Colt M1911 Help

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Hey, anyone who owns or knows about guns please help me hehe I need to know how the grip safety works with the 1911s (any variation, since they're all clones of the original i think hehe)

I've search for a few days about the gun and I got really interested in the design, I understand all of the mechanics except for the Grip safety AND the mag release. I need to know how they work.

Here's what I understand about the two parts:

1. The grip safety has to be pressed down (by holding the gun properly) to allow the hammer to strike the firing pin to fire the bullet.

2. The mag release is held in place by a small tab that's removabe by turning it with a flat head screwdriver

What I don't get is:

1. What does the grip safety pull onto to not allow the hammer to strike the firing pin?

2. Everything about the magazine release......

Any help will be appreciated.

P.S. I've looked through alot of vidoes on the 1911s, and so far none showed me how the parts work....

 

[Texan2012]

Your best bet is to go to a gun shop or gunsmith and ask them about it. I am sure that they would love to educate you on the subject since the individuals who work there may own a M1911 .45 handgun or two. Best of luck to you.

 

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Hmm I might do that hehe for now I'm still researching on the gun... thanks for the advice

WOW, I seriously didn't know why I posted two topics on this, so sorry...... It kinda posted the topic while I wasn't done then I editted it then somehow the server posted another copy of my thread...wierd..... oh well hehe

 

[Sigma LS]

world.guns.ru should have a rundown and exploded parts diagram if I remember correctly...

Why the need to know though? Do you have a busted one?

 

[BlindRascal]

Hey, anyone who owns or knows about guns please help me hehe I need to know how the grip safety works with the 1911s (any variation, since they're all clones of the original i think hehe)

I've search for a few days about the gun and I got really interested in the design, I understand all of the mechanics except for the Grip safety AND the mag release. I need to know how they work.

Here's what I understand about the two parts:

1. The grip safety has to be pressed down (by holding the gun properly) to allow the hammer to strike the firing pin to fire the bullet.

2. The mag release is held in place by a small tab that's removabe by turning it with a flat head screwdriver

What I don't get is:

1. What does the grip safety pull onto to not allow the hammer to strike the firing pin?

2. Everything about the magazine release......

Any help will be appreciated.

P.S. I've looked through alot of vidoes on the 1911s, and so far none showed me how the parts work....

I might be a bit rusty on this and its not going to really answer your question buttt.-

but the grip safety doesn't really as much prevent the hammer from going down, but it prevents the trigger from being pulled (which basically stops the hammer from striking the pin, but you physically can't pull the trigger until the grip safety is pressed down)

And I'm not too sure what you're talking about with the mag release, I dont know about the screwdriver thing, but on my glock 19 (and even my m4)(my airsoft ones are identical to the real steel [in some functions, I'm referring to the mag catch], and I'm sure most guns function sort of the same. It's just the catch is pushed to the side, usually being forced back by a spring, when the catch goes far enough, it releases the magazine. It's simple, just kind of hard to explain when you can't see it.


This is an exploded diagram of a 1911. As you can tell, theres only 3 simple parts in the mag catch, one I'm assuming is the spring. From this diagram you can sort of map out where the grip safety goes.

 

[centerside]

Hmmm. Thanks for the reply Sigma Spartan117x:

To answer the questions, I wanted to know the gun cause my dad and me might be going to the firing range sometime with a friend of his and the 1911 is a simple pistol so I wanted to surprise them that I know how these things work hehe And I'm curious about how everything works.

And, I'm going to make a realistic replica (I will not add a firing pin though... so there's no chance of the gun really working)

As for the magazine release, I still don't know how it works... hmmm.. about the exploded diagram, I've seen it before, a small tab hooks on a hole on the magazine itself locking it into place, I'm starting to get how it works though still I'm not quite sure...

And thanks you spartan117x for the detailed explanation about the grip safety I understand it now thanks lots guys.

Thanks for all the help so far....

P.S. Just remebered a few years back we found my grand dad's old shot gun in the attic LOL hehe

 

[Texan2012]

Another thing you can do is go to an Army/Navy store and buy an old military manual on the M1911 model of firearms. I've seen a few here and there, so that is a pretty good bet.

 

[DogWizard]

Grip safety - this is simply a mechanical block that interferes with the hammer and prevents it from releasing (dropping). The grip safety is under spring tension pushing it "out" and away from the frame. It exists to help reduce the chance of an accidental trigger pull firing the weapon while it is not being firmly gripped. When you have a solid grip, the tension from your hand overcomes the force of the spring and pushes the safety "in". Becaus it is on a single pivot "pin" this rotates the nub out of the way and allows the hammer to drop.

If you look on the exploded diagram Spartan117X posted you can see that there is a nub or tooth protruding from the "front" of the grip safety. This is where it engages the hammer.

Tha Magazine Catch - very, very simple - almost all auto pistols use the same basic concept. It is a captive spring assembly, essentially allowing for constant spring tension at all times. This tension pushed the "button" out, your thumb pushes against this putton and forces it back into the frame. Internally there is a small "catch" that slides back and forth horizontally and locks into a mating recess or divot in the body of the magazine (this is not shown in the exploded diagram as it is on the other side of the magazine). The spring tension locks tha magazine in place and when that spring tension is removed (pushing the "button") the catch slides out of the way and the magazine releases...

Hope this helps...

 

[sirfroget]

I have the same gun in airsoft ironic .

 

[centerside]

DogWizard: Thanks for the very helpful answer I've seen some other animations (Link to the animation)of the grip safety and it's a bit different about what you said or is just me not understanding your explanation properly... hehe

I've seen some other guns but that animation is for the M 1911 and it appears that the 'nub or tooth' in the grip safety slides down from the pivot point and blocks a tab protruding from the trigger, making it lock in place or rather not being able to be pulled. Is this correct?

And as for buying a Manual..... I can't believe I missed that idea, but I'd rather not spend (I'm cheap, kinda hehe) anything just wanting to know how a mag release or grip saftey works hehe thanks though

 

[DogWizard]

I've seen some other guns but that animation is for the M 1911 and it appears that the 'nub or tooth' in the grip safety slides down from the pivot point and blocks a tab protruding from the trigger, making it lock in place or rather not being able to be pulled. Is this correct?

You got it - that animation is perfect! It's not so much a "tab" from the trigger - more like a thin metal band that splits and circles around the magazine well then comes back together. Sorry - I was trying to simplify the explanation and may have been unclear... I wish they had a vertical view from the top - that would really help show it off. This may help:

1911 Trigger Assembly

Hope that helps...