Those darned plungers

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James K

Member In Memoriam
The M1911 has a spring tunnel on the left side which contains two plungers and a spring. The plungers should have little "tits" into which the crimped end coils of the spring fit, and the spring should be kinked in the middle. The purpose is to keep the parts from coming out when the safety catch is removed. But some clone makers have saved a few cents by eliminating the "tits" and by using a straight spring, with the result that plunger(s) especially the safety plunger are often lost.

Just FWIW, I am attaching a picture of the "way things ought to be" with the three parts put together in a semi-permanent assembly. If the parts of your 1911 clone don't look like that, you might ask the maker why. Perhaps he makes more money on parts than on guns.

Incidentally, note that the front (slide stop) plunger is stepped. The length of the thinner part is critical; too short and it won't apply proper tension to the slide stop. Too long and the slide stop cannot be installed without some kind of tool.

Jim
 

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J

James K

Member In Memoriam
I am trying to say that too many makers of 1911 clones think "spec" is a four-letter word and best ignored, especially if it saves them a few cents per gun. They seem to have nothing but utter contempt for the people who buy their products.

Jim
 
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Bernieb90

New member
Unfortunately is seems that the new norm is to buy a new gun, and then replace a bunch of stuff to make it work the way I want it to. This was the case with all the 1911s I have. Garbage extractors, and wobbly triggers are the most common ones I see. Nobody seems to bother to properly radius, and polish the bottom of the extractor hook either. 1911s were designed at a time when hand fitting, and finishing were the norm. Labor costs a lot more now, and every penny saved is money in the company's pocket. There is a good reason why high end 1911s cost so much.
 
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shortwave

New member
Unfortunately is seems the new norm is to but a new gun, and then replace a bunch of stuff to make it work the way I want it to.
Click to expand...

Accepted " New norms" are precisely the reason its getting harder to buy a new stock gun that fits the bill in every catagory we as shooters desire.

Take Glock for example. The profit margin has to be greater than if pistol was made of steel. So when someone says a Glock is cheap... are they really?

I pay $500 for a stock Glock. The changes to the horrible trigger and bbl change I'd do(to safely shoot lead) will cost another $150. Then I still have a pistol that has no external safety which I like. Sooo... I now have $650+ tax in a pistol that should have come stock with a better bbl./ trigger for the original $500.

Problem is, the Glock came out stock with the polygonal bbl., a terrible trigger and we consumer's accepted both as the 'new norm' and bought them like hotcakes.

Had we demanded changes in the Glock from the onset, maybe the Glock would come stock and more perfected today.

Problem for Glock today is there are other manufacturer's making the plastic guns that come stock with a reg. rifled bbl., better stock trigger ,external safety and are proving to be every bit as reliable.

Makes me wonder will Glock ever offer these upgrades to their stock pistols as the lack of these features, in todays market, has to be cutting into their consumer base.

Note: Not trying to turn this thread into a Glock versus other brand thread. Just using them(Glock) and (IMO) their inferior features as on example of "accepted new norms" that we the consumer apparently and unfortunately originally accepted.

YMMV
 
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jglsprings

New member
I'm still waiting for the rest of the story on a gun you were working on shooting parts all over the room!

Thanks for the information anyway. I have run across the situation you have described. I used some of the "plumbing" words my father taught me.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
Gee, those parts look just like the ones I learned on at USAOC&S!

Of course, that was the Army school for Small Arms Repairmen, and those were orignial WWII (and earlier) GI 1911A1s we were trained with!

While we at it, lets also tell the world that the GI firing pin spring has two different size ends, and the correct way to install it is with the smaller end tight on the pin. IF you pick up the pin and the spring falls off, it was on backwards. :D
 
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seeker_two

New member
Jim Keenan said:
The plungers should have little "tits" into which the crimped end coils of the spring fit, and the spring should be kinked in the middle.
Click to expand...



Thank you, Jim....for showing us your "tits"..... :D
 
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