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I am brand new to the Springfield 1911 .45 and need help please. I can disassemble with no problem. But when I have to assemble it I have a heck of time getting the slide stop back in.

If you look at the picture I have attached, I am trying to figure out how you are supposed to keep that tiny little button depressed while you put the part with the notch back in to the dissembly notch. I find it damn near impossible to simultaneously press that tiny little button in while I try to make that part of the slide stop go into the notch.



So far it has taken me depressing the button with a flat head screwdriver while my son presses the part into the diassembly notch.

I can only conclude that I am either missing something painfully obvious or I am just too weak to perform this step. If it just my lack of muscle please dont hesitate to tell me. If not muscle strenght, how the heck do get this bugger back in without alcohol and swearing involved?

btw I put the post through the barrel link first before I attempt to put the end into the disassembly notch.

Any help is HUGELY appreciated. Thank you in advance

cwohardy wrote:I am brand new to the Springfield 1911 .45 and need help please. I can disassemble with no problem. But when I have to assemble it I have a heck of time getting the slide stop back in.

If you look at the picture I have attached, I am trying to figure out how you are supposed to keep that tiny little button depressed while you put the part with the notch back in to the dissembly notch. I find it darn near impossible to simultaneously press that tiny little button in while I try to make that part of the slide stop go into the notch.



So far it has taken me depressing the button with a flat head screwdriver while my son presses the part into the diassembly notch.

I can only conclude that I am either missing something painfully obvious or I am just too weak to perform this step. If it just my lack of muscle please dont hesitate to tell me. If not muscle strenght, how the heck do get this bugger back in without alcohol and swearing involved?

btw I put the post through the barrel link first before I attempt to put the end into the disassembly notch.

Any help is HUGELY appreciated. Thank you in advance

I'm not familiar with the Springfield 1911, but I checked Youtube and found several videos of field stripping the Springfield 1911. Based on the video I saw, no muscle is needed to reinsert the slide stop. Looks like you install the slide stop before you complete the assembly (before the spring). The guy put the slide in the correct position and let go of the gun, picked up the stop and put it in place. No need to muscle anything. Hope this helps. Just search Youtube for "FIELD STRIP SPRINGFIELD 1911" and you will find many more videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHhWfbs615s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

New 1911's are sometimes a bit tight and the spring pressure on the plunger may be a bit strong, but most likely the cut on the back edge of the slide stop itself (the part that touches the plunger when trying to put it in) may not be cut at just the correct angle to force the plunger in and let the slide stop go in correctly. You should not have to push the "little button" (plunger) at all! The slide stop should push it in and slide past it.

This is what causes the dreaded "Idiot SCRATCH" on a lot of 1911's that you see just below the slide stop when assembled.

Now, first of all, make sure that you are not trying to assemble it with the recoil spring under pressure. The recoil spring should be loose in the gun and the slide moves freely without any pressure against it.

Line up the slot while at the same time making sure you see the hole in the barrel lug visible in the slide stop hole. Make sure you insert the round portion of the slide stop through the hole in the barrel lug. Now, lay the pistol on a flat surface (protected with a towel or whatever) and move the slide stop up towards the plunger. You can first try to line up the slide stop directly on top (side) of the plunger and using both hands and 4 fingers, push straight in on both ends of the slide stop at the same time. This should work. But if it does not, then you have to try the alternate method..........

The alternate method can cause the scratch if you are not careful. Line up the slide stop just slightly below the plunger and hold it in that position while pushing it with both hands and 4 fingers UP and IN at the same time. Keep trying. It will eventually go in and you will say, boy....that was easy.

Worst case is you may have to file off the angle of the end of the slide stop that mates with the plunger for it to have a better pushing effect against the plunger when pushing straight onto it.

Hope this helps.

Positioned properly, the slide stop should move the plunger out of the way as you slide it into place. Try this web site:

http://www.m1911.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AEA, thanks for naming that little thingy as the plunger, that helps sooooooo much!!!!!! And your detailed instructions combined with the links from jimlongley and jjvp will, I think solve this isuue tomorrow after I fire again and go to clean it.

At least they better. I hate to think Springfield is a direct supporter of the Jack Daniels company ha ha

Here's another site with good info on disassembly/reassembly:

http://www.m1911.org/stripin1.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm trying to find someone who sells a plastic tool to use for pushing the plunger in to allow installation of the slide stop because I'm sure I've seen one somewhere.

I actually use an old toothbrush handle where I cut off the brush part and ground a 'wedge' at the end that I can use to push in the the plunger and not damage the finish.

Here it is, the 'Pachmayr Widget Tool' :

http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index.php ... ow&ref=100" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ghostrider wrote:Here it is, the 'Pachmayr Widget Tool' :

http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index.php ... ow&ref=100" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That little bugger looks like just the thing! My durn flathead just isn't skinny enough to depress the plunger and still allow the stop to slide in. I hate the idea of filing anything down. If my CCL class wasn't coming up soon I would just send the sucker back and tell them to do it!


just went to that website and they wanted $10.45 shipping for a 4 dollar part. No can do.........................

>just went to that website and they wanted $10.45 shipping for a 4 dollar part. No can do..

I know. That's why I made one myself. In a pinch, a 1/8" precision slotted screwdriver would work, but you have to be careful it doesn't slip and cause a scratch.

John, SV1CEC, the owner of 1911.org, has been an acquaintance if not friend for years, both through ham radio and through our mutual interest in the 1911. His site does nothing if not get better and better.

ghostrider wrote:>just went to that website and they wanted $10.45 shipping for a 4 dollar part. No can do..

I know. That's why I made one myself. In a pinch, a 1/8" precision slotted screwdriver would work, but you have to be careful it doesn't slip and cause a scratch.

too late on the scratch... however, I am headed to Lowe's tomorrow for the thinnest screwdriver I can find.

Where are you? There's probably a CHL 1911 owner nearby.