Gallery: Colt 1911 Government .45 ACP complete disassembly
The Colt 1911 Government allows maybe more upgrades than any other handgun ever commercially sold. It is a duty for owners to know how to disassemble it
Bruno Ardovini
Bruno Ardovini
Some guns that have a very tight fit require the use of this tool to remove the Barrel Bushing
Bruno Ardovini
The 1911 Government Series 80 completely disassembled
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Before disassembly, we need to make sure the gun is unloaded; the procedure starts by removing the magazine
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Now, we must retract the slide rearwards to visually inspect the chamber. Keep your fingers clear of the trigger during all these operations!
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The Barrel Bushing can be rotated clockwise while holding the recoil spring plug
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Remove the front plug from the recoil spring
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Press the slide stop lever shaft end that protrudes from the frame on the right side
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Remove the slide stop lever. Its shaft also locks the barrel link and therefore connects the slide to the frame
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Once the slide stop lever is removed, the slide can be separated from the frame pushing it forwards
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Remove the recoil spring and recoil spring guide
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The Barrel Bushing can be removed from the slide, twisting it counterclockwise
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Barrel Bushing out of the slide. Note the bayonet type lug, which holds it in place
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Once the Barrel Bushing is removed, the barrel can be removed. To do this, the Barrel Link must be kept flush against the barrel, to clear the slide
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The Firing Pin Lock Plunger
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Remove the rear plate, pushing the firing pin inwards. Since our gun is a Series 80, the Firing Pin Lock Plunger must be also be pressed at the same time
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Rear plate removed. Note the Firing Pin still held in place by the Plunger
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To remove the Firing Pin and spring, press the Firing Pin Lock Plunger
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To remove the Firing Pin Lock Plunger, we need to move back the Extractor by about a millimeter
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With the help of a flat bladed screwdriver we can remove the extractor from the slide
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The extractor just removed. This is a part that sometimes needs to be carefully “tuned”
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With a suitably sized flat blade screwdriver the grip panels can be removed
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The roll pin that holds the Mainspring Housing in place can be removed with the correct size punch
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Note the small roll pin that locks the Mainspring Housing spring and cap
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The internal parts of the Mainspring Housing. During disassembly, we recommend to cover the Mainspring Housing with a cloth
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Note the Upper Sear lever that controls the automatic Firing Pin safety in Series 80 guns
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The Manual Safety can be removed by rotating it upwards and holding the hammer cocked
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The Manual Safety shaft also secures the Grip Safety, if removed, this part also comes loose and can be removed from the frame
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The 3-prong Sear Spring requires skilful adjustment to work properly
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The Hammer and hinged strut can be removed by pushing out the hammer pin
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On the right side of the hammer we can find the Upper Sear lever that controls the automatic Firing Pin safety in Series 80 guns
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Removing the Sear Pin, the following parts can be disassembled: Upper Sear Lever, Lower Sear Lever, and Disconnector
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From the Plunger tube riveted to the frame, we can now slide out the Safety Lock Plunger, its spring and the Slide Release Plunger
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The Magazine Catch Assembly can be removed, keeping it slightly pressed while the small slotted screw is rotated counter-clockwise
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The Magazine Catch Assembly. Note the small lug that locks the assembly in the frame
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The trigger can be removed by pulling it out from the rear of the frame
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The complete set of levers and parts that make up the Trigger System. To allow a better understanding of the parts relationship, the Upper Sear Lever has been placed upside down
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