Home >> Collecting >> Gun Collecting

How to Disassemble a Compact 1911

The Colt M1911 pistol was first produced more than 100 years ago. The design remains an American classic. It was used in several wars and is still employed by elite police and military units including Delta Force and the LAPD SWAT. The 1911 has been manufactured not just by Colt, but by numerous other companies, including Kimber, Springfield Armory, Norinco, Sig Sauer, Rock Island Armory, Smith &Wesson and Para-Ordnance. The original M1911 has a 5-inch barrel, but compact and subcompact versions have 4-inch and 3-inch barrels. The design on these variations is much the same, and disassembly is only slightly different.

Things You'll Need

Take-down tool

Instructions

- 1
  Unload the gun. Press the magazine release button. Remove the magazine from the grip, then pull the slide back while pressing the slide stop up so that the slide remains locked open.
- 2
  Move the slide forward. Insert the take-down tool into the small hole in the end of the guide rod, which is located below the muzzle. Then slowly release the slide forward until the take-down tab on the slide stop aligns with the take-down notch on the slide.
- 3
  Remove the slide stop. Push or pull the slide stop from the right side to the left, removing it from the frame.
- 4
  Remove the slide and barrel. Press the slide forward off the end of the frame. Flip the barrel link forward so that the barrel can be removed out the front of the frame. With the slide and barrel removed, the gun is disassembled.

Gun Collecting