6 inch, bushing, 1911: recoil spring installation help please

[mtenenhaus]

MV and Kcstott, thank you....yes i have been employing that technique on my 5 inch 1911's and it works great...somehow it doesn't seem to work on the 6 inch.

i'm unaware of how long a full length guide rod is supposed to be for the latter platform but i assume that the one i have measures a bit too long.

Presently, thankfully i've managed to get it all back together.

In the coming month i'll likely purchase another and compare.......I hope to post my findings.

AreWeNotMen, I feel your pain.

[MosinVirus]

MV and Kcstott, thank you....yes i have been employing that technique on my 5 inch 1911's and it works great...somehow it doesn't seem to work on the 6 inch.

i'm unaware of how long a full length guide rod is supposed to be for the latter platform but i assume that the one i have measures a bit too long.

Presently, thankfully i've managed to get it all back together.

In the coming month i'll likely purchase another and compare.......I hope to post my findings.

AreWeNotMen, I feel your pain.

I just don't understand how that is possible having never seen a long slide one in person.

Can you guys post pictures of parts, etc? Perhaps pictures of how you are unable to reassemble?

[AreWeNotMen?]

I just don't understand how that is possible having never seen a long slide one in person.

Can you guys post pictures of parts, etc? Perhaps pictures of how you are unable to reassemble?

Well, when I feel the absolute need to disassemble to thoroughly clean next time, I will post a pics of the frustrating process. I have done it twice...but it left me emotionally scarred and I have disremembered the traumatic experience

[mtenenhaus]

Here we go.
What i hope you'll see is that one can neither remove the rod from the slide without unscrewing the two parts, nor can one depress the end cap.

You might also note the bloody paper towel from the adventure.

[MosinVirus]

Wow. TWO PIECE GUIDE RODS HAVE TO COME APART.

That is why I posted a link to my video. The 2 piece guide rod is longer than 1 piece. The 2 piece has to be unscrewed to then be disassembled and reassembled like GI guide rods.


Follow these steps...

DISASSEMBLY

1. Check to make sure that gun is unloaded.
2. Cock the hammer and engage the Thumb Safety.
3. Unscrew the front piece of the guude rod and remove it from the front of the slide.
4. Depress the spring plug and turn the barrel bushing to the 9 o clock position if looking at the muzzle with rhe gun upright.
5. Slowly release the spring plug and allow the spring to expand out the front.
6. Take the spring plug off the spring.
7. Lower the thumb safety
8. Move the slide back to align the take down notch with slide stop head.
9. Remove the slide stop.
10. Take the slide off
11. Take out the second piece of the guide rod with spring by pulling toward the rear of the slide.

REASSEMBLY.

in the reverse order.

You obviously are not employing the technique I showed in the video... why?

[mtenenhaus]

MV, as always i appreciate your insight and advice.

The photos I've attached were intended merely to demonstrate respective relationships and do not demonstrate or advocate technique.

I have a standard Gov't with FLGR that goes together with little effort.

I employed the sequence you've described (as well as several other contortions) to little avail on the 6 inch. Ultimately one succeeds but it is much more difficult than one encounters with the standard 5 in Government set up...at least in my recent experience.

As noted, the 6 inch is a whole other story....When i try to feed the spring and spring plug using the technique you note, the length/strength of the spring is such that it becomes incredibly difficult to control and has a much greater tendency to jump out. It is also very difficult to compress and hold in place when attempting to rotate the barrel bushing.

I will likely try to shorten the overall length of the guide rod which i think might allow me to extract the guide rod/spring as a contained unit. Shy that i will purchase the fusion set up which allows the use of a 5 inch spring.

It's a great shooting pistol and i'm learning a lot.

[MosinVirus]

MV, as always i appreciate your insight and advice.

The photos I've attached were intended merely to demonstrate respective relationships and do not demonstrate or advocate technique.

I have a standard Gov't with FLGR that goes together with little effort.

I employed the sequence you've described (as well as several other contortions) to little avail on the 6 inch. Ultimately one succeeds but it is much more difficult than one encounters with the standard 5 in Government set up...at least in my recent experience.

As noted, the 6 inch is a whole other story....When i try to feed the spring and spring plug using the technique you note, the length/strength of the spring is such that it becomes incredibly difficult to control and has a much greater tendency to jump out. It is also very difficult to compress and hold in place when attempting to rotate the barrel bushing.

I will likely try to shorten the overall length of the guide rod which i think might allow me to extract the guide rod/spring as a contained unit. Shy that i will purchase the fusion set up which allows the use of a 5 inch spring.

It's a great shooting pistol and i'm learning a lot.

You should get one of those plastic bushing wrenches. I think it is not the spring that is the problem. The open end spring plug is painful to depress.

[AreWeNotMen?]

resolving my own issue

So I posted earlier seeking similar guidance on my bushingless Springfield Trophy Match Long Slide. I went to the range yesterday to dirty it up, and while watching football later, I decided to tackle field stripping the slide after reading what little clear instructions are out there for my configuration.

The following is written in an effort to be really clear absent photos (I may do it again with pics if helpful to anyone).

Note - I will post this separately so it's more easily searchable.

To field strip a Springfield Trophy Match Long Slide with a Two -Piece Full Length Guide Rod:Deep breath - you did it!

To assemble a Springfield Long Slide Trophy Match with a Two -Piece Full Length Guide Rod:

Install the barrel from the muzzle end. With the slide upside-down on a flat surface, insert the reverse plug in the slide, then slide the front part of the 2-piece FLGR through it from the muzzle end. Assemble the rear part of the 2-piece FLGR into the back of the spring and then slide the other end of the spring over the front part of the 2-piece FLGR (it will want to move out toward the muzzle a bit - just help it back into place). While you cover the underside of the slide with your hand to keep the spring in place (this part takes some finesse and patience), push the rear part of the 2-piece FLGR and spring forward over the front part of the 2-piece FLGR and down until it rests on the barrel and barrel link. Keeping the rear part of the 2-piece FLGR and spring contained, use your other hand push the front half of the 2- piece FLGR rearward to engage and thread fully into the rear part of the 2-piece FLGR. Now you can reinstall the slide on the frame.

Sigh of relief - you're done!