons, good luck with yours.

[Dirt22]

yes, and yes, a little.

practice taking it apart and re-asembling it. I can strip mine down and put it back together in less than 60 seconds... and I'm new.

[Cyc Wid It]

Switch the FLGR to a GI set up.

[Fishslayer]

It gets easier. Thousands of GIs managed to figure it out.

I don't know why everybody thinks the FLGR is such a PITA. IMO it's no harder than a GI type.

Yes, the slide lock pin goes through the loopy floppy thingy on the barrel, AKA the barrel link () Do not force or twist! (Google "idiot mark") Sometimes it takes a bit of fiddling & futzing and sometimes I even take the whole schlemiel apart & start over. Just be patient. If you have somebody local that can walk you through it mo' bettah.

[johnny_boy02]

I don't know why everybody thinks the FLGR is such a PITA. IMO it's no harder than a GI type.

Is there a thread somewhere that explains the difference between these? I dont even know what I have But my guns are not hard to put back together. I have only launched the spring once...... Before I read the directions.

[9mmepiphany]

1. The cross pin that goes through the slide also goes through the hinged loop attached to the the chamber end of the barrel, right?

The cross pin is the slide stop pin
It goes through the frame rather than the slide
The hinged loop is the barrel link

I usually align the pin, hole in the frame and hole in the link before applying spring pressure from the recoil spring. I do this with the slide stop hanging down...without trying to align it with the frame opening or the notch in the slide.

I have found it easier to re-assemble a GI recoil spring guide than a FLGR equipped gun

[Fishslayer]

Is there a thread somewhere that explains the difference between these? I dont even know what I have But my guns are not hard to put back together. I have only launched the spring once...... Before I read the directions.

FLGR = Full Length Guide Rod. With the slide back the rod pokes through a hole in the recoil spring plug.

The original GI is shorter and the plug over the recoil spring is solid.

Not really sure what advantage is offered by the FLGR. The GI type seems to work just fine. But most modern semiauto designs have a FLGR.

[9mmepiphany]

Is there a thread somewhere that explains the difference between these? I dont even know what I have But my guns are not hard to put back together. I have only launched the spring once...... Before I read the directions.

If the guide rod comes out the front of the recoil spring plug, you have the FLGR

Not really sure what advantage is offered by the FLGR.

There is no functional use for the FLGR...unless you're using a bushingless barrel

[Merc1138]

Get a GI guide rod and plug, problem solved(you won't need a bushing wrench either). It only takes a few seconds difference to field strip a 1911(without FLGR) than it does a glock, beretta 92, etc.) and that's only because you have to rotate the bushing.

Even a detail strip is pretty easy.

[WWDHD?]

I managed to get the side rod back into the frame without scratching anything. That wasn't to hard. Its the damn barrel bushing that was tricky. Also the concept that all the guts come out and go back in with the slide in place is hard to get my mind around. Its the complete opposite of any other pistol I've worked on or know of.
Do any aftermarket barrel bushings install better than the RIA one or does it not matter? I might look into the GI rod. Does it use a different spring than the one I have?
Its a cool looking gun. I put some nicer checkered grips on it. The stock ones remind me of the cheap wood used for the handles on the little Webber BBQs. I'll post some pics sometime soon. Can't wait to shoot it now.

[23 Blast]

To answer the OP's questions, the answers are yes, and somewhat.

Like anything, the first few times are awkward and difficult. But after you've done it a few dozen times, you wonder why it seemed hard in the first place.

Interesting - the two guns I like the most in my collection are the two that always seem to get complaints about being tough to break down; the 1911, and the Ruger Mark III

[railroader]

When you are putting the plug back in cock the hammer and put on the safety. That keeps the slide from moving around and it makes things somewhat easier.

[Merc1138]

To answer the OP's questions, the answers are yes, and somewhat.

Like anything, the first few times are awkward and difficult. But after you've done it a few dozen times, you wonder why it seemed hard in the first place.

Interesting - the two guns I like the most in my collection are the two that always seem to get complaints about being tough to break down; the 1911, and the Ruger Mark III

Who in the world complains about field stripping a 1911? That's a cakewalk.

The mkIII on the other hand requires flipping the gun around in different directions, removing and inserting the magazine, knowing when to pull the trigger in relation to the direction that the barrel is pointing, requires a freaking mallet to take the receiver off the frame and get it back on unless you've worn yours loose, etc.

[WWDHD?]

Thanks for the tip, railroader. Thats the kind of info I'm looking for.