How to Unload, Field-Strip, and Fully Disassemble a 1911A1 45 ACP Semi Automatic Pistol

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

1911 .45 + 8 Round Magazine.
Rubber Band (To depress Grip Safety).
Springfield ILS-MSH Take Down Pin (Only for Springfield ILS-MSH's).
3/32 SAE Hex. Key/Alan Wrench (For Hex. Grip Screws).
Small Flat Head Screw Driver (Approx. 1/8 For Magazine Catch Lock).
Stainless Steel Punch (For MSH Retaining Pin).

Step 1

Always wear Eye Protection during Firearm Dis-assembly!
Step 2

Finger OFF Trigger

Keep your Finger out of the Trigger Guard, and OFF of the Trigger AT ALL TIMES DURING DIS-ASSEMBLY!
Step 3

Safe Direction

Always keep the Muzzle/Barrel/End of the Firearm pointed in a Safe Direction!
Step 4

Never point the Muzzle/Barrel/End at anything you are not willing to destroy!
Step 5

Keep ALL Rounds of Ammunition in a Different Room during Dis-assembly!
Step 6

Check to ensure that the Firearm is Unloaded!
Step 7

Loaded Chamber Indicator

Check the "Loaded Chamber Indicator"(If available on your Model) to ensure that there is NO Round Chambered in the Firearm!
Step 8

Thumb Safety ON

Ensure that the Thumb Safety is flicked "UP" or "ON" to Safety BEFORE releasing the Magazine!
Step 9

Hold your Hand under the Magazine to catch it, and depress the Magazine Catch to drop the Mag. to your Hand. It should fall under it's own weight.
Step 10

Thumb Safety OFF

Keep you Finger out of the Trigger Guard and Off of the Trigger, and depress the Thumb Safety down to "Ready" or "OFF"!
Step 11

Check empty Chamber

Firmly grip the Firearm and pull The Slide backwards and Lock the Slide back with the Slide Lock to Eject any Chambered Rounds and inspect the Chamber and Barrel to ensure there are NO Rounds of Ammunition inside of the Firearm!
Step 12

Remove any Rounds of Ammunition from the Mag.
Step 13

Place ALL Ammunition in a Container and put away in Another Room during Dis-assembly!
Step 14

Now CHECK 3 TIMES AGAIN to ENSURE that your Firearm is FULLY UNLOADED and CLEAR!
Step 15

Tools Used

Prepare your workplace. Any good table, desk, or the floor will do. Black Vehicle Floor Mats are fairly inexpensive and make an excellent surface for Firearm Dis-assembly! Get all Tools out and ready.
Step 16

Hold Slide back 1/2

Field-Strip:

Pull and hold back the Slide about 1/2" (Often times the Barrel may be thicker at the Muzzle, and this action will free up space to loosen the Barrel Bushing)
Step 17

Press down and Hold the Recoil Spring Plug deep enough to clear the Barrel Bushing.
Step 18

Hold Recoil Spring Plug and rotate Barrel Bushing Clockwise 45° Degrees to free the Recoil Spring Plug.
Step 19

Careful

Slowly and Carefully guide the release of the Recoil Spring Plug while removing it! (There is a Recoil Spring behind the plug with enough stored energy to cause serious injury to self!
Step 20

Slide Stop Release

Push the Slide back until the Slide Stop falls directly under the Small Round Slide Stop Notch in the Slide.
Step 21

Push the Slide Stop toward you from the back of the Frame.
Step 22

Dont Scratch

Pull out the Slide Stop very carefully to protect the Frame from being scratched by the Slide Stop.
Step 23

Pull Frame back

Set the Firearm down on it's Slide and pull the Frame backwards off of the Slide completely, and set the Frame aside.
Step 24

Rotate Barrel Bushing back Counter-Clockwise approx. 180° Degrees until free, and pull out of Slide.
Step 25

Flip over Slide and pull the Recoil Spring, and Recoil Spring Guide, out through the Bottom of the Slide.
Step 26

Flip the Barrel Link Pin Forward, and pull Barrel through the Muzzle-End of the Slide.

End of Field-Strip.
Step 27

Full Slide Dis-assembly:

Tap out the Barrel Link Pin and remove the Barrel Link from the Barrel.
Step 28

Depress Firing Pin with Punch.
Step 29

Hold Firing Pin down, and carefully slide the Firing Pin Stop/Retainer downward.
Step 30

Careful

Carefully slide out the Firing Pin Stop/Retainer but cover and hold the Firing Pin closely because the Firing Pin Spring is behind it with enough stored energy to cause serious injury to self!
Step 31

Pull out the Firing Pin, and carefully twist off the Firing Pin Spring.
Step 32

Pull Out the Extractor.

