1911 Question-Barrel Length & Disassembly

[Tallinthesaddle]

I purchased a Springfield 1911 full size 5" barrel a couple of months ago and really like it. The disassembly of the pistol for cleaning is different than polymer pistol for sure, ie Sig, CZ, FN, Glock, etc. This week I purchased a Springfield 1911 Champion model with the 4" barrel and the first thing I noticed was it disassembled different than the 5"! Is this typical with all 1911's? How about the 3" model? It seems that the 5" model uses a barrel bushing and the shorter ones do not.

[rm9792]

I have commander length 1911's with both Bull Barrel and Bushing setups. Bull barrel usually uses a pin to take down by capturing the spring. All 3" I have seen are Bull barrels with the "capture" method. My Kimber 3" and 4" uses pins while my 5" kimbers and Springfields use the bushing style. I think they make 5" in bull style but am not sure.

[smyrna]

I purchased a Springfield 1911 full size 5" barrel a couple of months ago and really like it. The disassembly of the pistol for cleaning is different than polymer pistol for sure, ie Sig, CZ, FN, Glock, etc. This week I purchased a Springfield 1911 Champion model with the 4" barrel and the first thing I noticed was it disassembled different than the 5"! Is this typical with all 1911's? How about the 3" model? It seems that the 5" model uses a barrel bushing and the shorter ones do not.

It varies by manufacturer. I think the Springfield Champion has a bull barrel with no bushing, but that is not true of all shorter than Govt. length set-ups. Colt Commanders use a bushing and the GI style guide rod and recoil spring. These two things, bushing or lack thereof and recoil guide rod set up, pretty much dictate take down. I have no experience with 3" models, so I don't know for sure, but I suspect they have full length guide rods or some type of contained recoil spring mechanism due to the short length.

[rm9792]

They do. My Kimber UC has a dual spring setup you use a pin to hold compressed for takedown.

[G.A. Heath]

I have seen 3.5, 4.25 and 5 inch 1911s with both styles of barrels. The bushing design requires nothing for field stripping while the bull barrel designs do. You can use the little tools that come with some guns to capture the recoil assembly, or you can use a bent paper clip. You can with a lot of practice and patience disassemble and reassemble the bull barrel guns without any tools, but I can assure you it is no fun.