You'll poke yer eye out with that!

[SkullDaddy.45]

So, here's my confession. Yesterday I decided to take my Colt Combat Elite out for a little fun time. After about 100 rnds of flawless fun, I come home, set up my cleaning table. Now, mind ya this is the first time I've fired and cleaned this specific gun. So I depresses the recoil spring plug, twist the barrel bushing, and yup, it happend, plug to the cheek, spring flying across the room, curse words flying, bouncing off walls! The bad part is , YES, I have the tool to do this properly and safely! After an hour of finding parts, my 1911 is back in working condition. I'm not sure where the hulk found this spring at , but geez O peez it was under some pressure! Just wanted to share my experience with some of the newer 1911 people, as I am a newbie also. They are a blast to shoot and beautiful to look at. But like Ralphy's Red Rider BB gun, "You can poke your eye out with that thing!"

 

[churchmouse]

My son has a scare the very size of the hole in the spring plug for a one piece 1911 guide rod. Just by his eye. And yes, we have more than a few tools specific to this task.....

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

My son has a scare the very size of the hole in the spring plug for a one piece 1911 guide rod. Just by his eye. And yes, we have more than a few tools specific to this task.....

I'm not sure what I was thinking , but when the parts went flying, all I could think of then was trying to explain to Blythes why I need a new recoil spring and plug , while wearing a eye patch.

 

[churchmouse]

I'm not sure what I was thinking , but when the parts went flying, all I could think of then was trying to explain to Blythes why I need a new recoil spring and plug , while wearing a eye patch.

With these issues Brownells is your friend.....

 

[SeaCaptain49]

You need one of these. They are awesome.

1911UltraTool.com

 

[PGRChaplain]

Glad no one was seriously injured!

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

LoL, I had my "moment" when cleaning my Kimber Super Carry for the first time. That was my first time disassembling a firearm like that but I got it done with eyes unhurt.

Safety glasses are not a bad idea during cleaning too.

 

[Bigtanker]

Glad you weren't hurt. But next time, maybe stick it in a sand barrrel when you take it apart. I have heard that it cuts down on injuries!

 

[SERparacord]

Try this instead.
1911 Disassembly - YouTube

 

[ChalupaCabras]

"Special tool"? How about you just point the pistol away from you. There is no reason why you need to have the gun pointed at your face to turn the barrel bushing.

 

[88E30M50]

The first time I disassembled my Springfield, I put a divot in the garage ceiling, just missing my face. For years I thought using a tool to disassemble a 1911 was silly. Then I bought the Remington which came with a standard 1911 bushing wrench and I'm hooked. I might have to try the tool linked about out. All 1911s should come with a barrel wrench to save people from damage to ceilings, eyes and knees (when looking to find the parts that just shot across the room). They cost pennies to make.

 

[churchmouse]

"Special tool"? How about you just point the pistol away from you. There is no reason why you need to have the gun pointed at your face to turn the barrel bushing.

Easy enough to say but we are all guilty of it at some point.

 

[SeaCaptain49]

The first time I disassembled my Springfield, I put a divot in the garage ceiling, just missing my face. For years I thought using a tool to disassemble a 1911 was silly. Then I bought the Remington which came with a standard 1911 bushing wrench and I'm hooked. I might have to try the tool linked about out. All 1911s should come with a barrel wrench to save people from damage to ceilings, eyes and knees (when looking to find the parts that just shot across the room). They cost pennies to make.

From personal experience, the 1911 ultra tool is 100x easier to use than a standard bushing wrench.

 

[pellidon]

I was lucky when I had a Springfield mini of some sort that had a spring so heavy it was near impossible to work the slide, let alone reassemble. I had a full size spring fly off so I always removed this under a towel, like a bottle of bubbly.

 

[Ottboys3]

3" bull barrel I have had no such issues. LOL I have owned full sized 1911 with witch I have had to pick up parts all over the room! John Browning made the process so much more simple with his next masterpiece the Browning High Power!