This completes the Full Slide Dis-assembly.
Step 33

Full Frame Dis-assembly:

Remove the Grip Screws starting with the opposite side of the Laser on the Grips. ( Bottom Screw first, ending with the Screw nearest to the Laser.)
Step 34

Remove the Laser Grips and their Dust Covers.
Step 35

Move Hammer back to the Fully Cocked Position.
Step 36

Band Grip Safety

Depress Grip Safety and wrap the Rubber Band around the Grip Safety and Frame to hold it tightly depressed for the duration of the ILS-MSH removal.
Step 37

UP and OUT

Push Thumb Safety upward until it just slightly begins to disengage from the Plunger Spring Pin.
Step 38

Down and back IN

Simultaneously pull and wiggle the Thumb Safety out toward you by pressing the Thumb Safety "Pin" on the opposite side of the Frame. Don't Fully Remove the Thumb Safety, slide it out enough to rotate it out of the way but still retaining the Grip Safety, and replace the Thumb Safety Upside Down and out of the way for now.
Step 39

Remove the Plunger Spring Assembly Pins(2) and Plunger Spring by pulling the rear pin outward, all 3 should come out together. Separate the 2 pins from the Plunger Spring.
Step 40

ILS Take Down Pin

Insert the ILS-MSH Take-Down Pin (Springfield Internal-Locking-System Main Spring Housing) Into the ILS-MSH Take-Down Pin Hole on the Main Spring Housing.
Step 41

Hold and guide

Hold the ILS-MSH Pin in the MSH while firmly holding the Hammer. While holding the Hammer and ILS-MSH Pin in, carefully and slowly press the Trigger to release the Hammer. Catch and gently guide the Hammer Fully Forward and rest it on the Frame. This will create pressure on the ILS Pin from the release of the Main Spring within the MSH. The Main Spring will hold the ILS Pin securely in place.
Step 42

Use the Punch to tap or push out the MSH Retaining Pin through the frame.
Step 43

Slide down and pull out the Main Spring Housing.
Step 44

Tightly grasp the MSH and use Punch to depress the Main Spring inside the MSH until the ILS Pin Falls Free. Slowly and Carefully release the Main Spring with the punch and be VERY careful! There is enough stored energy in the Main Spring to cause serious injury to self!
Step 45

Pull the Main Spring, Main Spring Cap, and Main Spring Cap Pin out and apart from each other.
Step 46

Pull out the Thumb Safety.
Step 47

Remove the Rubber Band and slowly remove the Grip Safety.
Step 48

Pull out the Sear Spring.
Step 49

Drop/Tap out Both the Hammer Pin and Sear/Disconnector Pin.
Step 50

Drop out the Hammer.
Step 51

Tap out the Hammer Strut Pin, and remove the Hammer Strut from the Hammer.
Step 52

Drop out the Sear and Disconnector.
Step 53

Press then Unlock

Depress and hold the Magazine Catch/Release inward approx. 80-90%. While Holding, use Small Flat Head Screw Driver to unlock the Magazine Catch Lock by turning the Magazine Catch Lock Screw Counter-Clockwise until the Lock disengages and the Magazine Catch falls free of the Frame.
Step 54

Once removed, turn the Mag. Catch Lock Screw slowly until it frees from the Mag. Catch.
Step 55

Remove the Mag. Catch Spring From the Mag. Catch Lock Screw.
Step 56

The Trigger should fall free from the Frame on it's own weight.
Step 57

Magazine Dis-assembly:

Depress Follower 75%.
Step 58

Insert Punch into Hole in Mag. to detain Mag. Spring.
Step 59

Dump out Follower, pull out the Spring.
Step 60

If Base Plate is Removable, depress Base Plate Pin, and slide Base Plate forward to remove.
Step 61

This completes the Full Dis-assembly!
Normally, the last remaining parts(The Ejector, Plunger Tube, Fixed Sights, and Grip Screw Bushings) are not removed for Full Dis-assembly unless adjustments, replacements, or gunsmithing required/desired to ensure proper function, reliability, or required stripping of the Frame completely bare for re-finishing.