From some of the replies, it is clear that a lot of people just don't understand the term "field strip". Some are even confusing it with "detail stripping", which is a different thing entirely.
And then there is the fact that many gun designs do not require even field stripping for sufficient cleaning to give years, or decades of good service.
First, get over the fact that not every pistol is designed to completely come apart on a regular basis. They aren't. And that is on purpose. I know we love to tinker and play with the parts, see how they work, how they fit together, clean, etc., but the fact is if your pistol wasn't designed for military use and in the last half century, it is going to be more complex to take down than something newer.
It may take tools. So what? You can't change a flat tire without a wrench and a jack. Don't hear many folks whining about that.
If you detail strip a Ruger Mark series pistol, and don't have experience, its a real bear to get it back together correctly. If you just field strip it, its just a pain. But there's normally no reason to ever have to do it. Ok, if the gun gets submerged, or something similar, but for normal cleaning, you don't need to take the thing apart, at all. If you do, its just to make yourself happy.
Some whine about how "complicated" the 1911 is, compared to newer pistols. OK, fine, I don't have a lot of experience with the newest ones, but I do have a Sig P220. It field strips much easier than the 1911. But I can detail strip my 1911A1 with complete confidence, while I will not detail strip my P220, at all!
If you are driving out pins, and little springs and screws are flying out, you are way past "field stripping".
