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How to Build a Colt 1911

Building your own model 1911 pistol is simply a matter of procuring all the parts and putting them together. The advantage of a 1911 pistol is that all the parts are standardized regardless of manufacturer. The only part of the pistol that is regulated is the lower receiver. The government considers this component a firearm and is subject to local and federal laws. All of the other components are unregulated and can be purchased without restriction.

Things You'll Need

1911lower receiver
Slide
Barrel
Barrel bushing
Recoil spring and spring plug
Recoil spring guide
Slide stop
Magazine

Instructions

- 1
  Slip the recoil spring over the recoil spring guide.
- 2
  Hold a slide upside down and slip the barrel bushing onto the barrel with the flat side forward, tilt the bushing slightly to the left (when viewed upside down).
- 3
  Insert the barrel, back end first, through the front of a slide. Seat the small metal tab of the barrel bushing onto the end of the slide and turn the barrel bushing all the way to the right.
- 4
  Place the recoil spring onto the barrel. The spring should be sticking out of the front of the slide.
- 5
  Turn the slide over and make sure that the ring at the bottom of the barrel is hanging straight down.
- 6
  Align the slide's slots with the lower receiver's rails and slide it on.
- 7
  Line up the slots on the slide with the rails of the lower receiver and slip it on.
- 8
  Find the hole located just above the trigger on the lower receiver, look through it and align the barrel ring with the hole.
- 9
  Secure the ring by inserting the slide stop into the hole. Align the small detent cut into the slide with the tab on the lower receiver and press the slide stop into position.
- 10
  Bring the slide all the way forward.
- 11
  Slip the recoil spring plug over the exposed end of the recoil spring and press the spring into the pistol past the end of the barrel bushing. Turn the barrel bushing into position (straight down) which will secure the recoil spring plug.

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