i feel stupid asking this, but...

heavenIsAlie

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im trying to take apart my norc commander for the first time and no matter how hard i try i cant depress the recoil spring. my first 1911 so any tricks or anything im missing? it seems like this should be easy
 
im trying to take apart my norc commander for the first time and no matter how hard i try i cant depress the recoil spring. my first 1911 so any tricks or anything im missing? it seems like this should be easy

Here's what I do [standard set up]:

1. Ensure pistol is unloaded.

2. #### the hammer.

3. Engage the thumb safety so the slide is locked.

4. I use a plastic Bic pen to depress the recoil spring plug, so that it is in the slide but under the barrel bushing; then turn the barrel bushing to the side [keeping the plug depressed with the pen, so it doesn't come flying out under spring pressure].

5. Once the barrel bushing is turned off to the side, allow the recoil spring plug to move forward and remove.

6. Disengage the thumbsafety and move the slide back until it aligns with the slide stop takedown notch.

7. Remove slide stop then you can push the slide forward off the frame rails.
 
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following those instructions, the outside ring of the recoil spring plug does down, but not the middle circle so im still unable to turn the bushing
 
following those instructions, the outside ring of the recoil spring plug does down, but not the middle circle so im still unable to turn the bushing

Does your pistol have a full length guide rod then?

My instructions above were for the standard setup [standard recoil spring plug, spring guide, spring etc].

If you have a full length guide rod on your pistol, is it a one piece or two piece unit?
 
If the outside ring will go down enough to be flush with the front surface thats all you need to get the bushing to rotate over it. You might need something plastic to hold it down, like the bottom of a bic lighter or ??
Once the bushing rotates over it a bit the bushing will hold it down and you can reposition the tool you're using to hold the plug/ring for when you rotate the bushing off the other side (prevent it from going flying).
 
tried that, the bushing still hits the guide rod. i guess i need the tool to take it down.

since i dont have one of those, anyone know if you can take the mainspring housing out without taking it all the way down? ive got a new one to put in, otherwise ill go pick up a tool tomorrow and do it then

Another reason I have no use for full length guide rods. Yes you can get the MSH out without dismantling the rest of the gun but I recommend taking off the grips so you can put the grip on a flat surface to get the MSH pin out.
http://www.marstar.ca/AssemblyColt1911.htm
I use a piece of 1/2 wood under the grip with the gun lying flat. You need a punch to get the pin out and the MSH is under some spring tension so it will pop a bit out once the pin is out.
Be carefull taking out the pin that holds the spring in there as it will go flying across the room and you may never find the parts!:eek:
 
i not having good luck with this lol, got mainspring out, swapped everything over, had it all assembling nicely, then when i put the grip saftey in i had to hammer on the mainspring housing to get it in place. problem is the grip saftey moved during that and now the housing wont come off again for me to try again


and got it again, im gld ive got alof random tools around
 
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With the hammer loose and in the most forward position (slide off helps at this point), the rod that connects with the main spring housing will be up at its highest point, and you will not have to compress the MSH much to slide it into place, you might even be albe to do it by hand.
 
I don't think you're stupid for asking this. What would be stupid is instead of posting you went at it with every tool in the garage and scratched the hell out of it.

I just ordered my first 1911, a DW, and your post has encouraged me to do some reading on maintenance of the 1911 platform. I just assumed every gun was going to be as easy to disassemble as a Sig... :D
 
As for FLGR's I prefer a two piece unit, either with a depression on the front for a hex wrench or one flush on the front face but has a hole drilled thru the side about 1/2" from the front. That way you can 'turn off' the front part, then take down the top end just like a standard set-up with a recoil spring guide, spring & recoil spring plug. I still like to use a plastic Bic pen in my 1911 top-end take down scenario.

As for detail stripping.... practice makes perfect. I've detail stripped and thoroughly cleaned at least a hundred different 1911 and 1911A1's over the years. Patience is a virtue when doing so.

Parts were meant to 'work' together. Once the hammer is reinstalled and the hammer strut is laying across the reinstalled 3 leaf spring, [make sure all three legs of the 3 leaf spring are aligned with the right parts] and the thumb safety has been reinstalled, I then reinstall the grip safety into the rear of the frame. Making sure it is fitting properly over the 3 leaf spring. I then find it beneficial to decock the hammer before trying to reinstall the mainspring housing. It then is also a good idea to tilt the frame back so that the base of the hammer strut fits down into the middle of the top of the ms housing. It is a bit tricky to hold all these parts in with your fingers and then manipulate them into this configuration but it makes reinstalling the ms housing very easy. You should never have to "hammer" a mainspring housing back on.... :eek:
 
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NAA, trying to do the assembly your way, but i can get the thumb saftey on and still manage to keep the leaf spring in the proper spot, keeps moving out while im wiggling the saftey in (i have ambi saftey if that makes a difference)

when i try to put the mainspring housing on like in this video http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bh6K5rNenc it gets to about a mm from where it should be and then i cant slide it up any farther

edit: well ive got it to the point where the mainspring housing is on, everything is together but it is still that mm off
 
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edit: well ive got it to the point where the mainspring housing is on, everything is together but it is still that mm off

So it's not in place and you can't put the MSH pin back in? Maybe it's time for a pic. Is the hammer strut in the right place on the MS?

More than once I've taken a bag of 1911 to my gunsmith to put back together rather than wreck something.:D
 
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