1911 Detailed Disassembly/Assembly

 
Bear in mind my 1911 is a Kimber Custom II. Some of the disassembly process may differ if you do not own a series II Kimber 1911. However, much of it is the same, most differences include regular screws as opposed to hex screw etc. I apologize in advance for not owning every brand of 1911 available on the market (I would--if my wife would let me!) I also have a couple aftermarket accessories: Compensated barrel bushing and Hogue wrap-around grips. As far as these are concerned, the disassembly/assembly is the same as any Series II Kimber.
 

If you are not able to perform basic disassembly, please visit this page first.
   
1. PERFORM BASIC DISASSEMBLY

 

    

2. SLIDE DISASSEMBLY

Depress the button located at the rear of the slide (Photo to the right)
Use a punch to press against the firing pin. Slide the rear plate downwards and off of the slide.
Photo of slide plate off of the slide.
Depress the button one more time and the firing pin and firing pin spring will pop out of the slide.
Use a punch or a small screwdriver to remove the extractor from the slide.
Photo of extractor completely removed from the slide. The slide is now completely disassembled. The button can only be taken off if the rear sight is removed, which I do not cover in the scope of this webpage.
3. FRAME DISASSEMBLY

Using a hex wrench (or a small screwdriver for other models) to remove the hand guards from the frame.

 
Photo of frame without the hand guards.
Ensuring the hammer is cocked, wiggle the safety out of the frame.
Remove the spring/pins (plunger spring) for the safety and slide stop by pulling it towards the rear of the frame.
Photo of spring/pins removed from the frame.
Remove the pin holding the rear grip/main spring housing by using a hammer and punch, left-right.
After the pin is removed, take off the rear grip (main spring housing) by pulling downwards on it. The grip safety should now fall freely from the frame.
Remove the hammer by punching out the hammer pin right-left. You can now pull out the main spring housing.
Photo of hammer and main spring housing removed from the frame.
Remove the sear pin using a punch right-left. Shake the sear and grip safety pin out of the frame.
Photo of grip safety pin, sear, and disconnector removed from frame. Remember how the sear and sear pin fit together.
Photo of sear and disconnector.
Depress the magazine release half-way and insert a hex key wrench (or a small screwdriver for other models) and turn counter-clockwise for 1/4 turn. The magazine release should pop right out.
The trigger can now be pulled towards the rear of the frame and taken completely out.
Photo of completely disassembled 1911.

 

Now it's time to put it all back together!
 

1. ASSEMBLE THE SLIDE

Slide the trigger back into the frame.

 
Put the magazine release back into the frame, rotate the hex wrench clockwise. The magazine release should pop right back into place and keep the trigger in the frame.
Photo of holes behind the grip.
Photo of grip safety and its correct insertion into the frame.
Put the sear and sear pin together correctly and insert into the frame in its correct hole. Line everything up (I like to use a small punch to do this) and insert the pin left-right.
Replace the main spring housing.
Insert the rear grip into the frame from the bottom 1/2 way as shown in the photo to the right.
Ensuring the hammer is in the forward position, insert the hammer pin into the frame left-right. Position the hammer strut into the rear grip/
Position the grip safety into the rear of the frame.
Push the rear grip up completely. Using a hammer, pound the pin for the rear grip into the frame left-right with the recess out.
Insert the plunger spring back into its slot, smaller pin first.
Cock the hammer, reinsert the safety. It helps to depress the plunger spring with a small punch or screwdriver.
Attach the grips to the frame.
2. SLIDE ASSEMBLY

Replace the extractor into the slide.

Depressing the button on the rear of the slide, place the firing pin and firing pin spring into the slide.
Photo of firing pin/spring and extractor in slide.
Depress the button on the slide while pressing down on the firing pin with a punch. Insert the back plate.

 

Detailed Assembly is now complete! Attach slide and frame via the normal matter!