1911 Cleaning Tips?

• Oct 12, 2011

• #1

brianong18

Nobody

Jul 11, 2011

571

Pasadena, MD

Rented a Kimber 1911 at a range awhile back. I loved the feel and the way 1911's shoot so I got myself one. I bought a SA Loaded SS back near the beginning of the year. I find that I don't shoot it that often mainly because of how much time it takes me to clean. How do you all go about cleaning your 1911s? I want to see if there are any tips to make the job easier so I can enjoy my 1911 more often.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #2

ThawMyTongue

Ultimate Member

Sep 26, 2009

3,465

Dublin, OH

What is the most time consuming part of your process? I have a SA Loaded Stainless as well and don't consider it THAT much harder to clean then my other guns.

Also how many times have you cleaned it? It gets easier and faster with time.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #3

wlc

Ultimate Member

Nov 13, 2006

3,521

shouldn't take more time then any other handgun

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #4

swinokur

In a State of Bliss

Patriot Picket

Apr 15, 2009

55,486

Westminster USA

soup to nuts 20 minutes

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #5

Tactics

Ultimate Member

Jan 15, 2010

2,595

Happy to be Here

1911's can be tricky. Tons of good books out there about this subject. Just keep practicing with it and it will get easier.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #6

BlueHeeler

Ultimate Member

Apr 28, 2010

7,086

Washington, DC

How much disassembly are you doing? A routine field strip is just remove the barrel and slide.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #7

Leeann

Ultimate Member

Sep 18, 2011

2,437

Edgewater

http://www.m1911.org/full_striping.htm

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #8

Freedom

Member

Aug 15, 2011

65

When I picked up my Colt Commander XSE, I found field stripping to be a real pain. To the point where I hated breaking down the pistol. I almost took my eye out more than once removing the recoil spring plug.

A Wilson Combat bushing wrench completely changed my feelings. With a bushing wrench and some practice, field stripping is no big deal anymore. It's never going to be as simple or fast as a Beretta 92FS (for example), but youtube has some good videos that really helped me.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #9

N

Numidian

Banned

BANNED!!!

Jul 25, 2007

5,337

Shrewsbury, PA

Do you have full length guide rod? Mine had one when I first got it. It also had a GI length guide rod in the box with it, so I swapped over. Now I don't need any tools to disassemble the gun at all, unless I'm feeling lazy or my thumbs are sore, then I grab a pen cap to push down the spring housing.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #10

Z

zombiehunter

Ultimate Member

Jul 8, 2008

6,505

Freedom said:

When I picked up my Colt Commander XSE, I found field stripping to be a real pain. To the point where I hated breaking down the pistol. I almost took my eye out more than once removing the recoil spring plug.

A Wilson Combat bushing wrench completely changed my feelings. With a bushing wrench and some practice, field stripping is no big deal anymore. It's never going to be as simple or fast as a Beretta 92FS (for example), but youtube has some good videos that really helped me.

Click to expand...

I LOVE when movies or tv shows (Eureka, Burn Notice) make that some kind of "test" or proof of badassery. It's probably the easiest gun in the world to take down

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #11

CWood

Active Member

May 2, 2011

317

S.MD

For only a few hundred round shooting session I lock the slide open and clean it that way. I don't care for a one piece guide rod at all, but it can still be done. My 1911s are tight so I use a wrench made by Cylinder and Slide, Brownell's #206-000-043 . Makes things easier and safer. 1911s that are older and loose it only takes a seconds to get it appart and put it back together.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #12

Mt Airy

Ultimate Member

Nov 28, 2010

1,444

Frederick county

I clean mine every 4-5 hundred rounds and than just do the top end. I do the bottom end about once a year. most people over clean there 1911 and get that idiot scratch.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #13

Mason-Dixon Baseball

Ultimate Member

Jan 1, 2011

4,890

Fallston

Q-Tips dipped in cleaner work well on the grooves on the slide...

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #14

swinokur

In a State of Bliss

Patriot Picket

Apr 15, 2009

55,486

Westminster USA

Pipe cleaners as well.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #15

jawn

YOU TROLLIN!

Feb 10, 2011

2,884

INTARWEB

Two words: bore snake.

Know it, love it, use it.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #16

H

honda53s

Ultimate Member

May 4, 2009

4,389

Baltimore County

You could clean it or trade it in and get a new one.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #17

mwelliott

Online

May 17, 2006

265

Columbia

Not terribly mind blowing but I find the Universal Cleaning Stick to be handy.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #18

Indiana Jones

Wolverine

Mar 18, 2011

19,480

CCN

Mtairy Biker said:

I clean mine every 4-5 hundred rounds and than just do the top end. I do the bottom end about once a year. most people over clean there 1911 and get that idiot scratch.

Click to expand...

i love the idiot scratch on my GI1911. it is suppossed to be there. every one of them ive seen has that scratch. so i guess ALOT of servicemen are idiots? ouch...? now my stainless smith and wesson doesnt have it. and NEVER will

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #19

Mt Airy

Ultimate Member

Nov 28, 2010

1,444

Frederick county

HomicidalNun said:

i love the idiot scratch on my GI1911. it is suppossed to be there. every one of them ive seen has that scratch. so i guess ALOT of servicemen are idiots? ouch...? now my stainless smith and wesson doesnt have it. and NEVER will

Click to expand...

That is a term that has been around for a long time.

 

• Oct 12, 2011

• #20

brianong18

Nobody

Jul 11, 2011

571

Pasadena, MD

Thanks for the replies everyone. I normally do a basic field strip. Breakdown is easy. It's just all the extra little recesses and grooves that are a PITA. I guess some qtips or pipe cleaner would help like others have suggested.