Call them. You are one step away from the dreaded Idiot Scatch.

 

I actually have an idiot scratch prevention tool.

 

Do you have the slide stop in the gun?

 

No, I do not have the slide stop in the gun. The only field strip parts in the gun are the barrel and recoil rod (regular length, not extended).

 

Smack the back of the slide with a rubber hammer. Your barrel link is jammed up. A good smack should pop it loose. I am not an expert... but I have read this solution here and have done this myself when mine was stuck like that.

 

Dental pick or small punch through the slide stop pin hole to manipulate the bottom of the link forward. It is probably jammed slightly past vertical, wedging the barrel/slide/frame together.

 

This seems most likely...

 

Is the Recoil spring installed? Bushing?

 

No, just the barrel and recoil rod.

 

When you get it unstuck,lean the gun to the right side with the muzzzle low.While holding the frame and slide push back on the barrel,gravity will put the link hole in line.Slip the stop in and then line up the notch to fully install it.Let gravity do the work for you.

 

I don't know if Nighthawk is series 70 or 80. It's probably the barrel link but if it's series 80 it could be the tab that depresses the firing pin safety is hanging up on something. Did you force the slide to reassemble the gun?

 

Wow,really stuck eh?Your guide rod may have twistd and jambed it in harder.Don't watch him free it up,you won't like it.I do collision work,people freak right out when they walk in and see a bare floorpan with no side on it.

 

Wow,really stuck eh?Your guide rod may have twistd and jambed it in harder.

Sounds probable. There should be enough clearance in the frame for the link to swing past vertical without touching. That groove that's cut in the bottom of the frame's there for that reason. If the link goes rearward past vertical, the barrel should still move forward. Guide rod probably went sideways, maybe upside down, and wedged between the barrel & frame. Gunsmith will probably tap the slide forward with a mallet. It's gonna look ugly, but that's what it's gonna take. Assembly lesson learned: Spring (small end) goes on the guide rod before putting rod in place.

 

Deleted,doubled somehow

 

DonP,not necessarily.In lockup yes,but his upper lugs are bottomed on the slide hood foward of their slide cuts.That will bind it if the link goes verticle.The guide rod can't actually flip over,it will twist and rotate jambing the corners of the barrel contour into the lower chamber area.Never had one I had to get brutal with,a good smack of the hand worked.

 

update - I showed it to a gunsmith, who gave the back of the slide a good whack with his hand, and it unlocked. I said, dang, that was easy! Thanks everyone, for your input. I will get the hang of 1911 reassembly eventually.

 

Hey that's what I said a bunch of posts back! Had this happen to me with a brand new gun during the first field strip just like you! Didn't want to go back to where I just picked it up 20 minutes earlier so I Googled around and found the whack it solution.

Glad you got it going! I learned after that to not push the slide back to far before getting the slide stop in, just go far enough on the frame to slip in the pin, let the rest of the stop hang there, then push the slide back further to line up the notch, pull the stop out a little bit, line it up with the notch and push it in. If you push the slide back to the notch before the stop is in that is when the link jams up.

 

You're welcome. Hope you enjoy it.

 

Well, at least he didn't have to grab a BFH to pop it loose...

 

That was good to hear,I failed to say I've used my hand,arms and feet as various sized hammers for decades.

 

That was good to hear,I failed to say I've used my hand,arms and feet as various sized hammers for decades.

I wanted to tell him that, but was afraid to.
Respects, Pedro.

 

The slide can be anywhere in the travel but both extremes really,I'm usually a little shy of the assembly notch.The trick is the cant of the gun with muzzle low and I have the spring on to keep the rod straight.A little wiggle of the barrel in this position lets gravity swing the link right in line,pick up the link and line up the install notch.I don't hold the gun as if shooting either,it's laying in my hand with the thumb base up under the grip safety and fingers rolled over the top of the slide,the pinky is normally straight or close to it on the side of the gun supporting it.Just like the gun is laying in your hand but at an angle instead of flat on it's side.

 

I had to laugh when you said: "(constituting my birthday AND Christmas present for this year)"

My wife is getting me an old Smith and Wesson ex police revolver for my birthday AND fathers day this year! Hey it works! As long as we end up with more guns!

Yeah, I guess on mine I got lucky... that or I just whacked it harder! I was sick when it happened to me... "Great... brand new gun... haven't even shot it yet and now I managed to break it!" You were 100% right to be cautious and not go banging away on it.

I totally understand not wanting to bang on it to hard as you could REALLY break something that way!

Enjoy your new 1911!!

 

In addition to adding the recoil spring before reinserting the slide stop, one helpful trick that might help. Immediately after installing the slide stop, grab hold of the barrel and give it a tug to ensure the link has been captured. Enjoy your new pistol and welcome to the forum.