[Hydra-shokz]

I'm not a gunsmith.I've never been shown the complete process of total dis-assembly and re-assembly of the 1911.I'm self taught.On my first go around on detail stripping a 1911 I ran into a frustrating problem during re-assembly-keeping the plunger in and working the thumb-safety back into place.I've had the damn thing shoot across the room several times.Have you ever had this problem?I dont know how the pros do it but I figured out a little trick of my own.What I do is cut the end off of a q-tip.I place the plunger assembly into its tube.I then press the thumb-safety in its position.Slide the cut end of the q-tip under the safety and compress the spring of the plunger.While holding the plunger all the way in I slowy wiggle the thumb-safety and press down.Once the q-tip is fairly tight between the frame and the backside of the safety I slowly pull the q-tip out while wiggling down.Snaps right into place everytime.Since most q-tips are hollow it holds perfectly keeping centered on the end of the safety plunger witout slipping off.Plus it will never scratch.Has anyone ever done it this way?What is the normal way to do get this done?

SHOKz

 

[eerw]

I use a pachmayr Widget..nylon tool, no scratching, fits right in behind the thumb safety

 

[deputy tom]

Originally posted by eerw:
I use a pachmayr Widget..nylon tool, no scratching, fits right in behind the thumb safety

I use a small screw driver to the same end result.I would recommend the widget.I saw one several years ago at a gunshow and still kick Myself for not buying it!tom.


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N.R.A. LIFE MEMBER

 

[MPower]

I use a Q-tip also. Works perfect and they are handy to have on the tool bench anyway when detail cleaning guns. Only thing is my gf decided to buy about 10,ooo PLASTIC Q-tips at the price club. These are much harder to snap the cotton heads off of. grrr.
Toothpicks also work well and don't scratch.

 

[Jim V]

Question, why did the spring and plungers zing across the room? If the spring was correct, it would have a small kink in it to hold it and the plungers in the plunger tube.

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
Molon Labe

 

[rofi]

I use Q-tip tools all the time! They are always on my bench. ......I lost the plunger in my new Springfield the first time I striped it. (still cant find that thing anywhere) $2.00 lost and a lesson well learned. ALWAYS KEEP IT COVERED....ROFI

P.S. Great tip for new shooters (Q-Tip)

 

[Ledbetter]

Another great thing to have for this job and many others is a wooden dowel. Various sizes are handy, but for this job I would use one less than .25" diameter. Sometimes I sharpen them in a pencil sharpener for cleaning grooves, but for other jobs, like this one, I whittle the end into a flat edge.

I use the flat edge to exert pressure on the plunger while inserting the safety.

Wood works Good. It's not as durable as nylon, but the dowel can be re-whittled into any required shape.

Ledbetter

[This message has been edited by Ledbetter (edited 06-06-2001).]

 

[Hydra-shokz]

Ledbetter,thats a good idea for a crevice(sp?)tool.A wooden dowel and a pencil sharpner.I'll have to remember that.The Q-tip also reminds to to clean my ears.

SHOKz

 

[Hydra-shokz]

Jim V,why did my plunger shoot accross the room?It just did.I dont have answers to alot of things I've managed to do.

SHOKz

 

[faiello5]

One trick I have learned when working with small, compressed springs is to do so in a large ziplock freezer bag. Just put the whole gun in the bag with the direction the spring may sprong from pointing away from the opening. It can be a little awkward, but if the spring zips out, it will be "in the bag" (pun intended). Good luck!


Regards,
Frank

 

[Alleycat]

Nothing like a good cat. Every time I've had something take flight, it's been easily located by following the twitching tails...

Steve

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"Formerly we suffered from crimes; now we suffer from laws." --- Publius Cornelius Tacitus

 

[dsk]

Believe it or not, I simply allowed my thumbnail to grow just long enough to use it as a 1911 reassembly tool. Now THAT's being a 1911 addict!

[This message has been edited by dsk (edited 06-07-2001).]

 

[deputy tom]

Ledbetter, another source for pointy dowels in cutex brand orange sticks.Women use these to push cuticles back on their fingernails.One end is pointed the other is chisel ground.I never thought to use them for gun related duty.thanks for that suggestion.tom.

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N.R.A. LIFE MEMBER

 

[Metal Smith]

Al Marvel makes a small cylindrical ground tool on a red screw driver handle with a ball detent in the tip that works nice, they are in Brownells, Metal Smith

 

[TEX'N]

Jim V, lots of new guns no longer have the plunger spring kinked--even very expensive ones.

Any flat piece of stiff plastic (or wood)about 3/8" wide, almost as thick as the plunger tube, and 4-5" long will work. Some old kitchen plastic tools and a grinder will turn out a pretty fair substitute for the Pachmayr "widget". Glad I bought some of these long ago.

 

[Jim V]

Sighhhhhhh, Thanks Tex'n, another well thought out idea of JMB tossed in the ash can of life by morons.

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
Molon Labe

 

[waldopepper303]

It only takes a couple of seconds to offset the straight springs in the center to prevent them from flying free. Grasp the two parts firmly anf using fingernails as levers, offset the spring moderately. Less than 1/32" will do the job nicely. Twerks fer me! And, it does not restrict the motion of either plunger.