How to inspect 1911?

[jkgts1]

I'm picking up a Springfield 1911 .45acp tomorrow. I bought the gun used, but it looks like it is in great shape. I got it from Brightspot, anyway, what should I look at to make sure it is safe to shoot? This is my first 1911 and first used gun. I have a manual and I can take it apart, but is there something in particular that I need to inspect, to make sure it is safe for me to shoot?

Thanks

[jkgts1]

Actually I just found this.

http://www.bob-oracle.com/1911buy.htm

Anything else anyone can add?

[Bongos]

A safety check is always good, visual check of a unloaded chamber, when gun is in battery, with hammer cock, pull trigger but do not touch the grip safety,... nothing should happen, hammer do not fall. With Hammer cock, engage thumb safety, pull trigger, again, nothing should happen, hammer do not fall. Other thing you can check though it will not hinder the reliability if the 1911 is the slide to frame fit (basically when gun is in battery, see if yuo can wiggle the slide with the other hand holding the frame), Push down on the barrel hood to see if there is any movement (this actully relates to accuracy, there should be no movement). Other than that, just look at the guns overall finish, like the edges, lots of guys will permenant marker the edges to hide the holster wear, thus lieing about the gun being a safe queen, chech the rifling on the barrel, see if they are sharp, this indicates how many rounds have gon down the barrel. Horribly used guns usually rattle and barely any rifling left. Check the outside finish, it should be smooth with no disruption in the metal, dishonest people will have a pitted gun bead blasted and then refinish, problem is, if the metal has pits, it will spread over time no matter how well you sand or bead blast it off...you can usually tell by seeing tiny micro little pits on the gun...

[tankerman]

If this is to be a defensive gun it should fire while the barrel is firmly against a surface, like may occur if you were fighting with an assailant and you pushed the barrel against his body.

(insure the gun is unloaded) With the gun cocked, press the barrel firmly against the palm of your hand and pull the trigger, some guns will not fire with pressure on the front of the barrel/slide, some will.

[sfwdiy]

(insure the gun is unloaded) With the gun cocked, press the barrel firmly against the palm of your hand and pull the trigger, some guns will not fire with pressure on the front of the barrel/slide, some will.

I think I would recommend doing this against a table or couch or something other than your hand.

--Ben

[tankerman]

I think I would recommend doing this against a table or couch or something other than your hand.

--Ben

Why do you not now how to check if a gun is unloaded or not? That's scary.

[sfwdiy]

I simply prefer not to drop the hammer on a firearm while it's pointed at something I'd rather not shoot. I don't dryfire at my plasma TV for the same reason.

[aplinker]

Guns do not magically load themselves. If you appropriately check and inspect the firearm prior (and NEVER let it leave your hand) it's acceptable, even necessary, to function test in such a way.

I simply prefer not to drop the hammer on a firearm while it's pointed at something I'd rather not shoot. I don't dryfire at my plasma TV for the same reason.

Just wanted to make it clear: everything he says here is a safety check. Everything after that were the checks you should have done for value before you purchased, and are good for you to know the condition of your gun. They do not, however, affect function and safety. Even heavy pitting of a frame or slide is NOT unsafe. Heavy barrel wear is not unsafe. You should look for any cracks or bulging to the barrel, though. That is a safety issue. Most 1911's won't cycle with a bulged barrel, due to the tight slide/barrel fit.

A safety check is always good, visual check of a unloaded chamber, when gun is in battery, with hammer cock, pull trigger but do not touch the grip safety,... nothing should happen, hammer do not fall. With Hammer cock, engage thumb safety, pull trigger, again, nothing should happen, hammer do not fall.

[tankerman]

Every gun is always loaded never point a gun at anything you are not ready to destroy get into this mindset and you will never shoot a hole in your hand or anything else unintentionally

A gun is either loaded or not. Pulling the trigger on an unloaded gun does not mean I am being safe.

This is a black and white issue, there are either rounds in the gun or there are not rounds in the gun.....Period

The I'm safer that you, politically correct attitiude is bogus.

BTW, many more folks than not, do dry fire there guns and do practice trigger control at home while dropping the hammer, and I really doubt that most folks have anything in their house that the don't mind destroying.

[aplinker]

BTW, many more folks than not, do dry fire there guns and do practice trigger control at home while dropping the hammer, and I really doubt that most folks have anything in their house that the don't mind destroying, unless their spouse is a cat person.

Fixed that for you.

You should treat all guns like their loaded unless you, personally, have made sure they're not. If you put it down or it leaves your immediate care or eyesight, at all, for even a moment, it is loaded. This is the only way to deal with it.

I'm with Tanker here. You've taken the rules to an absurd point.

[phbiggs]

Actually I just found this.

http://www.bob-oracle.com/1911buy.htm

Anything else anyone can add?

Thats what I was going to recommend.

[jkgts1]

Thanks for all the replies.

[Katana]

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

[BigRich]

A 1911 type pistol should NOT fire when the muzzle is firmly pressed against anything. If it did it would mean the disconnect was not working properly and it would fire either out of battery or with such little bearing on the locking lugs as to do damage to the weapon. Some time back a custom gunsmith actually devised a frame mounted stand off device for the 1911 just so you could make a contact shot in safety to the guns operator. That is actually one of the function checks that the gun has to pass in order to be safe.