Pre War Colt Ready For Cleaning

Clean The Magazine

Clean The Gun

A G.I. Issue 45 caliber bore brush, tooth brush, Hoppes #9 Cleaner, Good Quality Gun Oil Are The Basic Tools Needed To Field Strip and Clean the 1911 Model Colt 45 Automatic.

.

Unload Gun And Make Safe

Before Proceeding, make absolutely certain that the pistol is not loaded. Always point guns in a safe direction. Dead is a forever deal, so always treat guns as if they were loaded and never point them in a direction that is not safe. Notice that the index finger (trigger finger) is always kept strait and must NEVER touch the trigger.  Remove the magazine first, then cycle the action (pull the slide) to verify that there is not a round in the chamber.  Repeat this process several times.

.

Engage The Slide Lock

After checking several times to verify the gun is absolutely empty, engage the safety. The safety prevents the gun from firing and locks the slide which make disassembly easier. When John Browning designed the original 45 automatic, the hammer was internal and not visible. The U.S. army however insisted on an external hammer.  The safety device is a very ergonomic design as one can easily tell when it is engaged as it actually locks into the slide. On many modern guns white and red dots are not as easily understood and the colors can be obscured with dirt in the field or with age.

Remove Front Barrel Bushing

With gun pointed in safe direction, rotate the front barrel bushing while pressing in against the recoil spring plug. Use caution!  When the barrel bushing is rotated far enough, the front barrel bushing is under extreme spring pressure and will come flying out under considerable force.   After the spring tension is released, rotate the barrel bushing the opposite direction and it will come out of the slide.

.

Remove Slide Lock

Disengage the safety and with gun pointed in safe direction, remove the slide lock. The small cut (not the large cut) in the slide must be aligned with the lock itself.  Push the slide lock through from the opposite side of the gun. Go slow and be very careful not to scratch the side of the frame with the slide lock. This can be accomplished by wiggling it very small arcs as you remove it. Keep your index finger (trigger finger) strait and off the trigger of the gun at all times.

.

Remove Slide

With the slide lock removed, the slide and frame come apart. Slide should remain upside down on work surface for all remaining procedures.  Remove spring, barrel bushing, and barrel for cleaning with appropriate cleaning brushing and cleaning supplies.

.

Remove Firing Pin

Remove the firing pin by pressing against the rear of the firing pin with a punch or other device.   While holding in, slowly lift the firing pin retaining device out of the slide. The firing pin rests in a spring with some tension, so cover it with your hand and point in a safe direction so it doesn't fly out and cause injury or become lost.  On newer Colt models 1991A1 (model 80) pistols, there is an extra firing pin stop. On the model 80, after removing the firing pin retaining device, use a small punch to press down the firing pin stop (inside the slide) and push in on the firing pin.  On these newer guns there is a tiny spring inside the firing pin block also.

Remove Extractor

After removing the firing pin, gently remove the extractor. Go slow and avoid scratching the gun. A small screw driver levered against the inner sufrace of the slide helps remove the extractor. The extractor is one of the most touchy parts of the gun and must be handled with caution and kept very clean. It pulls the spent cartridges from the gun and it's adjustment is critical.  Although the part is pretty tough and safe to clean, only a competent and experience gun smith can adjust an extractor which has been bent out of adjustment.

.

Clean Extractor

With a brush soaked in cleaner, gently remove all soot from the part of the extractor which grasps the rim of the cartridge case.  When using a 1911 Colt 45 pistol, never drop a round into the chamber by hand and then drop the slide as the extractor may be damaged or bent. The extractor is designed for the case to slide up and into it during loading. Newer guns use additional springs to tension the extractor against the cartridge case. Wipe dry, then apply good quality gun oil and wipe again. Remember that the extractor on the 1911 is the most critical part prone to problems and must be carefully cleaned and cared for to achive proper reliablity.

.

Clean Breech Face

With a brush soaked in cleaner, gently remove all soot from the breech face. This is the part of the slide where the primer and base of the cartridge rests against during firing. It must be clean and shiny for proper reliablity.

.

Clean Feed Ramp

With a brush soaked in cleaner, scrub the feed ramp and dirty areas on the frame. The feed ramp is where the bullets ride against when feeding into the chamber. This surface must be clean, and very shiny for the gun to perform properly. The surface may be gently polished (do NOT cut) with well worn oily emory cloth. The trick is to polish the metal, not to cut metal. The surface should be mirror bright if possible.

.

Position Barrel Link

Position the barrel link pointing up  (while slide is upside down).  Others may not do it this way but it works fine. Use a light amount of oil on the slide rails and slide the frame back onto the slide. After the slide and frame are together, gently and slowly return the gun to a proper position (right side up). The reinstallation of the slide lock is the trickiest part of 45 reassembly.

.

To check for proper functioning, go through the same motions and procedures to insure that the gun is not loaded. Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. Keep your finger off the trigger. Remove the magazine. Then check it again, then again.  One of the key things to check on the 1911 is the trigger.  Make sure the gun is unloaded. Keep it pointed in a safe direction. Remove the magazine.  Check it again, then again. To check the trigger, pull the trigger and hold it back, while you block the hammer with your opposite thumb to slowly lower the hammer.  With the trigger still held back, cycle the slide. The hammer should not drop when the slide is returned to battery until you release the trigger and then pull it again.  If the hammer falls (while the trigger is held back) during the slide being returned to battery, you have a serious problem that should be referred to a competent well respected gunsmith.