1911 Instructional Video

This is an instructional video on how to properly take apart, clean, and put back together the 1911 series of handguns.

Developed by Colt under the leadership and main efforts of John Browning, the Model 1911 pistol was adopted by the U.S. Army in the year of its name. The gun was built around Browning's newly-designed .45 ACP cartridge as per request of the War Department for a heavier-hitting round. Several years later, the Marine Corps also adopted the 1911, soon becoming the U.S. Military's standard-issue sidearm. The 1911 served in this role until the later 1980s when its replacement was selected; Beretta's M-9 9mm pistol. Even after the Beretta was adopted, elite U.S. Military units continued using the 1911. Even to this day, the USMC Special Forces (MARSOC) still officially uses the 1911 pistol as their standard-issue sidearm. Colt just recently picked up a new Marine Corps contract to make 1911s for MARSOC, making the 1911 a sidearm that has been in the hands of the U.S. war-fighter for 101 years (and counting). Various law enforcement departments and government agencies use the 1911 even to this day, such as the LAPD SWAT team using the Kimber TLE II. Many spin-offs and improved designs have come from the original design, and the gun and its variants have been and are still being used by agencies and military units all over the globe. Today, many manufacturers make the 1911 and the design in use today is virtually almost unchanged from that of the original.

Taking it apart:
1) Ensure the source of feed is removed from the gun (release the magazine)
2) Lock the slide back and ensure the gun is completely unloaded
3) Slowly and carefully release the slide to the forward position
4) Put the weapon on safe
5) It helps to place the weapon pointing upward, but push down on the recoil spring plunger
6) CAREFUL -PARTS ARE UNDER PRESSURE
With the plunger depressed, slide the barrel bushing to the left to allow for the recoil spring plunger to escape being "trapped" in by the bushing
7) Carefully ease the recoil spring plunger out of the slide and remove the recoil spring from the slide
8) Rotate the barrel bushing now to the right, and then pull the bushing from the slide
9) Now pull the slide back almost to full rear, aligning the slide stop with the take-down notch of the slide
10) With the take-down notch and slide stop aligned, push the slide stop out of the frame from right to left
11) With the slide stop removed, pull the slide and barrel forward and off the frame
12) Remove the recoil spring base from under the barrel
12) Ensure the barrel link of the barrel is turned downward and toward the muzzle, then pull the barrel forward and out of the slide

Putting it back together:
1) Insert the barrel into the slide from the muzzle end and into the breach end of the slide
2) Lay the slide and barrel upside-down on the table and place the recoil spring base on the barrel towards the barrel link (ensuring barrel link is standing up)
3) Push the closed-end of the recoil spring through the front end of the slide and fix it onto the recoil spring base
4) Introduce the upside-down frame onto the rails of the slide, ensuring the recoil spring base, recoil spring, and barrel link are properly fit to the barrel with a snug fit
5) Push in the frame firing pin safety device so it doesn't block or hit against the rear of the slide (80 Series 1911s only)
6) Carefully align the barrel link with the holes in the frame for the slide stop
7) Insert the slide stop into the frame and through the barrel link -test fit by pulling the slide back and forth to ensure proper placement of barrel link
8) Align the slide at the take-down notch and CAREFULLY push down and inwards on the slide stop to "snap" it into the frame -avoid scratching the frame with the slide stop in the process
9) Push the slide in the forward position, then put the weapon on safe
10) Insert the barrel bushing into the slide, slightly canted to the right, then rotate the bushing to full left once secured in the slide
11) CAREFUL -PARTS ARE UNDER PRESSURE
Place the recoil spring plunger onto the open end of the recoil spring and apply pressure
12) Insert the recoil spring plunger into the slide, then carefully rotate the barrel bushing to the right until it clicks and "traps" the recoil spring plunger into the slide
13) Take the weapon off safe and it's now put back together

Particular Mentions:
You should never allow the slide of a 1911 to be released forward without carefully guiding it forward. The slide is meant to be released only with ammo in a magazine helping to cushion and slow the movement of the slide forward, and without a loaded magazine inserted in the gun, the slide has no cushioning and the internal parts can wear and break easily. Occasional and even frequent dry-firing does not hurt the gun at all, but as always, heavy dry-firing drills should be down with dummy rounds or Snap Caps.